In 1915, A. P. Carter married Sara Dougherty. A. P., Sara, and Maybelle, The Carters, were the first country music vocal group to be recognized as stars, and they are famous for such songs as "Wabash Cannonball", "Wildwood Flower", "Keep On The Sunny Side", and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". They recorded at the Bristol Sessions in 1927, and really became the basis for almost all forms of music.
In
1917, Richard Boone, aka Palladin(of Have Gun Will Travel), was born.
He was the cousin of Pat Boone. Do you remember the theme song from
Palladin, sung by Johnny Western?
In 1949, "One Kiss Too Many" became Eddy Arnold's tenth of twenty-eight Number one singles in his career. Arnold is considered to be the number one country music recording artist of all time, based on record sales, airplay, and chart success. It is doubtful if any artist will surpass his time on country music radio. He had one hit which stayed at the top of the charts for 21 weeks, and another for 19.
In 1955, Faron Young scored a Number One hit with "Live Fast, Love Hard, and Die Young", a Joe Allison written song. This was his first of five Number One records. He had forty top tens, and seventy four top forties. He left not only a lot of good music but a colorful legacy, many of them with his band, the Country Deputies. That band included such greats as Teddy and Doyle Wilburn, Johnny Paycheck, Lloyd Green, Doug Jernigan, Pete Wade, Gordon Terry, Vassar Clements, Darrell McCall, and Roger Miller. His friendship with Willie Nelson also produced some legendary moments.
In
1958, Marty Haggard, great singer who inherited the gift from father
Merle, was born in Bakersfield, California. I hear Marty is living in
Arkansas today, and doing mostly gospel music. If you have heard from
him lately, let us know.
In 1966, Sonny James, the Southern Gentleman, went to Number One on the charts with "Take Good Care Of Her".
In 1974, Henry Maddox, of the Maddox Brothers and Sister Rose, passed away at age 46. America's Most Colorful Hillbillly Band, they were probably, along with Hank Williams and Moon Mullican, not only instrumental in the solidification of country music as a genre, but were probably the first real rock and roll acts in America. I will add that the great Roy Nichols played lead guitar for them when he was sixteen years old making the astounding sum of $90 per week.
In 1983, Eddie Rabbit scored a Number One record with "You Can't Run From Love". It was one of seventeen Number Ones, and thirty four Top Tens that this talented singer, songwriter, and guitarist produced in a career that was cut short by cancer.
In 1984, Paul Howard, of Paul Howard and His Cotton Pickers, passed away. He was a very popular hillbilly singer who was recorded by Fred Rose.
In 2004, Ray Charles, who was as successful on the country charts as
he was on pop and rhythm and blues, was buried in Inglewood Cemetary in
California.
