Apr 21, 1907: Banjo player Wade Mainer is born in Buncombe County, North Carolina. He performs in brother J.E. Mainer’s band, The Mountaineers, eventually forming his own bluegrass-related band and performing at the White House for President Roosevelt
Apr 21, 1924: Ira Louvin is born in Section, Alabama. Along with younger sibling Charlie, The Louvin Brothers become a strong influence on country harmonies after their start on the Grand Ole Opry in 1955, entering the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001
Apr 21, 1947: Hank Williams records “Move It On Over” and “I Saw The Light” at Nashville’s Castle Studio in his first MGM recording session
Apr 21, 1948: Paul Davis is born in Meridian, Mississippi. Following a pop career, he sings on country hits with Marie Osmond and Tanya Tucker and Dan Seals, and writes such hits as “Down To My Last Teardrop,” “Bop” and “Just Another Love”
Apr 21, 1949: Songwriter Steve Dorff is born in New York. The musical director of CMT’s “The Singing Bee,” he writes George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart,” Anne Murray’s “I Just Fall In Love Again” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “Every Which Way But Loose,” among others
Apr 21, 1952: Roy Rogers & Dale Evans record “Happy Trails”
Apr 21, 1959: David Frizzell holds his first recording session, for Columbia Records
Apr 21, 1969: Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton record “Just Someone I Used To Know”
Apr 21, 1975: MCA releases the album “Tanya Tucker”
Apr 21, 1976: Merle Haggard stops by the House Of Cash in Hendersonville, Tennessee, joining Johnny Cash in a recording of “I Wish I Was Crazy Again.” Cash later records the definitive version with Waylon Jennings
Apr 21, 1980: Casablanca releases the Pure Prairie League album “Firin’ Up.” Vince Gill sings lead on the LP’s pop hit “Let Me Love You Tonight”
Apr 21, 1980: Elektra releases Merle Haggard & Clint Eastwood’s “Bar Room Buddies,” from the movie “Bronco Billy”
Apr 21, 1985: Songwriter Irving Mills dies in New York. In addition to the jazz classics “Mood Indigo” and “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” he wrote Hank Williams’ breakthrough hit, “Lovesick Blues”
Apr 21, 1987: Reprise releases Dwight Yoakam’s “Hillbilly Deluxe” album
Apr 21, 1993: George Strait records “I’d Like To Have That One Back” at Emerald Sound Studios in Nashville
Apr 21, 1998: MCA releases George Strait’s “One Step At A Time” album
Apr 21, 2001: John Michael Montgomery makes his Grand Ole Opry debut, singing “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)” and “The Little Girl”
Apr 21, 2002: “CMT Crossroads” pairs blues-rock trio ZZ Top with Brooks & Dunn. The set list includes “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Hard Workin’ Man” and “La Grange”
Apr 21, 2017: Cody Johnson makes his Grand Ole Opry debut
