JULY 4

1826: Songwriter Stephen Foster is born in Lawrenceville, PA. He became one of America’s greatest songwriters, celebrated in a Grammy-winning 2004 tribute album, “Beautiful Dreamer,” by Alison Krauss, Beth Nielsen Chapman and Suzy Bogguss.

1882: Buffalo Bill Cody presented a Wild West show in North Platte, NE. The concept served as a precursor to the singing cowboys of Hollywood.

1883: The first rodeo was held in Pecos, TX. The rodeo became an important career building block and/or musical theme for such artists as Reba McEntire, Moe Bandy, Garth Brooks, Chris LeDoux and George Strait, among others.

1903: Guitarist/vocalist Charlie Monroe is born in Ohio County, KY. He joined younger sibling Bill to form The Monroe Brothers, who became a significant recording duo during the 1930s, pre-dating Bill’s emergence as the Father of Bluegrass.

1942: Peter Rowan was born in Boston, MA. The guitarist sang lead for Bill Monroe’s band in the ’60s and worked with David Grisman, The Nashville Bluegrass Band and Jerry Garcia. He wrote Ricky Skaggs’ “You Make Me Feel Like A Man.”

1957: The Country Gentlemen formed in the Washington, D.C. area. The bluegrass band later counted among its members Ricky Skaggs and Dobro player Jerry Douglas.

1966: George Jones opened his first amusement park, the George Jones Rhythm Ranch, and began a friendship with guest performer Merle Haggard.

1970: The Statler Brothers hosted the first “Happy Birthday U.S.A.” concert in Staunton, VA, beginning a 25-year tradition.

1973: Willie Nelson held his first Fourth of July Picnic in Dripping Springs, TX.

1973: Marty Robbins finished 8th in a 1973 Dodge Charger in the Firecracker 400 at the Daytona Motor Speedway in Florida.

1981: Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” featuring a guest appearance by George Jones, went to #1 on the Billboard country chart.

1992: Wynonna’s “I Saw The Light” topped the Billboard country chart.

1994: The Statler Brothers hosted their 25th–and final–“Happy Birthday U.S.A.” concert in Staunton, VA for 100,000 people. The set list included the military-themed “More Than A Name On A Wall.”

2006: American Recordings and Lost Highway release Johnny Cash’s “American V: A Hundred Highways,” featuring the last song he wrote, “Like The 309.”