Apr 3, 1882: Outlaw Jesse James is shot and killed in St. Joseph, Missouri, by a fellow gang member. James is namechecked in Toby Keith’s “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” Trick Pony’s “Just What I Do” and Johnny Cash & Waylon Jennings’ “There Ain’t No Good Chain Gang”
Apr 3, 1928: Singer/songwriter Don Gibson is born in Shelby, North Carolina. He writes and records several classic hits–including “Sweet Dreams,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Oh Lonesome Me”–earning a 2001 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame
Apr 3, 1942: Billy Joe Royal is born in Valdosta, Georgia. Best known for his pop hits “Down In The Boondocks” and “Cherry Hill Park,” he crafts a half-dozen Top 10 country singles from 1985-1990, including “Tell It Like It Is” and “Love Has No Right”
Apr 3, 1964: The Statler Brothers hold their first recording session, cutting “The Wreck Of The Old ’97” in Nashville
Apr 3, 1967: Bobbie Gentry records “Ode To Billie Joe” at Los Angeles’ Capitol Recording Studios
Apr 3, 1982: The Oak Ridge Boys storm the #1 spot in Billboard with “Bobbie Sue”
Apr 3, 1989: MCA releases George Strait’s “What’s Going On In Your World”
Apr 3, 1989: MCA releases Conway Twitty’s single “She’s Got A Single Thing In Mind”
Apr 3, 1990: MCA releases Marty Stuart’s single “Hillbilly Rock”
Apr 3, 1991: Randy Travis debuts “Point Of Light”–written by Don Schlitz and Thom Schuyler at the request of president George Bush–on the CBS-TV special “Salute To The Troops.” Also appearing: Barbara Mandrell, Gary Morris, K.T. Oslin, Ray Stevens, Andy Griffith and Tony Orlando
Apr 3, 1992: Billy Ray Cyrus makes his TV debut on TNN’s “Nashville Now”
Apr 3, 1992: Dolly Parton’s “Straight Talk” opens in theaters around the country, with the singer playing an unlikely radio talk show host in Chicago
Apr 3, 2007: Tennessee senator Lamar Alexander is employed as a studio musician in Nashville when he plays on “Tennessee Waltz” in a Patti Page recording session
Apr 3, 2016: Chris Stapleton is the big winner, taking home trophies in four categories during the 51st annual Academy of Country Music Awards, aired by CBS from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. He claims Male and New Male Vocalist of the Year, while “Traveller” earns Album of the Year and “Nobody To Blame” gets Song of the Year
