DECEMBER 10
1919: Songwriter Eddie Miller was born in Camargo, OK. His credits include: Ray Price’s “Release Me,” Marty Stuart’s “Burn Me Down,” Eddy Arnold’s “After Loving You” and Ernest Tubb’s “Thanks A Lot.”
1927: “The WSM Barn Dance” officially became The Grand Ole Opry.
1929: Steel guitarist Roy Ayres was born in Columbus, MS. He joined Pee Wee King’s Golden West Cowboys, playing on the hits “Slow Poke,” “Bonaparte’s Retreat” and “Tennessee Waltz,” among others.
1951: Johnny Rodriguez was born in Sabinal, TX. He becomes country’s first mainstream star of Hispanic descent, emerging out of Tom T. Hall’s band in 1972. He recorded numerous songs in Spanglish, with a line of hits that stretched from 1972-1983.
1955: Johnny Cash made his debut on “The Louisiana Hayride,” singing “Hey Porter” and “Luther Played The Boogie.”
1956: Capitol released Sonny James’ “Young Love” and its hit flip side, “You’re The Reason I’m In Love.”
1959: Red Foley was indicted on charges of income tax evasion, covering the years 1954 and 1955. After two trials, he was eventually found not guilty.
1964: Soul singer Sam Cooke was shot and killed at Los Angeles’ Hacienda Motel. Two of his songs were later remade as country hits: “Bring It On Home To Me,” by Mickey Gilley; and “Good Times,” by Dan Seals.
1967: Soul singer Otis Redding died in a plane crash near Madison, WI. Just a month later, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” became his biggest recording. The song was later remade as a country hit by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson.
1970: Kevin Sharp was born in Redding, CA. He emerged in country music in 1996 with a remake of the pop ballad “Nobody Knows,” five years after a doctor gave him a cancer-related death sentence. Sharp’s debut album netted two additional hits.
1973: Charlie Rich picked up his second gold single for “The Most Beautiful Girl.”
1982: Capitol released the Bob Seger pop and country crossover hit “Shame On The Moon,” written by Rodney Crowell.
1988: George Strait went to #1 in Billboard with a remake of an old Faron Young hit, “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’).”
1996: Faron Young died at Summit Medical Center in Nashville, one day after shooting himself in the head. His classics included “Sweet Dreams,” “Hello Walls,” “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’)” and “It’s Four In The Morning.”
1996: Singer and mandolin player John Duffey died of a heart attack at Arlington Hospital in Virginia. He was a founding member of the progressive bluegrass bands The Country Gentlemen and The Seldom Scene.
2005: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood married at their home in Owasso, OK.
2020: Charley Pride went into hospice care in Texas.
