May 17, 1975
Pop singer B.J. Thomas finds his way to the top of the Billboard country chart with one of country music’s longest song titles: “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”
May 17, 1978
Philips announces the development of the compact disc. The format reaches the marketplace some five years later
May 17, 1979
Crystal Gayle records “It’s Like We Never Said Goodbye” in an afternoon session at Jack’s Tracks in Nashville
May 17, 1912
Grant Turner is born in Baird, Texas. He becomes an announcer for the Grand Ole Opry on D-Day, and remains with the program for 47 years, becoming the first announcer to enter the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1981
May 17, 1925
Red Smiley is born in Marshall, North Carolina. He becomes lead vocalist and guitarist for the 1950s bluegrass duo Reno & Smiley
May 17, 1966
David Houston records “Almost Persuaded” at the Columbia Recording Studio in Nashville
May 17, 1967
Glen Campbell records “Gentle On My Mind,” written by John Hartford and arranged by Leon Russell, at the Capitol Recording Studio in Hollywood
May 17, 1982
Merle Haggard & George Jones record the Willie Nelson-penned “Yesterday’s Wine”
May 17, 1983
Bill Monroe is a guest at the White House, along with Frank Sinatra, as president Ronald Reagan recognizes Monroe as the only living American credited with originating an American music form
May 17, 1983
The same day he’s honored at the White House, Bill Monroe is arrested in a Washington airport for inadvertently attempting to pass a loaded gun through security. He is forced to pay a $15,000 fine
May 17, 1991
Columbia releases Ricky Van Shelton’s “Backroads” album as well as the title track
May 17, 1993
Johnny Cash begins four days of recording in producer Rick Rubin’s living room in Los Angeles, backed only by his own guitar. It marks the start of work on Cash’s “American Recordings” album
May 17, 1994
Capricorn releases Kenny Chesney’s debut album, “In My Wildest Dreams”
May 17, 2001
A new $37-million Country Music Hall of Fame opens in downtown Nashville. On hand are Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Diamond Rio, Martina McBride, Bill Anderson and ribbon-cutters Charley Pride, Brenda Lee and Kitty Wells
May 17, 2016
Singer/songwriter Guy Clark dies in Nashville. A 2004 inductee in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, he authored Ricky Skaggs’ “Heartbroke,” Rodney Crowell’s “She’s Crazy For Leaving,” Vince Gill’s “Oklahoma Borderline” and Jerry Jeff Walker’s “L.A. Freeway,” among others
