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Country Music History – January 28

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JANUARY 28

1918: Lyricist Bob Hilliard was born in New York City. Known for the pop classic “Our Day Will Come,” he also wrote Ronnie Milsap’s “Any Day Now,” Bobby Helms’ “Jacqueline” and Mickey Gilley’s “Bouquet Of Roses.”

1938: The Monroe Brothers held their final recording session as partners for Bluebird Records in Charlotte, NC. Their split paved the way for Bill Monroe’s influential solo career.

1947: Roy Acuff recorded “Wabash Cannonball,” “(Our Own) Jole Blon” and “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” at the CBS Studios in Los Angeles. Acuff had recorded the original version of “Wabash” 11 years earlier, but this session marked the first time that Acuff–rather than a sideman–sang it on record.

1956: Elvis Presley appeared for the first time on TV, singing “Shake, Rattle and Roll” on The Dorsey Brothers’ “Stage Show.”

1964: Buck Owens recorded “My Heart Skips A Beat” and “Together Again” in Hollywood.

1976: Ronnie Milsap recorded “What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down” in Nashville.

1981: RCA released Elvis Presley’s “Guitar Man” album, featuring new instrumental support for the late singer’s vocal performances.

1982: Jimmy Fortune, filling in for ailing Lew DeWitt, performed with The Statler Brothers for the first time in Savannah, GA.

1983: MCA released The Oak Ridge Boys’ album “American Made.”

1985: RCA released Alabama’s “Forty Hour Week” album.

1985: We Are The World” was recorded with 45 artists including Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Kim Carnes, Ray Charles, Billy Joel, and Waylon Jennings.

1985: Appalachian fiddler Tommy Jarrell died. Three years earlier, he received a National Heritage Fellowship honor from the National Endowment for the Arts.

1986: George Strait recorded “It Ain’t Cool To Be Crazy About You” at Sound Stage in Nashville.

1989: Randy Travis’ “Deeper Than The Holler” climbed to #1 on the Billboard country chart.

1995: Alan Jackson’s “Gone Country” occupied the top spot on the Billboard country chart, floating a Bob Dylan reference in the process.

1996: During the Super Bowl, Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart” appeared in a Pepsi commercial, and Joe Diffie’s “Pickup Man” appeared in a Ford southeastern regional spot. In the game, the Dallas Cowboys won against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2014: Barbara Mandrell and Roy Orbison were added to the Musicians Hall of Fame at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Other new members include guitarists Jimmy Capps and Corki Casey O’Dell, steel guitar player Ben Keith, bass player Velma Williams Smith and record executive Mike Curb. 

2014: Trace Adkins left the Florida rehab facility where he was undergoing treatment to spend time with his ailing father.

2015: Rocker Jack White brought out opening act Loretta Lynn to duet on her album cut, “Whispering Sea,” during a concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The show also featured a surprise appearance by one of White’s side projects, former CMA awards nominees The Raconteurs.

2016: Merle Haggard canceled two concerts as he continued his recovery from a December bout with pneumonia.

2018: KFC introduced a new commercial to back its smoky mountain BBQ flavor, with Reba McEntire as Colonel Sanders.

2018: Chris Stapleton won three trophies during the 60th GRAMMY awards at New York’s Madison Square Garden: Best Country Solo Performance, “Either Way“; Best Country Album, for “From A Room: Volume 1” and Best Country Song for “Broken Halos.”