In 1938, Kenny Rogers was born in Houston, Texas. He has been an active performer in the music business for well over fifty years, and has sold between 100 and 200 million records in his time as a solo performer and member of several groups. Though he has had many charted records, his time working with United Artists producer Larry Butler made him a household name, as he recorded "Lucille" and "The Gambler", as well as several other chart topping hits. When Rogers signed with RCA in 1983, he received a $20 million dollar advance on his multi-record deal. He also has been a producer,writer, actor, entrepreneur, and an investor, and is successful in all of those endeavors. He still sings to packed houses, especially on his annual Christmas Tours.
In 1939, James Burton was born in Dubberly, Louisiana. Known as the "Master of the Telecaster", he is probably the best living live performance guitarist in the world. He was the house guitarist on the Louisians Hayride, which featured many of the greatest singers in the world, including Elvis Presley, and left to join Rick Nelsons band where he stayed for many years. He then played on the old "Shindig" show and was by now, a member of the popular crew of musicians who worked as the "Wrecking Crew" out in California. He then became Elvis Presley's lead guitarist, and never missed one performance after he joined the King, even though he worked with many others at the same time, including with Emmy Lou Harris' Hot Band. He then worked extensively with John Denver, and was one of his closest friends until his death. He has worked with many other legends, including Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Costello, and Vince Gill, and still works as much as he wants, and makes yearly appearances in Nashville. He is most famous for his Pink Paisley Telecaster, and most definitely is one of the most appreciated guitarists in the world.
In 1939, Harold Reid, bass singer and composer with the Statler Brothers, was born in Staunton, Virginia.
In 1961, George Jones owned the Number One spot on the charts with "Tender Years".
In 1965, Roy Drusky and Priscilla Mitchell had a Number One hit with their duet, "Yes, Mr. Peters".
In 1975, Sam McGee passed away in Williamson County, Tennessee in a tractor accident. Though he was proficient with several instruments, he was one of the premier fingerpickers of his time, and he and his brother Kirk, who usually played banjo or fiddle, were some of the pioneering performers who spanned from the days of Uncle Dave Macon and his Fruit Jar Drinkers, of which they were a part, right up to their last appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in 1975. They did performances on the Opry for a half century, and were still some of the most talented acts to grace the stage of the then new Opry House.
In 1976, Mickey Gilley was smiling with a chart topper entitled "Bring It On Home To Me".
In 1982, Sylvia went to the top of the Country charts with her song about "Nobody".
In 1985, Hoyle Nix, famous Texas Swing bandleader, musician, and songwriter, passed away. He was the leader of the West Texas Cowboys, and was a close friend of Bob Wills, who many times played in Nix's Big Spring Texas club called The Stampede. His "Big Balls In Cowtown" is one of the most revered of all Western Swing songs, and his son, Jody Nix, still runs The Stampede as he is also one of the current faces of the Texas roadhouse circuit.
In 1993, Doug Stone was wondering "Why Didn't I Think Of That", and holding the top spot on the Country charts.
In 2008, drummer Buddy Harmon died in Nashville, Tennessee. He played on as many as 18,000 sessions with all the big names of country music and some that were in other genres. Some of the names that he played behind on recordings are George Jones, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, and Eddy Arnold. He was the first regular drummer on the Grand Ole Opry.
