JULY 18
1939: Dion DiMucci was born in The Bronx, NY. Two of his 1960s pop successes became country hits for other artists: “Ruby Baby,” for Billy “Crash” Craddock; and “The Wanderer,” for Eddie Rabbitt.
1954: Ricky Skaggs was born in Cordell, KY. Centered in bluegrass, he led a swing toward traditional country in the early-1980s, joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1982 and taking the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year in 1985.
1964: Connie Smith made her Grand Ole Opry debut.
1964: Roger Miller made his first appearance at #1 on the Billboard country singles chart with “Dang Me.”
1977: The ABC-TV game show “The Better Sex” debuted, with Bill Anderson co-hosting alongside Sarah Purcell.
1980: Epic released The Charlie Daniels Band’s “Full Moon” album.
1981: Alabama rolled into #1 on the Billboard country chart with “Feels So Right.“
1983: Waylon Jennings recorded “I May Be Used (But Baby I Ain’t Used Up)” at the Cartee 3 Studios in Nashville.
1986: Columbia Records dropped Johnny Cash after 28 years on the label. Cash found out by reading the newspaper.
1987: The Judds’ “I Know Where I’m Going” hits the top spot on the Billboard country chart.
1995: Warner Bros. releases Jeff Foxworthy’s “Games Rednecks Play” album.
1995: MCA releases Tracy Byrd’s “Love Lessons” album.
2006: Arista released Alan Jackson’s single “Like Red On A Rose” to radio. The song was produced by Alison Krauss.
2006: Curb released the Rodney Atkins album “If You’re Going Through Hell.”