APRIL 17
1948: Rich-R-Tone Records released The Stanley Brothers’ “Little Maggie.”
1960: A car taking Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent to the London Airport crashed, killing Cochran, breaking Vincent’s collarbone and breaking “Poor Little Fool” songwriter Sharon Sheeley’s pelvis.
1961: Wanda Jackson recorded “I May Never Get To Heaven” and “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” in Nashville. The former became a Conway Twitty hit in 1979, while the latter Chuck Berry song earned country hit status for Waylon Jennings in ’69.
1968: Songwriter Monty Criswell was born in Mobile, AL. He achieved prominence as a writer on Craig Morgan’s “Tough,” Trace Adkins’ “Just Fishin’” and George Strait’s “I Saw God Today.”
1970: Johnny Cash played the White House with June Carter and The Statler Brothers. Cash declined president Nixon’s request to do Merle Haggard’s “Okie From Muskogee” but did perform “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Peace In The Valley” and “What Is Truth.”
1970: Billy Walker recorded “When A Man Loves A Woman (The Way That I Love You)” at the Monument Studio in Nashville.
1972: Johnny Cash held the first session at his new House Of Cash studio in Hendersonville, TN. Among the songs he tackled was “Help Me,” a future Elvis Presley hit written by Larry Gatlin, who was present at the session.
1976: “Drinkin’ My Baby (Off My Mind)” brings Eddie Rabbitt his first #1 country single as an artist in Billboard magazine.
1982: Johnny Cash hosted “Saturday Night Live” from New York with musical guest Elton John. The Man In Black sang “I Walk The Line,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Ring Of Fire” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down.”
1984: The Statler Brothers recorded “Hello Mary Lou” during a morning session at the Sound Stage in Nashville.
1998: “People” magazine announced that Alabama was chosen by readers as America’s favorite band. In “People’s” poll of 1000 readers, Alabama came in first with 4.1% of the vote. Alabama, who first walked away with the category in 1985, barely edged out another band you might have heard of — the Beatles. In the male vocalist category, Garth came out on top in the category with 8% of the vote. George Strait nearly placed second with 3.9%, but he was one-tenth of a percent behind Elton John. And even though the rumors abound that Elvis Presley has been dead since 1977, he placed fourth — just ahead of Wynonna’s old touring and duet partner, Michael Bolton.
2000: Garth Brooks was named Artist of the Decade for the ’90s during the American Music Awards. He also won trophies for Favorite Male Country Artist and Favorite Country Album, for “Sevens.” Shania Twain took home two.
2001: Music City Records released Charley Pride’s “A Tribute To Jim Reeves,” purported to be the first CD using technology that prevented unauthorized copying.
2004: Songwriter/guitarist Dave Kirby died at home in Branson, MO, from cancer. Married to Leona Williams, he played on hits by Dolly Parton and Bill Anderson, and wrote “Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone” and “There Ain’t No Good Chain Gang.”
2004: The Judds make their Grand Ole Opry debut, performing “Flies On The Butter (You Can’t Go Home Again)” and “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days).”
2018: The autobiography “Let Your Love Flow: The Life And Times Of The Bellamy Brothers” was published.
2018: Guitarist/songwriter/producer Randy Scruggs died. He authored Deana Carter’s “We Danced Anyway” and Billy Joe Royal’s “Love Has No Right“; produced Sawyer Brown and Earl Thomas Conley; and played on hits by George Strait, Vince Gill, Waylon Jennings and Miranda Lambert.
