May 14, 1914
Singer, songwriter and band leader Foy Willing is born in Bosque County, Texas. He founds the New Riders Of The Purple Sage, netting several hits in the 1940s and appearing in numerous western movies
May 14, 1932
Record producer Bob Johnston is born in Hillsboro, Texas. He produces Bob Dylan’s Nashville albums, as well as Johnny Cash’s “Live At Folsom Prison” and Marty Robbins’ single “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife”
May 14, 1943
Steel guitar player Sonny Garrish is born in Fairplay, Maryland. His credits include recordings by The Judds, Reba McEntire, Don Williams, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Tracy Lawrence, among others
May 14, 1973
Capitol releases Buck Owens’ “Ain’t It Amazing, Gracie” album, which includes the original solo version of “Streets Of Bakersfield”
May 14, 1984
Warner/Curb releases Hank Williams Jr.’s “Major Moves” album
May 14, 1984
Alabama cops three trophies–Entertainer of the Year, Top Vocal Group and Album of the Year, for “The Closer You Get”–during the 19th annual Academy Of Country Music awards, telecast by NBC from Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California
May 14, 1984
MCA releases Lee Greenwood’s album “You’ve Got A Good Love Comin"”
May 14, 1990
“The Very Best Of Conway Twitty” is certified platinum, becoming the singer’s first album to reach the 1 million mark
May 14, 1991
Arista releases Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock The Jukebox” album
May 14, 1995
“Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build A Bridge” premieres on NBC-TV as a two-part mini-series. Kathleen York and Viveka Davis star as The Judds
May 14, 2005
Jimmy Martin dies of bladder cancer at Nashville’s Alive Hospice. He was the first lead singer for Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys and went on to build a respected solo career
May 14, 2008
Kitty Wells’ “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” is added by the Library of Congress to the National Recording Registry, along with Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” and audio of Smokey Robinson, Joni Mitchell, Thomas A. Dorsey, Ronald Reagan and Michael Jackson