JANUARY 20
1889: Huddie Ledbetter is born near Mooringsport, LA. Under the name Lead Belly, he became a major blues figure. He also saw his song “Goodnight Irene” become a country hit twice, in the hands of Moon Mullican, plus Ernest Tubb & Red Foley.
1924: Otis Whitman was born in Tampa. Known professionally as Slim Whitman, the yodeler joined “The Louisiana Hayride” and scored eight hits in the 1950s, extending his career in the early-1980s by marketing his recordings on television commercials.
1965: John Michael Montgomery was born in Danville, KY. His hits “I Love The Way You Love Me,” “I Swear” and “I Can Love You Like That” make him one of the top balladeers of the 1990s.
1969: Elvis Presley recorded the Mac Davis-penned “In The Ghetto” at Memphis’ American Studios, as well as the soundtrack song “Rubberneckin’.”
1969: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs performed at inaugural ceremonies for Richard Nixon.
1973: Jerry Lee Lewis made his Grand Ole Opry debut, breaking two promises: he won’t sing rock & roll, and won’t swear. The set list included “Another Place, Another Time,” “Johnny B. Goode,””Great Balls Of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On.“
1976: KOA-TV reporter Don Kinney told the Denver audience that Elvis Presley had purchased four expensive cars as gifts, then added that he would love something “sporty.” Presley called Kinney within minutes to offer him a Cadillac Seville.
1984: Comedian Mike Snider made his Grand Ole Opry debut.
1967: Gene Autry’s Golden West Broadcasters purchased the KTLA-TV studio on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip for $5 million from Paramount, which had been leasing the property to Golden West.
1968: Merle Haggard went to #1 on the Billboard country chart with “Sing Me Back Home.”
1992: Billy Ray Cyrus began a two-day video shoot for “Achy Breaky Heart” at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, KY.
1993: Martina McBride recorded “Independence Day.”
1994: Vince Gill hosted the official groundbreaking ceremonies for the Nashville Arena, eventually renamed the Gaylord Entertainment Center.
2012: Producer, songwriter and musician Larry Butler died at his Pensacola, FL, home. He produced Kenny Rogers, John Denver and Johnny Cash and co-wrote B.J. Thomas’ “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”.