MAY 4

1902: Al Dexter was born in Troup, TX. Mixing honky-tonk country and western swing in his recordings, his million-selling “Pistol Packin’ Mama” became a country classic as he became one of country’s biggest stars of the 1940s.

1922: Recording engineer Glenn Snoddy was born in Shelbyville, TN. Employed at the Castle and Bradley studios, he ran the tape machine for numerous classics, including Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire.”

1928: Bass player Marshall Grant was born. He spent more than 20 years playing in Johnny Cash’s band and eventually became manager of The Statler Brothers. Among Grant’s credits: “Daddy Sang Bass,” “I Walk The Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues.”

1948: Songwriter/record executive Tim DuBois was born in Grove, OK. The head of Arista’s country division from 1989-2000, he wrote Alabama’s “Love In The First Degree,” Vince Gill’s “When I Call Your Name” and Jerry Reed’s “She Got The Goldmine (I Got The Shaft).”

1949: Stella Parton was born in Sevierville, TN. She recorded one Top 10 hit in 1975, “I Want To Hold You In My Dreams Tonight,” though she remained in the shadow of her older sister, Dolly Parton.

1959: Randy Traywick was born at Memorial Hospital in Monroe, NC. As Randy Travis, his rich baritone is a signature sound in the New Traditionalist movement of the late-1980s. Among his hits: “On The Other Hand” and “Forever And Ever, Amen.”

1959: At the first Grammy awards presentation, The Kingston Trio’s “Tom Dooley” won Best Country & Western Performance. The folk record, which never made the country chart, beat two Everly Brothers singles, plus Don Gibson and Jimmie Rodgers.

1963: The Wilburn Brothers debuted their syndicated TV show in 19 markets, providing early exposure to Loretta Lynn. Other regular cast members include Harold Morrison, Don Helms and Tommy Jackson.

1969: Johnny Cash and Hank Williams Jr. grossed $93,000, drawing 23,000 ticket-buyers for two shows at Detroit’s Cobo Arena. It is recognized as the highest gross in history for a country show in one day at the time.

1970: Dolly Parton recorded the Jimmie Rodgers classic “Mule Skinner Blues” at Nashville’s RCA Studio B

1971: Willie Nelson recorded “Me And Paul” and “Help Me Make It Through The Night” for the first time at Nashville’s RCA Studio B. Both songs would become hits for him in future years when he re-recorded them.

1974: Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton made what is billed as their last duet appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

1975: In the Winston 500 at Talladega’s Alabama International Speedway, Marty Robbins crashed into Ramo Scott’s car, creating a ball of fire. Robbins lost consciousness; after returning to strength, he announced his retirement from racing.

1977: The Oak Ridge Boys recorded “I’ll Be True To You” during an afternoon session at Woodland Sound in Nashville.

1978: Barbara Mandrell remade the Luther Ingram soul hit “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right” at Woodland Sound in Nashville. Mandrell also cut “Don’t Bother To Knock,” destined to be a hit for Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius.

1991: Travis Tritt made his Grand Ole Opry debut.

1991: Dolly Parton and Ricky Van Shelton were paired at the #1 position on the Billboard country chart with “Rockin’ Years.”

1991: The band formerly known as The Tennessee River Boys performed its first official show with its new name, Diamond Rio, in Columbus, OH.

1992: Trisha Yearwood recorded “Wrong Side Of Memphis” at Nashville’s Sound Emporium.

1993: Garth Brooks’ “No Fences” becamethe first country album certified for shipments of 10 million units.

1994: Tanya Tucker played on “Wheel Of Fortune” with Little Richard and sax player David Sanborn. Her winnings were earmarked for multiple sclerosis.

1999: Tim McGraw released his album, “A Place In The Sun,” while Steve Wariner’s “Two Teardrops” album also arrived in stores.

2010: Chely Wright’s autobiography, “Like Me: Confessions Of A Heartland Country Singer,” was released – and with it, she officially became the first-ever openly gay commercial country artist.

2015: Trace Adkins played a colonel on the NBC series “The Night Shift.”

2017: Loretta Lynn suffered a stroke at her home in Hurricane Mills, TN, and was checked into a Nashville hospital. She returned to the stage the following October to honor Alan Jackson at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction.

2018: Brooks & Dunn, Lee Brice, Travis Tritt and Terri Clark were on the guest list for the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Gala on the eve of the race in Louisville. Also appearing are Kid Rock, Naomi Judd, Richie Sambora and Eddie Montgomery.

2020: Dwight Yoakam announced his marriage to longtime love Emily Joyce in March, just before COVID-19 forced a quarantine. The ceremony in Santa Monica was attended by 10 people, each of them separated by at least six-feet for safety. The couple welcomed their son, Dalton Loren Yoakam, on August 16th, 2020.