Mar 18, 1902
Enrico Caruso becomes the first performer to make a recording, singing into a megaphone-shaped device while his rendition is etched into a cylinder. It’s a significant event in the development of the recording business
Mar 18, 1930
Fiddler Billy Armstrong is born in Streator, Illinois. He plays on the Buck Owens single “Big In Vegas,” plus several Hank Thompson hits, including “A Six Pack To Go” and “Oklahoma Hills”
Mar 18, 1933
Facing hard times, Jimmie Rodgers sells his Kerrville, Texas, home–nicknamed Blue Yodeler’s Paradise–for $9,100, less than half of its original price
Mar 18, 1938
Charley Pride is born in Sledge, Mississippi. After pursuing a career in baseball, he becomes the first African-American to have consistent success as a country singer, notching more than 50 hit records on his way to the Country Music Hall of Fame
Mar 18, 1943
Songwriter Dennis Linde is born in Abilene, Texas. His credits include Elvis Presley’s “Burning Love,” Eddy Raven’s “I’m Gonna Get You,” Mark Chesnutt’s “Bubba Shot The Jukebox” and Gary Morris’ “The Love She Found In Me”
Mar 18, 1964
Keyboard player Scott Saunders is born in Fort Worth, Texas. He joins the Waco band Sons Of The Desert, whose 1997 debut album nets hits with “Whatever Comes First” and “Leaving October”
Mar 18, 1980
RCA releases the Ronnie Milsap album “Milsap Magic”
Mar 18, 1983
John Denver & Emmylou Harris record “Wild Montana Skies” at the Criteria Studios in Miami
Mar 18, 1985
Kris Kristofferson is inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York
Mar 18, 1989
Ricky Van Shelton aces the Billboard country singles chart with his remake of “From A Jack To A King”
Mar 18, 1995
The Sons Of The Pioneers are inducted into the National Cowboy Hall Of Fame
Mar 18, 1996
Arista releases Brooks & Dunn’s “My Maria”
Mar 18, 1996
Decca releases Rhett Akins’ “Don’t Get Me Started”
Mar 18, 1999
MCA releases George Strait’s “Write This Down”
Mar 18, 2002
Brenda Lee and Chet Atkins take a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York. Others with country ties who join: Tom Petty, Gene Pitney, Isaac Hayes and Stax Records founder James Stewart
Mar 18, 2010
Roger Miller’s widow, Mary Miller, wins control of his copyrights from 1964 on, including “Dang Me” and “King Of The Road,” from Sony/ATV in a Nashville court decision. She’s also awarded $900,000
Mar 18, 2016
Singer/songwriter Ned Miller dies in Medford, Oregon. He had three hits as an artist, including “From A Jack To A King,” which was remade by Ricky Van Shelton. Among the other hits he wrote were Jim Reeves’ “Snow Flake,” Bonnie Guitar’s “Dark Moon” and Sonny James’ “Behind The Tear”
