Jimmie Rodgers began production on a 10-minute movie short, The Singing Brakeman, in Camden, NJ in 1929.
MGM released the first Hank Williams album, Hank Williams Sings in 1951. By this time, his popularity had soared as he had just finished a 49 date tour and turned down a movie role. He did accept an invitation to the Perry Como Chesterfield Show, which MGM hoped would help boost record sales. The songs on the album were recorded between 1946 and 1949. Producer Fred Rose reportedly used the album as a “dump site for oddball tracks that hadn’t sold elsewhere.”
Roy Acuff became the first living artist named to the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1962.
Jim Ed Brown recorded Pop A Top at Nashville’s RCA Studio B in 1966. It wasn’t long before Jim became a solo artist following the retirement of his sisters, Maxine and Bonnie Brown. Their final performance as a trio on the Grand Ole Opry would come the following October. Pop A Top helped prove Jim Ed could hold his own alone.
Rolling Stone magazine debuted with a cover story on John Lennon in 1967. The rock publication also puts the occasional country star out front, including Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson.
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn recorded After The Fire Is Gone during an evening session at Bradley’s Barn in Mt. Juliet, TN in 1970.
Barbara Mandrell appeared in an episode of NBC’s The Rockford Files in 1979.
Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson recorded Pancho And Lefty in 1982. The song, written by Townes Van Zandt, reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs the following July.
Alabama recorded When We Make Love in 1983. It would become their 13th straight #1 hit.
The Internal Revenue Service seized the property of Willie Nelson in 1990. They took property in six states, including his Austin recording studio, to satisfy a $6.5 million debt.
Vince Gill was jolted with an electrical shock caused by an amplifier malfunction in 2002. He was performing on the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. He quickly quips, “I’d like to thank the sound company for the vasectomy.”
Kris Kristofferson and retired record company executive Jim Foglesong joined the Country Music Hall of Fame during the 38th annual Country Music Association awards in 2004, telecast by CBS from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.
Ralph Stanley is one of 10 Americans to receive the National Medal of Arts from president George W. Bush on behalf of the National Endowment for the Arts at the White House in Washington, D.C. in 2006.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
George D. Hay was born in Attica, IN in 1895. He was a radio personality, announcer and newspaper reporter. He was the founder and creator of the original Grand Ole Opry program on WSM.
James Carothers is born in Adamsville, TN. Handpicked by the Jones Family, you can often see James performing at The George Jones Museum and restaurant in downtown Nashville. Carothers has also toured quite heavily with Alan Jackson. See why he’s getting the nod from country music legends here:
And American Singer/Songwriter Ward Davis from Monticello, Arkansas by way of Nashville, Tennessee was also born on November 9th. Ward has had songs recorded by Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Wade Hayes, Sammy Kershaw and more. Most recently, Ward Davis co-wrote “I’m Not The Devil” with Cody Jinks, with whom he subsequently toured with nationwide.
