1947
Born on this day in Gilmer, Texas, was Don Henley singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. In 1970, he moved to Los Angeles to record an album with his early band, Shiloh, while living at the home of fellow Texan Kenny Rogers; the album was produced by Kenny Rogers. Shortly thereafter, Henley met Glenn Frey. They both became members of Linda Ronstadt’s backup band. The Eagles have sold over 120 million albums worldwide.
1961
Patsy Cline was brought onstage at the Grand Ole Opry in a wheelchair to tell her fans that she would be back singing soon. Cline had been seriously injured in a car accident outside the Madison High School in Nashville the previous month.
1964
Hank Snow, with producer Chet Atkins, recorded “In The Misty Moonlight”, “I Saw A Man” and other tracks, at RCA Victor Studio, Tennessee. The band on the session includes guitarists Harold Bradley and Jerry Shook, steel guitarist Joseph Tanner, bassist Junior Huskey, drummer Buddy Harman, pianist Hargus Robbins, vibraphonist Joe Layne plus The Anita Kerr Singers.
1991Alan Jackson was at #1 on the Country charts with “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”, released as the lead single from the album of the same name, Don’t Rock the Jukebox. It was his second consecutive #1 single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles charts.
2001
Country music songwriter and record producer Bob Ferguson died of cancer age 73. He worked for nearly 30 years at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville producing hundreds of albums for artists such as Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton, and Porter Wagoner. Ferguson is also best known for writing the bestselling songs “On the Wings of a Dove” and “The Carroll County Accident.”
2003
Brad Paisley released his third studio album Mud on the Tires which became his first US #1 Country album. It produced four hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks as well as the #1 title track.
2006
Johnny Cash was at #1 on the US album chart with American V: A Hundred Highways. Released posthumously on July 4, the vocal parts were recorded before Cash’s death, but the instruments were not recorded until 2005.
