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Country Music History – January 22

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JANUARY 22

1935: Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, MS. A highly regarded R&B vocalist, Cooke had two songs covered in the country charts: “Bring It On Home To Me,” by Mickey Gilley; and “Good Times,” by Dan Seals.

1937: Guitarist Al Bruno was born in Sudbury, Ontario. An 11-time winner of the Academy of Country Music’s Top Guitarist honor, he played on hits by Buck Owens, Charlie Rich and Bobbie Gentry.

1949: Exile lead vocalist J.P. Pennington was born in Berea, KY. Founded in 1963, Exile became one of country’s top groups during the 1980s, with Pennington and bass player Sonny Lemaire co-writing the bulk of the band’s hook-filled hits.

1952: Alabama bass player Teddy Gentry was born in Fort Payne, AL. The band mixes country with southern rock in becoming the hottest country act of the 1980s, eventually entering the Country Music Hall of Fame.

1955: Porter Wagoner made his Grand Ole Opry debut.

1955: Carl Perkins had his first recording session for Sun Records.

1962: Patsy Cline wrote to friend Louise Seger about a 13-year-old steel guitarist rooming with her on a tour that included Johnny Cash, George Jones and Carl Perkins: “Looks like a blonde doll. And, boy, what a showman.” The kid: Barbara Mandrell.

1974: George Jones recorded “The Grand Tour” at Columbia Studio B in Nashville.

1976: Reba McEntire had her first recording session for Mercury Records at Nashville’s Woodland Sound Studios.

1976: Dave & Sugar recorded a pair of hits, “The Door Is Always Open” and “Don’t Throw It All Away,” in Nashville.

1978: NBC aired “50 Years Of Country Music” with Glen Campbell, Roy Clark, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Loretta Lynn, The Carter Family, Crystal Gayle, Merle Haggard, Minnie Pearl, Mel Tillis, Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells and The Statler Brothers.

1982: MCA released The Oak Ridge Boys’ album “Bobbie Sue.”

1991: RCA released Aaron Tippin’s first album, “You’ve Got To Stand For Something.”

1991: Arista released Pam Tillis’ “Put Yourself In My Place” album.

1991: MCA released Marty Stuart’s “Tempted” album.

1998: David “Skull” Schulman is murdered at Skull’s Rainbow Room, a Printers’ Alley club he owned. Skull had ties to Mel Tillis and Tanya Tucker, and made several appearances on “Hee Haw.”

2006: Janette Carter, the last remaining offspring of The Carter Family, died at the Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, TN. The previous year, she received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.