The Daily Ardmoreite in Ardmore, OK, became the first publication to print the phrase “honky tonk” in a story in 1894. They reported that “the honk-a-tonk last night was attended by ball-heads, bachelors and leading citizens“
Johnny Cash recorded the Johnny Cash At San Quentin album in 1969, including A Boy Named Sue. The concert featured his entire touring ensemble, including June Carter, Carl Perkins, The Carter Family and The Statler Brothers.
Glen Campbell recorded Rhinestone Cowboy in the first of four sessions for the song at Sound Labs in Hollywood in 1975.
Glen Campbell recorded Highwayman at the Lagniappe Studios in Sherman Oaks, CA in 1978. Capitol declined to release Glen’s version as a single. The song was eventually released by another group as Glen Campbell recommended it to Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.
Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5 won a pair of trophies in 1982–Best Country Song and Best Country Vocal Performance, Female–during the 24th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Sawyer Brown pocketed $100,000 as the winner of Star Search in 1984.
Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days) won twice at the 29th annual Grammy Awards in 1987, scoring Best Country Song, for Jamie O’Hara; and Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, for The Judds.
Sisters Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle and Peggy Sue made their first Grand Ole Opry appearance as a trio in 1990.
Webb Pierce died of pancreatic cancer at his Nashville home in 1991. One of country music’s most flamboyant performers, he left a rhinestone legacy of more than 50 hits, including Slowly, There Stands The Glass, In The Jailhouse Now and I Ain’t Never. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame 10 years later.
Vince Gill won two trophies–Best Country Vocal Performance, Male; and Best Country Song, shared with co-writer John Jarvis–for I Still Believe In You during the 35th annual Grammy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in 1993.
Country Music Hall of Fame member Mac Wiseman died in Nashville in 2019. A former Bill Monroe sideman, he had four country hits as a recording artist and worked as an executive for Dot Records. Our friend, Kris Truelsen from Radio Bristol interviewed the music legend in 2017.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Record producer Don Law was born in London in 1902. The Columbia executive produced Jimmy Dean’s Big Bad John, Ray Price’s For The Good Times and Marty Robbins’ El Paso, among others, ultimately landing in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Sammy Kershaw was born in Kaplan, LA in 1958. A resonance similar to George Jones brings him into prominence during the 1990s behind such hits as Cadillac Style, She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful and National Working Woman’s Holiday. Here’s his latest single.
