Jul 11, 1930
Jimmie Rodgers records “Blue Yodel No. 8 (Muleskinner Blues)” and “The Mystery Of Number Five” at the Victor Studios in Los Angeles
Jul 11, 1937
Songwriter/producer Billy Davis is born in Detroit, Michigan. He writes such hits as “Lonely Teardrops” and “Reet Petite” and produces Fontella Bass’ “Rescue Me.” He also pens a Coke commercial that Dottie West re-writes as “Country Sunshine”
Jul 11, 1947
Singer/guitarist Jeff Hanna is born in Detroit, Michigan. He helps found The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, whose historic 1972 album “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” album pre-dates a string of country hits in the 1980s
Jul 11, 1952
Hank Williams records “You Win Again” a day after his divorce is finalized, along with “I Won’t Be Home No More” at the Castle Studio in Nashville’s Tulane Hotel
Jul 11, 1955
Elvis Presley records “Mystery Train” and “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” at Memphis’ Sun Recording Studio
Jul 11, 1955
Jenny Peer files for divorce in Charleston, West Virginia, from bandleader Bill Peer, accusing him of adultery with his protege, Patsy Cline
Jul 11, 1961
While watching baseball’s annual All-Star Game on television, Bill Anderson gets a phone call asking him to join the Grand Ole Opry. Anderson, of course, whispers yes. The National League, meanwhile, beats the American League, 5-4
Jul 11, 1961
Chet Atkins plays a concert in the rain in Nashville’s Centennial Park without telling the audience of 10,000 that every time he touches the guitar, he gets shocked. The closest he comes to letting on is telling the audience “I’m real brave tonight”
Jul 11, 1963
Buck Owens records “Love’s Gonna Live Here” at Capitol’s recording studio in the Hollywood tower
Jul 11, 1967
One day after leaving The New Christy Minstrels, Kenny Rogers forms The First Edition with Thelma Camacho, Mike Settle and Terry Williams
Jul 11, 1970
Conway Twitty receives a phone call in Winona, Minnesota, threatening Bill Anderson’s life if he performs that night. Anderson performs anyway, with 16 policemen dispersed among a crowd of 2,000
Jul 11, 1972
Merle Haggard records “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)” at the Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville
Jul 11, 1973
Singer/songwriter Scotty Emerick is born in Hollywood, Florida. He joins Toby Keith’s band and becomes a co-writer on such hits as “Beer For My Horses,” “Whiskey Girl,” “I Love This Bar” and “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight”
Jul 11, 1981
Earl Thomas Conley scores his first #1 single in Billboard with “Fire & Smoke”
Jul 11, 1982
Dolly Parton’s second movie, “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas,” with Burt Reynolds, premieres in Austin
Jul 11, 1985
Kathy Yvonne Stone–the future Jett Williams–files a petition in Montgomery, Alabama, for access to paternity and adoption records. The goal: to prove she is the illegitimate daughter of Hank Williams
Jul 11, 1986
In his first recording session for Columbia, Ricky Van Shelton cuts “Somebody Lied”
Jul 11, 1987
“All My Ex’s Live In Texas” takes George Strait to #1 on the Billboard country chart
4Jul 11, 1998
Readers of The Tennessean receive a two-song Martina McBride cassette with the morning paper. RCA spent $30,000 for the campaign, which raises the singer’s profile and courts awards votes from Country Music Association members
