AUGUST 17
1896: Gold was discovered in Alaska, setting off the Klondike gold rush. It provides a backdrop for Lefty Frizzell’s deceitful 1964 hit “Saginaw, Michigan” and Johnny Horton’s crossover single “North To Alaska.”
1927: E.W. “Bud” Wendell was born in Akron, OH. He became the manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and eventually the head of Gaylord Entertainment, entering the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998.
1951: Ralph Stanley was seriously injured in an auto accident near Raleigh, NC. During his recovery, Bill Monroe dropped plans to bring The Stanley Brothers on as members of his backing band.
1955: Singer/songwriter Kevin Welch was born in Los Angeles. He penned such hits as Gary Morris’ “Velvet Chains,” Moe Bandy’s “Till I’m Too Old To Die Young,” Don Williams’ “Desperately” and Ricky Skaggs’ “Let It Be You.”
1958: Charlie Rich had his first recording session for Sun Records in Memphis.
1972: Charley Pride recorded “She’s Too Good To Be True.”
1976: Barbara Mandrell recorded “Married But Not To Each Other.” in Nashville.
1977: Steve Wariner had his first recording session, cutting “I’m Already Taken” at RCA Studio B. The studio was filled with reporters, but they were uninterested in Steve… Elvis Presley had died the day prior, and they wanted to interview producer Chet Atkins.
1978: Warner Bros. released Rodney Crowell’s debut album, “Ain’t Living Long Like This.” Four songs he wrote for the album became hits for others: “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight,” “Voila, An American Dream,” the title track and “Song For The Life.”
1979: MCA released the Barbara Mandrell album “Just For The Record.“
1982: The PolyGram pressing plant in Hanover, West Germany, created the first CD.
1985: “Highwayman” appeared at the top of the Billboard chart, teaming Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.
1986: Ricky Skaggs’ son, Andrew, was shot in the neck by a truck driver, Edward Duehring, after the boy’s mother, Brenda, passed Duehring’s tractor-trailer on Interstate 81 near Troutville, VA. Duehring felt she cut back into his lane too soon.
1991: George Strait’s “You Know Me Better Than That” began a three-week stay at #1 on the Billboard country chart.
1993: The U.S. postal service unveiled a Patsy Cline stamp in Boston.
1994: Lynn Anderson had a guest role on the syndicated sci-fi show “Babylon 5.”
1994: Epic released Ken Mellons’ self-titled debut album.
