DECEMBER 21
1925: Floyd Taylor “Lightnin"” Chance was born in Como, MS. He played bass on such classics as Faron Young’s “Hello Walls,” The Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love” and Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”
1926: Freddie Hart was born in Lochapoka, AL. A songwriter who penned hits for Porter Wagoner, Carl Smith and George Jones, he earned his largest acclaim as an artist with “Easy Loving,” the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year in 1971 and ’72.
1943: Guitarist Albert Lee was born in Leominster, England. Lee wrote Ricky Skaggs’ hit “Country Boy,” and performed on hits by Emmylou Harris, Brother Phelps and Rosanne Cash, as well as the “Trio” album.
1950: Hank Williams recorded “Cold, Cold Heart” and “Dear John” during an evening session at the Castle Studio in downtown Nashville.
1956: Lee Roy Parnell was born in Abilene, TX. The singer-slide guitarist combined country and blues to yield a soulful series of recordings in the 1990s, including “Love Without Mercy,” “On The Road” and “What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am.”
1957: After giving Colonel Tom Parker a red sports car for Christmas, Elvis Presley went to the Grand Ole Opry in a tuxedo. He took pictures with Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, Ray Price and Faron Young, and went on stage to wave to the audience.
1959: The Marty Robbins classic “El Paso” takes the top spot on the Billboard country chart.
1962: Christy Forester was born in Fort Oglethorpe, GA. She joined three siblings to form The Forester Sisters, whose blend of country and gospel harmonies yielded 15 hits from 1985-1991, including “I Fell In Love Again Last Night,” “You Again” and “Men.”
1968: Glen Campbell got hot-wired to the #1 position on the Billboard country chart with “Wichita Lineman.”
1970: Elvis Presley received a narcotics agent badge from Richard Nixon while giving the president a World War II Colt .45 during a meeting in the Oval Office.
1972: The Robert Redford movie “Jeremiah Johnson,” produced by Sydney Pollack, opened in New York City. It has a small part for Tanya Tucker, whose name does not appear in the film credits.
1973: Cal Smith recorded “Country Bumpkin” and “Between Lust And Watching TV.”
1974: Waylon Jennings’ single, “Rainy Day Woman,” entered the country charts.
1979: Willie Nelson made his film debut with the opening of “The Electric Horseman,” also starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. It includes Nelson’s hits “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” and “Midnight Rider.”
1981: Three armed intruders broke into Johnny Cash’s home in Jamaica and took $35,000 in cash and jewelry, plus a car and the evening meal. During the robbery, they held a gun to the head of Cash’s son, John Carter, then locked the family in the wine cellar.
1985: George Strait’s “The Chair” sat at #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
1991: Brooks & Dunn gained a #1 country single in Billboard with “My Next Broken Heart.”
1993: Musician and comedian Harold Morrison died. He appeared on many of Loretta Lynn’s shows and played on her hits “Fist City,” “Happy Birthday” and “Blue Kentucky Girl.”
