Clarence “Tom” Ashley recorded The Coo-Coo Bird in Johnson City, TN in 1929. The performance would eventually be ranked among the 500 greatest country singles of all-time in the Country Music Foundation book “Heartaches By The Number.”
Hank Williams wrote Cold, Cold Heart in 1950. Merle Kilgore said Williams used to get inspiration from True Romance Comics when he wrote songs. Merle’s sister once asked Hank why he read those “sissy comics” and he replied, ‘“Where else are you going to hear lines like this? ‘Why can’t I free your doubt and melt your cold, cold heart.’”
Patsy Cline opened a 35-date engagement at Las Vegas’ Merri-Mint Theater in 1962. She hired Tompall & The Glaser Brothers as her backing vocalists.
Jack Greene became the first country star to appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York in 1967.
Tammy Wynette went to #1 in Billboard with Stand By Your Man in 1968.
Bored and lonely in a hotel room on Thanksgiving in 1972, Tom T. Hall wrote Spokane Motel Blues. The city was not too happy when that song made it to an album shortly after.
The Judds performed at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY in 1991. It was their last road appearance of their final tour as an ongoing duet. They had to split due to Naomi Judd’s bout with a critical form of hepatitis. Fun fact: The opening act was Garth Brooks.
Roy Acuff died from congestive heart failure in 1992. He was buried within eight hours. Acuff was a Grand Ole Opry symbol for more than 50 years. He was the original the “King Of Country Music” and was the first living member inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
MCA released George Jones’ High-Tech Redneck album in 1993.
Songwriter Frank Dycus died in 2012. He authored Mark Chesnutt’s Gonna Get A Life and George Jones’ I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair, plus a pair of George Strait hits: Unwound and Marina Del Rey.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Songwriter Charlie Black was born in Cheverly, MD in 1949. His long line of hits includes Reba McEntire’s You Lie, Phil Vassar’s Six-Pack Summer, Alan Jackson’s Right On The Money and Anne Murray’s A Little Good News.
