APRIL 15
1933: Roy Clark was born in Meherrin, VA. The co-host of “Hee Haw,” his vocal and instrumental skills brought him hits from 1963-1976, plus the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year award and membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1938: Bob Luman was born in Nacogdoches, TX. He joined the Grand Ole Opry; earned four Top 10 singles, including “Lonely Women Make Good Lovers“; and employed future star Steve Wariner as a bass player.
1941: Mary Elizabeth Robertson was born in Kernersville, NC. Under the name Lib Hatcher, she emerged as the manager of Randy Travis in the 1980s, marrying him in 1991. They divorced in 2010.
1957: Sun Records released Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lot Of Shakin’ Going On.”
1963: Decca released Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams (Of You),” five weeks after her death in a plane crash.
1965: Roger Miller recorded “Engine Engine #9” in Nashville.
1969: Charley Pride recorded “All I Have To Offer You (Is Me).”
1969: Porter Wagoner recorded “Big Wind.”
1969: Elvis Presley signed a one-month contract with Las Vegas’ International Hotel, setting the stage for his first live performance in seven years.
1974: Tom T. Hall recorded “That Song Is Driving Me Crazy” at the Mercury Custom Recording Studio in Nashville.
1976: Loretta Lynn’s autobiography, named after her single “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” appeared in bookstores.
1978: Singer/songwriter Chris Stapleton was born in Lexington, KY. An original member of The SteelDrivers, he penned Luke Bryan’s “Drink A Beer,” George Strait’s “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” and Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song.”
1980: RCA released Dolly Parton’s album “Dolly, Dolly, Dolly.”
1981: Ronnie Milsap recorded “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For The World” at Groundstar Laboratory in Nashville.
1986: Trisha Yearwood applied for a full-time job at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Fifteen years later, her application became an exhibit in the museum.
1992: George Strait recorded “When Did You Stop Loving Me” at Emerald Sound Studios in Nashville.
1996: Clay Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and told he would be dead within eight years. Spoiler alert: he is still alive today.
1997: Sawyer Brown’s album, “Six Days On The Road,” was released. On that same day, Aaron Tippin’s “Greatest Hits and Then Some” collection arrived in stores.
1998: Rose Maddox died of kidney failure in Ashland, OR. She was the lead singer of The Maddox Brothers & Rose, nicknamed the Most Colorful Hillbilly Band in America, and spent eight years with the Grand Ole Opry.
1999: Vince Gill’s Volvo was rear-ended on West End Avenue in Nashville, causing a three-car collision. While handling the paperwork, the driver who hit Gill’s car gave him a tape, hoping Gill will record one of his songs.
2006: A wristwatch worn by “True Love Ways” songwriter Buddy Holly the night his plane crashed sold at auction for $155,350. Also sold: Holly’s passport, for $26,290.
2011: The Hank Williams picture “The Last Ride” premiered at the Green Hills 16 during the Nashville Film Festival.
2018: Chris Stapleton celebrated his 40th birthday…with the arrival of his twin boys, Macon and Samuel. The world got the news on the 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards when host Reba McEntire announced the news live during the show.
