JANUARY 8
1815: Andrew Jackson leads Americans to victory in a battle against the British, two weeks after the War of 1812 had actually ended. It inspires a folk song, “The Eighth Of January,” providing the melody for the Johnny Horton hit “The Battle Of New Orleans.”
1928: Luther Perkins is born in Tennessee. The guitarist plays an essential role in defining Johnny Cash’s “boom-chicka-boom” rockabilly sound, beginning in 1955. Perkins is lauded in the title of Cash’s Top 10 1959 single “Luther Played The Boogie.”
1935: Elvis Presley is born at home in East Tupelo, MS. Before emerging as the “King of Rock & Roll,” Presley makes inroads in country, where he returns during his latter years. He is inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998.
1940: Eleanor Johnston is born in Peoria, IL. As Cristy Lane, she achieves her biggest sales in late-night TV ads, many hinging on her most successful recording, the gospel-tinged single, “One Day At A Time.”
1963: George Jones & Melba Montgomery record “We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds” at the Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville.
1974: Ronnie Milsap records the Eddie Rabbitt-penned “Pure Love” and the Kris Kristofferson-written “Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends” in Nashville.
1975: Earl Scruggs begins recording a 25th anniversary album with a band that includes sons Gary and Randy Scruggs, Billy Joel, Charlie Daniels, Alvin Lee, Roger McGuinn, Bonnie Bramlett, Tracy Nelson and Buffy Sainte-Marie, among others.
1975: Mickey Gilley records “Window Up Above” during an evening session at Nashville’s RCA Studio B.
1979: Sara Carter dies in Lodi, CA. She was a member of The Carter Family, which recorded such classics as “Wildwood Flower” and “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” and entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970.
1980: Kenny Rogers has seven GRAMMY nominations, including “The Gambler” for Record of the Year. Roger’s producer, Larry Butler, was nominated for Producer of the Year.
1983: Reba McEntire achieves her first #1 single on the Billboard country chart with “Can’t Even Get The Blues.”
2001: Faith Hill received three trophies in the American Music Awards. Tim McGraw earned Favorite Country Male, The Dixie Chicks were named Favorite Country Band, and Billy Gilman won Favorite Country Artist.
2002: About 100 demonstrators rally at WSM’s Nashville office against the Grand Ole Opry station’s possible format switch to sports. On hand: George Jones, BR549’s Chuck Mead, Billy Walker and songwriters Dennis Morgan, Shawn Camp and Jack Clement.
2015: Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood sang “Go Rest High On That Mountain” during Little Jimmy Dickens’ memorial at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House. Also taking part: Steve Wariner, Chris Young, Connie Smith, Old Crow Medicine Show, songwriter Bobby Tomberlin and Brad Paisley, who performed “When I Get Where I’m Going.”
2015: Garth Brooks became the first guest to appear on all four hours of NBC’s “Today” from New York. He’s joined by co-host Hoda Kotb on “Friends In Low Places.”
2016: Singer/songwriter Red Simpson dies in Bakersfield. He earned a Top 5 hit as an artist in 1972 with “I’m A Truck.” He also wrote a handful of Buck Owens hits, including “Gonna Have Love” and “Sam’s Place.”
