1911
Born on this day in Rosine, Kentucky, was Bill Monroe, American mandolinist who helped create the style of music known as bluegrass. The genre takes its name from his band, the “Blue Grass Boys”, named for Monroe’s home state of Kentucky. He is often referred to as ‘The Father of Bluegrass’. Monroe died on Sept 9th 1996.
1943
Born on this day in Florence, Alabama was drummer and record producer Jerry Carrigan. He first achieved widespread recognition by being part of the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He recorded with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Stevens, Kenny Rogers, George Jones and many others. He died on June 22nd age 75.
1956
Born on this day in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was David Mansfield, violinist, mandolin player, guitarist, pedal steel guitar player, and composer. Mansfield has worked with many artists including, Bob Dylan, T-Bone Burnett, Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith, Roger McGuinn, Sam Phillips, and Dwight Yoakam.
1965
Buck Owens had the #1 country album “I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” Owens later said he got the idea for “I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” after seeing an Esso gas station sign with the company’s slogan at the time, “Put a tiger in your tank.”
1975
Born on this day was Joe Don Rooney, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter with the American country trio Rascal Flatts who have scored 11 US Country #1’s.
1976Waylon Jennings was at #1 on the US country album chart with Are You Ready for the Country. Its title track is a song from Neil Young’s seminal 1972 album Harvest. Despite the title, this outlaw country album featured covers of rock songs, including “Can’t You See” by the Marshall Tucker Band. MacArthur Park (Revisited)” and won Waylon his first Grammy Award in 1969.
2006
Banjo player Earl Scruggs was honored at Turner Field in Atlanta as part of the pre-game show for an Atlanta Braves home game. Organizers set a world record for the most banjo players (239) playing one tune together, playing Scruggs’ “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”.
2011
Lady Antebellum released their third studio album Own the Night which won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 54th Grammy Awards. Four singles were released from Own the Night, “Just a Kiss”, “We Owned the Night”, “Dancin’ Away with My Heart” and “Wanted You More”.
