JUNE 19

1914: Lester Flatt was born in Duncan’s Chapel, TN. Along with partner Earl Scruggs, he rose out of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys to become a leading figure in the development of bluegrass, joining the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985.

1926: DeFord Bailey made his Grand Ole Opry debut, becoming the first African-American to perform on the program.

1956: Doug Brooks was born in Atlanta, GA. After changing his name to Doug Stone–to avoid confusion with Garth Brooks–he reeled off more than a dozen consecutive hits in the 1990s, including “I’d Be Better Off (In A Pine Box)” and “Warning Labels.”

1959: Singer/songwriter Jim Collins was born in Nacogdoches, TX. He wrote Kenny Chesney’s “The Good Stuff,” Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor,” Chad Brock’s “Yes!” and Thompson Square’s “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” among others.

1971: Jerry Reed lit up the #1 position on the Billboard country chart with “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot.”

1973: Conway Twitty recorded “Linda On My Mind” in an evening session at Bradley’s Barn in Mt. Juliet, TN.

1976: Marty Robbins got a bird’s-eye view of the Billboard country chart as he reached #1 with “El Paso City.”

1980: Boxcar Willie made his Grand Ole Opry debut.

1982: Nashville’s Patsy Bruce held tryouts to find replacements for Tom Wopat and John Schneider on “The Dukes Of Hazzard.”

1982: Conway Twitty’s version of “Slow Hand” grabbed the top position on the Billboard country singles chart. 

1986: Ricky Van Shelton showcased for CBS executives Rick Blackburn and Steve Buckingham at The Stockyard, singing Ernest Tubb’s “Thanks A Lot” and Merle Haggard’s “Hungry Eyes.”

1993: Patty Loveless topped the Billboard country chart with “Blame It On Your Heart.”

1997: Bobby Helms died at his home in Martinsville, IN. He left behind three major singles from 1957: “Fraulein,” “My Special Angel” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”

1999: George Strait posted a #1 single in Billboard with “Write This Down.”

2008: Loretta Lynn joined the Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York. Also added: Desmond Child, John Sebastian, Alan Menken and Albert Hammond. Anne Murray received the Hitmaker Award.

2015: Toby Keith and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” author Bobby Braddock are inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.