Apr 15, 1933: Roy Clark is born in Meherrin, Virginia. The co-host of “Hee Haw,” his vocal and instrumental skills bring him hits from 1963-1976, plus the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year award and membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame
Apr 15, 1938: Bob Luman is born in Nacogdoches, Texas. He joins the Grand Ole Opry; earns four Top 10 singles, including “Lonely Women Make Good Lovers”; and employs future star Steve Wariner as a bass player
Apr 15, 1941: Mary Elizabeth Robertson is born in Kernersville, North Carolina. Under the name Lib Hatcher, she emerges as the manager of Randy Travis in the 1980s, marrying him in 1991. They divorce in 2010
Apr 15, 1957: Sun Records releases Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lot Of Shakin’ Going On”
Apr 15, 1963: Decca releases Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams (Of You),” five weeks after her death in a plane crash
Apr 15, 1965: Roger Miller records “Engine Engine #9” in Nashville
Apr 15, 1969: Charley Pride records “All I Have To Offer You (Is Me)”
Apr 15, 1969: Porter Wagoner records “Big Wind”
Apr 15, 1969: Elvis Presley signs a one-month contract with Las Vegas’ International Hotel, setting the stage for his first live performance in seven years
Apr 15, 1974: Tom T. Hall records “That Song Is Driving Me Crazy” at the Mercury Custom Recording Studio in Nashville
Apr 15, 1976: Loretta Lynn’s autobiography, named after her single “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” appears in bookstores
Apr 15, 1978: Singer/songwriter Chris Stapleton is born in Lexington, Kentucky. An original member of The SteelDrivers, he pens Luke Bryan’s “Drink A Beer,” George Strait’s “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” and Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song”
Apr 15, 1980: RCA releases Dolly Parton’s album “Dolly, Dolly, Dolly”
Apr 15, 1981: Ronnie Milsap records “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For The World” at Groundstar Laboratory in Nashville
Apr 15, 1986: Trisha Yearwood applies for a full-time job at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Fifteen years later, her application becomes an exhibit in the museum
Apr 15, 1992: George Strait records “When Did You Stop Loving Me” at Emerald Sound Studios in Nashville
Apr 15, 1998: Rose Maddox dies of kidney failure in Ashland, Oregon. She was the lead singer of The Maddox Brothers & Rose, nicknamed the Most Colorful Hillbilly Band in America, and spent eight years with the Grand Ole Opry
Apr 15, 1999: Vince Gill’s Volvo is rear-ended on West End Avenue in Nashville, causing a three-car collision. While handling the paperwork, the driver who hit Gill’s car gives him a tape, hoping Gill will record one of his songs
Apr 15, 2006: A wristwatch worn by “True Love Ways” songwriter Buddy Holly the night his plane crashed sells at auction for $155,350. Also sold: Holly’s passport, for $26,290
Apr 15, 2011: The Hank Williams picture “The Last Ride” has its world premiere at the Green Hills 16 during the Nashville Film Festival
