1945
Born on this day in Mount Airy, North Carolina, was Donna Fargo country music singer-songwriter, who is best known for a series of Top 10 country hits in the 1970s, including “The Happiest Girl In the Whole USA”, “Superman” and “Funny Face.”
1955
Elvis Presley attended the fourth Country Music Disc Jockey Convention in Nashville Tennessee. Back at his hotel Mae Boren Axton played him a demo of a new song she had written with Tommy Durden called “Heartbreak Hotel.” Presley released the track as a single on January 27, 1956, his first on his new record label RCA Victor. The song gave him his his first #1 pop record.
1956
George Jones was named the most promising country and western artist, according to Billboard magazine’s annual nationwide disc jockey poll.
1969
Johnny Cash broke the attendance record at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, playing before 18,106 people, the largest indoor crowd that Cash had performed for. The record gross of $93,000 outdistanced even The Beatles.
1973One of Nashville’s most notorious murders made national headlines when David Akeman (aka Stringbean) and his wife, Estelle, were killed when they interrupted a burglary after returning home. Their bodies were found the next day. Their assailants, 23 year old cousins John and Marvin Douglas were later captured, convicted and sentenced to prison. Stringbean, who was 58, was best known to his audiences for his role on the syndicated series Hee Haw. In 1996, 23 years after the murders, $20,000 in paper money was discovered behind a chimney brick in Stringbean’s home.
1980
Dolly Parton released “9 to 5” which went to #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary chart as well as the Billboard Country Chart. The song was written for the comedy film 9 to 5, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton in her film debut.
1983
Born on this day in Longview, Texas, was Miranda Lambert, country music singer, songwriter, who gained fame as a finalist on the 2003 season of Nashville Star. Lambert made her debut with the release of “Me and Charlie Talking”, the first single from her 2005 debut album Kerosene which produced the singles “Bring Me Down”, “Kerosene”, and “New Strings”. All four singles were Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. She is also a member of Pistol Annies with Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley.
2009
Kris Kristofferson was honored as a BMI Icon at the 57th annual BMI Country Awards.
2010
Brad Paisley won the Entertainer of the Year award at the 44th annual CMA Awards. Loretta Lynn appeared at the Awards and was honored for fifty years in country music.
