In 1927, Porter Wagoner was born in West Plains, Missouri. He cut his teeth on radio shows in Missouri, and went on to be on the Ozark Jubilee. On one of his trips to Nashville, he was actually at the famous Opry on the night that Hank Williams debuted with six encores. He and his manager eventually made their way to Nashville, and found a home on the Grand Ole Opry. He had many hits, as a solo artist, and as a duet partner with Dolly Parton, and had a TB show that reportedly filmed almost as many as 700 shows. He had a band that was probably the equivalent of those featuring Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, having some great musicians such as Buck Trent on the electric banjo and guitar, Don Warden on steel guitar, and Mack Magaha on fiddle, with Mel Tillis often featured in his shows. Porter's last studio album, "Wagonmaster" was produced by Marty Stuart, and is thought by us to be one of the best albums of the early 2000s.
In 1929, Buck Owens was born as Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. He became one of the most popular of everything he did. He was a singer, songwriter, guitar player, performer, entertainer, tv star, night club owner, radio and tv station owner. He did it all and became one of the most successful performers of all time, be it concerning fame or fortune, he had it all. Born in Sherman, Texas into a sharecropper family of ten, he went from being a young man of humble beginnings to one who was at the top of his game in the Country Music Genre right up until the day he died. In his last years, he could still pack them in to his Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, California.
In 1956, Danny Shirley, lead vocalist and guitarist of Confederate Railroad, was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The group had two very successful albums on the Atlantic label, with several top forty hits. They are still on the road today, and in the past year, issued a live album.
In 1957, the original truck driving man, Dragonfly, was born in Pensacola, Florida. He drove over the road and, as I told Dale Watson, could well have been the inspiration for the song that he sang about Dragonfly. I know, he is my brother, and he assumed that name over thirty years ago. He drove so far and so fast that it took years for the news that Boxcar Willie had passed to catch him. He still works in the business today, and is a huge fan of David Allan Coe. Happy Birthday, Lynn Burris, Dragonfly, a real singing trucker.
In 1972, "Bless Your Heart" became a Number One hit for Freddie Hart and His Heartbeats. One of the hottest acts of 1972 and 1973, Hart took the top spot with five charted records in a row.
In 1978, Eddie Rabbitt scored a chart topper with "You Don't Love Me Anymore".
In 1989, Patty Loveless topped the charts with "Timber, I'm Falling In Love".
In 1995, Lorrie Morgan was atop the charts with "I Didn't Know My Own Strength".
