Jul 20, 1918
Songwriter Cindy Walker is born in Mart, Texas. She lands a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame by writing such hits as Eddy Arnold’s “You Don’t Know Me,” Webb Pierce’s “I Don’t Care” and Jim Reeves’ “Distant Drums”
Jul 20, 1944
Bill Browder is born in Humboldt, Tennessee. Under the stage name T.G. Sheppard, he segues from record promotion into performing, developing pop-slanted 1980s country hits, including “I Loved ‘Em Every One,” “Only One You” and “Slow Burn”
Jul 20, 1946
Kim Carnes is born in Pasadena, California. Primarily a pop recording artist, she joins Kenny Rogers on the 1980 country hit “Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer” and writes Rogers’ Ronnie Milsap duet “Make No Mistake, She’s Mine.” Carnes also pens Reba McEntire & Vince Gill’s “The Heart Won’t Lie”
Jul 20, 1949
Jimmy Wakely records “Slipping Around” and “Wedding Bells” with Margaret Whiting at the Capitol Studios on Melrose in Hollywood
Jul 20, 1955
Coral Records releases Patsy Cline’s first single, “A Church, A Courtroom And Then Goodbye” and “Honky Tonk Merry-Go-Round”
Jul 20, 1959
Singer/songwriter Radney Foster is born in Del Rio, Texas. He joins Bill Lloyd in the 1980s duo Foster & Lloyd, develops a solo career and authors such hits as Sara Evans’ “A Real Fine Place To Start” and Keith Urban’s “I’m In”
Jul 20, 1968
Johnny Cash’s live version of “Folsom Prison Blues” takes the #1 slot on the Billboard country singles chart
Jul 20, 1977
Merle Haggard records “It’s Been A Great Afternoon” in Nashville
Jul 20, 1983
George Strait records “You Look So Good In Love” and “Right Or Wrong” during an evening session at Woodland Sound Studio in Nashville
Jul 20, 1992
An unprecedented start: Billy Ray Cyrus’ debut album, “Some Gave All,” is certified gold, platinum and double-platinum two months after its release
Jul 20, 1992
Liberty releases Chris LeDoux’s “Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy” album
Jul 20, 1996
Ricochet deposits “Daddy’s Money” at #1 on the Billboard country singles chart
Jul 20, 2002
Toby Keith occupies the #1 position in Billboard with “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)”
Jul 20, 2005
A Country Music Hall of Famer and a hot-shot newcomer blend voices, as George Jones and Dierks Bentley record a new version of “Murder On Music Row” in Nashville for a Starbucks specialty album
