May 18, 1936
Leon Ashley is born near Covington, Georgia. He establishes his own label, Ashley Records, and hits #1 as an artist in 1967 with “Laura (What’s He Got That I Ain’t Got)”
May 18, 1942
Rodney Dillard is born in East St. Louis, Illinois. He plays guitar for The Dillards, a bluegrass group that influences The Eagles and gains prominence
in its role as The Darlings on “The Andy Griffith Show”
May 18, 1942
Pop artist Albert Hammond is born in London, England. Raised in Spain, he gains his biggest hit as an artist with “It Never Rains In Southern California,” but also co-writes the Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson hit “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before”
May 18, 1948
Joe Bonsall is born in Philadelphia. In 1973, the ex-gang member becomes a tenor singer in the gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys, who soon shift into country music, using him as a lead voice on such hits as “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue” and “Love Song.” The Oaks join the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015
May 18, 1974
Ray Stevens’ novelty hit “The Streak” goes to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart
May 18, 1986
Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings appear in a CBS-TV remake of the western movie “Stagecoach,” along with June Carter, John Schneider, John Carter Cash, Jessi Colter, David Allan Coe and Billy Swan
May 18, 1994
Alabama records “Give Me One More Shot”
May 18, 1995
Patty Loveless records “Lonely Too Long” and “A Thousand Times A Day” at Woodland Sound Studio in Nashville
May 18, 1996
Brooks & Dunn begin a three-week stay at #1 on the Billboard country chart with their remake of “My Maria”
May 18, 2003
A wheelchair-bound Johnny Cash sits in the front row at the funeral for June Carter at the First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Emmylou Harris, Larry Gatlin, The Oak Ridge Boys and Sheryl Crow all perform at the memorial
May 18, 1950
Songwriter Tom Shapiro is born in Kansas City, Missouri. Among more than 50 hits, he authors Brooks & Dunn’s “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You,” Neal McCoy’s “Wink,” Keith Urban’s “You Look Good In My Shirt” and George Strait’s “Living And Living Well”
May 18, 1952
George Strait is born in Poteet, Texas. The authentic cowboy becomes a voice for traditional country beginning in 1981, accruing more than 25 gold albums and membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame
May 18, 1959
A history lesson makes history as Johnny Horton’s recording of “The Battle Of New Orleans” goes to #1 on the Billboard country singles chart
May 18, 1964
Jim Reeves records “I Guess I’m Crazy,” “Angels Don’t Lie,” “I Won’t Come In While He’s There” and “This Is It” during an evening session at RCA Studio B in Nashville
