In 1923, Dottie Dillard of the Anita Kerr Singers was born in Springfield, Missouri.
In 1924, according to our sources, Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires, long time back up and Gospel group was born. Stoker played piano for them and has been both first tenor and second tenor with the group. He and Neal Matthews were perhaps the two most famous of the group that backed Elvis, Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, Jimmy Dean and many others on their many hits. The year on this birthdate is arbitrary, as I have seen it as anywhere from 1924 to 1926.
In 1953, Randy Scruggs was born in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1974, Crash Craddock was at Number One with "Rub It In".
In 1985, Alabama went to the top of the charts with "Forty Hour Week (For A Livin')".
In 1981, Trisha Yearwood went to Number One with "She's In Love With The Boy".
In 1991, I am told that Johnny Lee debuted on the Grand Ole Opry.:
In 1996, Rhett Akins was at Number One with "Don't Get Me Started".
In 1999, Little Roy Wiggins, steel guitarist, passed away from heart disease. He was with Eddy Arnold for twenty five years, and worked on many of his recordings, including "Bouquet of Roses", "I'll Hold You In My Heart", and "Anytime".
In 2004, Lacy Van Zant, considered to be "The Father Of Southern
Rock", passed away in Jacksonville, Florida. He was the father of Ronnie
Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Donnie Van Zant of .38 Special, and Johnny
Van Zant who fronts the current day Lynyrd Skynyrd, and both Donnie and
Johnny perform as Van Zant, a 'country' act.
