MAY 26

1907: Marion Morrison was born in Winterset, IA. Renamed John Wayne for the silver screen. The Duke became one of the best-known actors of the 20th century.

1933: Jimmie Rodgers, suffering from tuberculosis, died of a massive hemorrhage at New York’s Taft Hotel. Nicknamed the Singing Brakeman, he became country music’s first superstar, and in 1961, the first person inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

1948: Hank and Audrey Williams’ first divorce was finalized. They reunited – and in 1949, Hank Williams, Jr. was born. But their turbulent union officially ended for good in June 1952.

1949: Vicki Lawrence was born in Inglewood, CA. A regular on TV’s “The Carol Burnett Show” and “Mama’s Family,” she recorded “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia,” a pop hit that reached country’s Top 30 and was covered by Reba McEntire.

1949: Hank Williams Jr. was born in Shreveport, LA. The son of country legend Hank Williams, he developed his own career, taking Entertainer of the Year in 1987 from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.

1951: Songwriter Richard Leigh was born in McLean, VA. He wrote tons of hits – including Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” Billy Dean’s “Somewhere In My Broken Heart,” Steve Wariner’s “Life’s Highway” and Reba McEntire’s “The Greatest Man I Never Knew.” Leigh is a graduate of Abingdon’s Virginia Highlands Community College.

1972: Mel Tillis recorded “I Ain’t Never” in Nashville

1973: Jeanne Pruett notched a #1 single in Billboard with her signature song, “Satin Sheets.”

1981: Charley Pride recorded a live album at the Grand Ole Opry House.

1989: Columbia released the Dolly Parton album “White Limozeen,” produced by Ricky Skaggs and named for a song written by Mac Davis.

1992: Brooks & Dunn netted their first gold album, with their debut, “Brand New Man.”

2001: Loretta Lynn opened the Coal Miner’s Daughter Museum in Hurricane Mills, TN. It houses artifacts from her career, including awards, stage clothing and her tour bus. There for the opening: George Jones, Naomi Judd and Crystal Gayle.

2004: Toby Keith won four times at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Keith claimed Entertainer of the Year; Top Male Vocalist; Album, for “Shock’n Y’all“; and Video, for the Willie Nelson duet “Beer For My Horses.”

2009: Billy Currington took “Good Directions,” written by Luke Bryan, to #1 in Billboard.

2009: Dwight Yoakam performed on “The Tonight Show” becoming the final country artist to appear on the NBC program during Jay Leno’s first tenure as host.

2021: LeAnn Rimes sang “How Do I Live” on FOX-TV’s “The Masked Singer.”