Aug 25, 1928
Fiddler Jerry Rivers is born in Nashville. He joins Hank Williams’ Drifting Cowboys from 1949-1951, playing on such classics as “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Hey, Good Lookin"” and “Cold, Cold Heart”
Aug 25, 1949
Henry Paul is born in Kingston, New York. After stints with the Southern rock band The Outlaws and his own Henry Paul Band, he becomes the lead singer of BlackHawk, combining ’70s rock influences with tight, three-part harmonies in numerous hook-filled 1990s hits
Aug 25, 1956
George Jones joins the Grand Ole Opry for the first time
Aug 25, 1959
Songwriter Tim Menzies is born in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Known under a recording deal as Tim Mensy, he writes Doug Stone’s “I Thought It Was You,” Mark Chesnutt’s “I Just Wanted You To Know” and Shenandoah’s “Mama Knows”
Aug 25, 1961
Billy Ray Cyrus is born in Flatwoods, Kentucky. The novelty hit “Achy Breaky Heart” brings him instant fame in 1992. He maintains an avid core audience even when the hits slow down and turns to acting on the TV series “Doc” and “Hannah Montana”
Aug 25, 1970
Jo Dee Messina is born in Holliston, Massachusetts. After releasing her first album in 1996, she becomes a significant performer by mining strong, survivor themes, taking the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award in 1999
Aug 25, 1979
“The Devil Went Down To Georgia” brings The Charlie Daniels Band a #1 country single in Billboard
Aug 25, 1981
Epic releases Merle Haggard’s “My Favorite Memory”
Aug 25, 1984
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band tops the Billboard country chart for the first time with “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream)”
Aug 25, 1992
Liberty releases Garth Brooks’ Christmas album, “Beyond The Season”
Aug 25, 1992
Epic releases Collin Raye’s “In This Life” album
Aug 25, 1993
Randy Travis celebrates the West with his first TV special, “Wind In The Wire,” on ABC. Also appearing: Chuck Norris, Burt Reynolds and Lou Diamond Phillips
Aug 25, 2005
“Man Of Constant Sorrow: The Story Of The Stanley Brothers,” a two-act musical production, opens at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia
