1954
During recording sessions at Sun studios in Memphis, Elvis Presley recorded a version of Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon Of Kentucky”. Numerous artists have recorded the song, including John Fogerty, Patsy Cline, Ronnie Hawkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, Paul McCartney, Boxcar Willie, Ray Charles and Jerry Reed.
1961
Born on this day in Mount Airy, North Carolina was singer and composer of bluegrass music Ronnie Bowman best known for his work with the Lonesome River Band. Bowman also co-wrote “Nobody to Blame” on Chris Stapleton’s Traveller album, “It’s Getting Better All the Time” by Brooks & Dunn and “Never Wanted Nothing More” for Kenny Chesney.
1968
Tammy Wynette was at #1 on the US Country singles chart with “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” Written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman, the song is a woman’s perspective on the impending collapse of her marriage. The lyrics begin with an old parenting trick of spelling out words mothers and fathers hope their young children will not understand, they (the children) being not yet able to spell or comprehend the word’s meaning. The original Tammy Wynette recording features in the films Five Easy Pieces and Brokeback Mountain.
1974
Born on this day in Savannah, Georgia was six-time Grammy Award-winning American record producer, songwriter Dave Cobb, best known for producing the work of The Highwomen, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile and John Prine.
2012
Carrie Underwood released “Blown Away” taken from her fourth studio album of the same name. The song became Underwood’s 16th top ten single on the Country Airplay chart, a record among women in the tally’s 68-year history. It also became the singer’s 13th #1 on the Country chart.
2015
Luke Bryan caused controversy in an interview with Hits Double Daily for implying that Outlaw country artists (particularly Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson) had spent their career “laying in the gutter, strung out on drugs.”
