JULY 21
1895: Actor Ken Maynard was born in Vevay, IN. Appearing in nearly 90 pictures, he became the first of America’s singing cowboys, blazing a trail for Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Tex Ritter, among others.
1899: Sara Carter was born in Flat Woods, VA. Along with husband A.P. Carter and cousin Maybelle Carter, she founded The Carter Family, which became one of country music’s early success stories and joins the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970.
1927: Record producer Ralph Peer drove into Bristol, TN, where he erected a recording studio in a furniture store. He used the site to record Ernest Stoneman and to hold the first sessions with The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.
1928: Bass player Junior Huskey was born in Knoxville, TN. His credits include work with Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn.
1933: Fiddler Bobby Hicks was born in Newton, NC. He played on two Jim Reeves hits, plus a passel of Ricky Skaggs singles, including “Country Boy,” “I Don’t Care” and “Love’s Gonna Get You Someday.”
1936: Steel guitarist Hal Rugg was born in New York City. He played on the majority of Loretta Lynn’s hits, including “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “One’s On The Way” and “Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind).”
1951: Lefty Frizzell joined the Grand Ole Opry.
1955: Bass player Howie Epstein was born in Milwaukee, WI. A member of Tom Petty’s band, The Heartbreakers, for 20 years, he produced three hits for girlfriend Carlene Carter: “Come On Back,” “Every Little Thing” and “I Fell In Love.”
1956: Johnny Cash’s “I Walk The Line” hit #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
1973: Jeanne Pruett joined the Grand Ole Opry, the last artist added before the show transferred from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to the Grand Ole Opry House.
1975: John Denver recorded “I’m Sorry” at the RCA Recording Studios in Los Angeles.
1979: Anne Murray’s “Shadows In The Moonlight” hit #1 on the Billboard country chart.
1999: Charley Pride’s name was embedded in a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2003: Regency Publishing released Charlie Daniels’ book “Ain’t No Rag: Freedom, Family And The Flag.”
