In 1909, Leo Fender was born in Santa Ana, California. Fender took his love for guitars and electronics to a successful career in guitar production, inventing the Fender Broadcaster in 1948, to be renamed the Telecastor. In 1954, he began production of the Stratocaster, and as we all know he also is known for the Fender Bass.
In 1927, Jimmy Martin was born in Sneedville, Tennessee. Dubbed the "King of Bluegrass", The "High Lonesome Sound" was really created when Jimmy and Bill Monroe combined after Jimmy became the lead singer for the Bluegrass Boys around 1949. He later worked with the Osborne Brothers and finally formed his own band in 1965 that also included J.D.Crowe and Big Paul Williams. His biggest hit was probably "Widow Maker" which still is a favorite of truckers. He charted six songs on the Country charts with three of them being Top Forty, and his last chart hit being with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
In 1928, Jimmy Dean was born in Plainview, Texas. Though he is probably best remembered for his line of Jimmy Dean Sausage, he was also a Hall of Fame singer and radio and television personality whose biggest hit was "Big John".
In 1946, Rosalie Allen's version of "I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart" debuted on the country charts at Number 5. Strangely, it charted for just one week.
In 1985, Hank Williams, Jr. was atop the charts with "I'm For Love".
In 1996, George Strait got "Carried Away" by a Number One hit of the same name.
In 2011, Grand Ole Opry star Billy Grammar passed away in Illinois. He was known as one of the best guitar pickers in Country Music, and had a major hit with "Gotta Travel Home". He also had a minor hit with "I Wanna Go Home", also known as "Detroit City". Our prayers and thought go out to his loved ones.
