AUGUST 18
1938: Record producer Allen Reynolds was born in North Little Rock, AR. He produced Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” Kathy Mattea’s “Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses” and Garth Brooks’ “Shameless”
1961: Jimmy Dean recorded the recitation “Big Bad John” at the Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville.
1962: Fiddler Jimmy Mattingly was born in Leitchfield, KY. A longtime member of Garth Brooks’ band, Stillwater, he backed Dolly Parton and Dierks Bentley on albums and became a founding member of the bluegrass band The Grascal.
1963: The Louvin Brothers make their last appearance as a duo, in Watseka, Illinois
1970: Waylon Jennings & Jessi Colter record “Suspicious Minds” during an evening session at Nashville’s RCA Studio B. The duet later appears on “Wanted: The Outlaws.”
1971: Singer/songwriter Dave Loggins conducted his first Nashville recording session at the Jack Clement Studios.
1973: Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn shared the top spot on the Billboard country chart with “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man.”
1976: Emmylou Harris recorded the Carlene Carter-written “Easy From Now On.”
1977: More than 75,000 people gathered at Graceland to pay their respects at Elvis Presley’s funeral, including Chet Atkins, Sammy Davis Jr., George Hamilton and Ann-Margret.
1977: Ronnie McDowell recorded an Elvis Presley tribute, “The King Is Gone,” at Nashville’s Music City Recorders.
1979: Mel Tillis’ “Coca Cola Cowboy,” from the movie “Every Which Way But Loose,” took the #1 slot on the Billboard country singles chart.
1980: Cody Jinks was born in Haltom City, TX. He reached the Top 5 on the Billboard country albums chart in 2016 with “I’m Not The Devil.”
1980: George Jones played New York City for the first time in his career, performing at The Bottom Line. In the audience are Andy Warhol, Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt.
1992: Warner Bros. released Travis Tritt’s “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” album
1993: Tracy Lawrence loaded up on guests for the video shoot of “My Second Home.” On hand: Toby Keith, Lynn Anderson, John Anderson, William Lee Golden, Tanya Tucker, Robin Lee, Tim McGraw and Shania Twain.
1993: Unison releases “A Country Christmas With The Stars Of Nashville,” featuring Porter Wagoner, Merle Haggard, Bill Anderson, Crystal Gayle and Waylon Jennings.
2004: Charlie Waller, a founding member of The Country Gentlemen, died at his Virginia home. The group, which included Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley among its alumni, helped to widen bluegrass music’s popularity.
2009: Wynonna Judd won $50,000 for charity on ABC’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” by answering a math-related question with the lifeline aid of her aunt.
2009: A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held for the Rodney Atkins Youth Home, a residence hall at the newly renovated Holston Home for children in Greeneville, TN. Atkins lived at the facility as an infant before he was adopted.
