OCTOBER 31
1912: Dale Evans was born in Uvalde, TX. In December 1947, she married western actor Roy Rogers, with whom she starred on radio and TV. She also wrote the couple’s theme song, “Happy Trails.”
1927: Anita Kerr was born in Memphis. She formed The Anita Kerr Singers, a background vocal group that played a role in such hits as Skeeter Davis’ “The End Of The World,” Jim Reeves’ “He’ll Have To Go” and Bobby Bare’s “Detroit City.”
1928: The Stoneman Family recorded “The Spanish Merchant’s Daughter” in Bristol, TN.
1937: Folk singer/songwriter Tom Paxton was born in Chicago, IL. He wrote “The Last Thing On My Mind,” a 1965 recording that was remade two years later in the first session that paired Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton.
1958: Songwriter Sandy Knox was born. Her credits include the Reba McEntire & Linda Davis duet “Does He Love You” and McEntire’s “She Thinks His Name Was John.”
1964: Darryl Worley was born in Savannah, TN. Noted for the strong traditional influence on his music, the lanky singer builds a solid career after his 2000 debut, striking a major chord for patriotism with his 2003 release “Have You Forgotten?“
1970: Columbia released the album “The Johnny Cash Show.”
1974: Emmylou Harris recorded “If I Could Only Win Your Love” and her first single, “Too Far Gone,” in Los Angeles.
1979: Columbia released Willie Nelson’s Christmas album, “Pretty Paper.”
1983: Dolly Parton recorded “Save The Last Dance For Me.”
1983: Kenny Rogers’ “Eyes That See In The Dark” album was certified gold and platinum.
1990: Paulette Carlson announced she was leaving Highway 101.
1995: Reprise released Dwight Yoakam’s “Gone” album.
2000: Warner Bros. released Dwight Yoakam’s album “Tomorrow’s Sounds Today.”
2000: MCA Records confirmed that Mark Chesnutt had left the label in a “mutual decision.”
2008: Trace Adkins scored a gold single for “You’re Gonna Miss This.”
2011: Songwriter Liz Anderson died at Nashville’s Saint Thomas Hospital. The mother of Lynn Anderson, she wrote Merle Haggard’s “The Fugitive,” among others, and had her own hit with “Mama Spank.”
2015: Tim McGraw threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the World Series game at Citi Field in New York, where the Kansas City Royals defeat the hometown Mets, 5-3.
