MARCH 18
1902: Enrico Caruso became the first performer to make a recording, singing into a megaphone-shaped device while his rendition was etched into a cylinder. It was a significant event in the development of the recording business.
1930: Fiddler Billy Armstrong was born in Streator, IL. He played on the Buck Owens single “Big In Vegas,” plus several Hank Thompson hits, including “A Six Pack To Go” and “Oklahoma Hills.”
1933: Facing hard times, Jimmie Rodgers sold his Kerrville, TX home–nicknamed Blue Yodeler’s Paradise–for $9,100, less than half of its original price.
1938: Charley Pride was born in Sledge, MS. After pursuing a career in baseball, he became 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.
1943: Songwriter Dennis Linde was born in Abilene, TX. 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.”
1964: Keyboard player Scott Saunders was born in Fort Worth, TX. He joined the Waco band Sons Of The Desert, whose 1997 debut album netted hits with “Whatever Comes First” and “Leaving October.”
1980: RCA released the Ronnie Milsap album “Milsap Magic.”
1983: John Denver & Emmylou Harris recorded “Wild Montana Skies” at the Criteria Studios in Miami.
1985: Kris Kristofferson was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York.
1989: Ricky Van Shelton aced the Billboard country singles chart with his remake of “From A Jack To A King.”
1995: The Sons Of The Pioneers were inducted into the National Cowboy Hall Of Fame.
1996: Arista released Brooks & Dunn’s “My Maria.”
1996: Decca released Rhett Akins’ “Don’t Get Me Started.”
1999: MCA released George Strait’s “Write This Down.”
2000: “How Do You Like Me Now?!” by Toby Keith began a five-week period at the top of the Billboard country singles chart.
2002: Brenda Lee and Chet Atkins took 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.
2009: On “American Idol,” Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis sang “I Told You So,” and Brad Paisley performed “Then.”
2010: Roger Miller’s widow, Mary Miller, won control of his copyrights from 1964 on, including “Dang Me” and “King Of The Road,” from Sony/ATV in a Nashville court decision. She was also awarded $900,000.
2016: Singer/songwriter Ned Miller died in Medford, OR. 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.”
2017: Music pioneer Chuck Berry died in St. Louis. As a songwriter, he enjoyed country hits with Buck Owens’ “Johnny B. Goode,” Emmylou Harris’ “(You Never Can Tell) C’est La Vie,” George Jones & Johnny Paycheck’s “Mabellene” and Waylon Jennings’ “Brown Eyed Handsome Man.” Hours later, Brad Paisley paid tribute by playing “Johnny B. Goode” during a concert in Kissimmee, FL.
2019: Kathy Mattea received the American Master Award from the Berklee College of Music at Warner Music Nashville.
2019: Brooks & Dunn, Ray Stevens and retired producer/label executive Jerry Bradley were announced as the 2019 inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
