JANUARY 6
1924: Earl Scruggs is born in Shelby, NC. The innovative banjo man joins Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys in the 1940s, then forms a duo with Lester Flatt on the way to the Country Music Hall of Fame as one of bluegrass’ pillars.
1929: Songwriter Autry Inman is born in Florence, AL. His credits include The Louvin Brothers’ “I Don’t Believe You’ve Met My Baby” and Carl Smith’s “Mr. Moon.”
1934: Bobby Lord is born in Sanford, FL. Lord makes an impact on TV, as a regular on 1950s-era shows hosted by Paul Whiteman and Red Foley, and later with his own syndicated show. Lord earns one Top 10 hit, “Without Your Love,” in 1956.
1934: Pop songwriter Fred Rose makes his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. He later forms a major publishing house, Acuff-Rose Music, in Nashville.
1951: Lefty Frizzell tops the Billboard country chart with “I Love You A Thousand Ways.”
1958: Jerry Lee Lewis sews up the #1 spot on the Billboard country singles chart with “Great Balls Of Fire.”
1961: Colonel Tom Parker negotiates a pay raise for Elvis Presley. Paramount agrees to pay $175,000 for each of its next three Presley pictures, and $200,000 for the two that follow them.
1969: Bobby Bare records “(Margie’s At) The Lincoln Park Inn.”
1975: Tammy Wynette files for divorce from George Jones.
1978: Warner Bros. releases Emmylou Harris’ “Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town” album.
1978: Kenny Rogers & Dottie West record “Anyone Who Isn’t Me Tonight” during an 8:30 p.m. session at Nashville’s Jack Clement Studios.
1979: Don Williams reaches #1 on the Billboard country chart with “Tulsa Time.”
1983: Merle Haggard records “That’s The Way Love Goes.”
1992: Curb releases Sawyer Brown’s “The Dirt Road” album.
1993: Dolly Parton shoots the video to “Romeo,” with appearances by Billy Ray Cyrus, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathy Mattea and Tanya Tucker.
1996: Fiddler Chubby Wise dies of heart failure in Bowie, MD. Linked to the classic “Orange Blossom Special,” he played professionally more than 50 years, working with Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs and Hank Snow, whose band he played with for 16 years.
2002: Songwriter Bobby Austin dies in Camas, WA. He co-wrote Tammy Wynette’s first charted single, “Apartment #9,” as well as Glen Campbell’s “Try A Little Kindness.” Austin also played bass on a number of Buck Owens’ hits.
