JANUARY 17
1921: Artist manager E.E. “Si” Siman was born in Springfield, MO. He worked with Brenda Lee and Chet Atkins, and his son, Scott Siman, became a record executive and, for a number of years, the manager of Tim McGraw.
1929: Session guitarist Grady Martin was born in Chapel Hill, TN. The author of Ronnie Milsap’s “Snap Your Fingers,” Martin backed such acts as Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Elvis Presley and Ray Price, before taking a job with Willie Nelson’s band.
1955: Singer/songwriter Steve Earle was born at the Army hospital in Fort Monroe, VA. His gritty 1986 album “Guitar Town” subsequently became an influential signpost for the alt-country movement. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2025.
1964: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs recorded “Petticoat Junction.”
1967: Glen Campbell recorded “Just To Satisfy You” at the Capitol Recording Studio at Hollywood & Vine in Los Angeles. It became a hit for Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson 15 years later.
1972: Conway Twitty recorded the Floyd Cramer song “(Lost Her Love) On Our Last Date” with new lyrics at Bradley’s Barn in Mt. Juliet, TN.
1973: George Jones recorded “What My Woman Can’t Do” during an afternoon session at the Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville.
1978: Louise Mandrell held her first recording session as an artist, cutting three songs for Epic Records at Nashville’s Soundshop Studio.
1981: Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love A Rainy Night” hit #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
1983: Waylon Jennings recorded “Lucille (You Won’t Do Your Daddy’s Will),” written by Little Richard, at Nashville’s Cartee 3 Studios.
1983: Willie Nelson’s “Always On My Mind” won Favorite Album in both the pop and country genres at the American Music Awards, while Kenny Rogers took home two trophies, plus a special Award of Merit. Also winning: Alabama and Barbara Mandrell.
1992: NBC presented “This Is Garth Brooks,” featuring a concert taped in Dallas. The show placed ninth in the Nielsen ratings behind a set list that includes “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “Rodeo,” “Not Counting You” and “Friends In Low Places.”
1995: LeAnn Rimes showcases at Dallas’ Park Cities Playhouse for record executives Mark Wright and Bruce Hinton, plus manager Narvel Blackstock. The performance nets the 12-year-old a contract offer from Decca, but she ends up signing with Curb Records.
1995: Just two months after leaving jail, where he was successfully treated for narcotics addiction, Steve Earle spent his 40th birthday in a Nashville recording studio, working with Emmylou Harris.
2000: Garth Brooks was named Artist of the Decade for the ’90s during the American Music Awards at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium. He also won trophies for Favorite Male Country Artist and Favorite Country Album, for “Sevens.” Shania Twain won two.
2020: Gene Watson was invited by Vince Gill to join the Grand Ole Opry when he played the show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Watson performed “Sometimes I Get Lucky And Forget,” “Nothing Sure Looked Good On You” and “Farewell Party” during the night.
