Aug 31, 1939
Jerry Allison is born in Hillsboro, Texas. In addition to playing drums on Buddy Holly hits as a member of The Crickets, he appears on records by Waylon Jennings, Billy Walker and The Everly Brothers
Aug 31, 1945
Singer/songwriter Van Morrison is born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Known for the pop hits “Domino” and “Brown Eyed Girl,” he records a country album with Linda Gail Lewis and remakes “Mule Skinner Blues” for a Jimmie Rodgers tribute album
Aug 31, 1950
Hank Williams records “Moanin’ The Blues” and “Nobody’s Lonesome For Me” at Nashville’s Castle Studio in an afternoon session
Aug 31, 1959
The Browns claim a #1 country single in Billboard magazine with “The Three Bells”
Aug 31, 1968
Jeannie C. Riley makes her Grand Ole Opry debut
Aug 31, 1968
Merle Haggard’s prison-themed “Mama Tried” does time at #1 on Billboard magazine’s country singles chart
Aug 31, 1973
Shelter releases Leon Russell’s first country album, “Hank Wilson’s Back Vol. I.” The disc includes remakes of “Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” “A Six Pack To Go,” “In The Jailhouse Now,” “Uncle Pen” and “Lost Highway,” among others
Aug 31, 1974
“Step right up…” to #1: George Jones tops the Billboard country singles chart with “The Grand Tour”
Aug 31, 1981
Rosanne Cash brings her father, Johnny Cash, into a Nashville studio for a collaboration on the Tom T. Hall song “That’s How I Got To Memphis”
Aug 31, 1983
Warner Bros. releases Gary Morris’ “Why Lady Why” album
Aug 31, 1984
Epic releases Exile’s “Kentucky Hearts” album
Aug 31, 1984
Capitol/Curb releases Sawyer Brown’s debut single, “Leona”
Aug 31, 1993
Liberty releases Garth Brooks’ “In Pieces” album
Aug 31, 1998
Ronnie Dunn records “Tennessee Oiler Fight Song,” which he co-wrote with Terry McBride, as a give-away for the NFL team’s first home game in Nashville.
Aug 31, 1999
George Strait records “The Best Day”
Aug 31, 2002
The Grand Ole Opry pays tribute to Minnie Pearl as it presents its 4,000th Saturday night show. Included in the tribute: Clint Black, Barbara Mandrell, Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Steve Wariner, who wins the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award
