NOVEMBER 17

1937: Guitarist Gerry McGee was born in Eunice, LA. Following a stint with the ’60s instrumental group The Ventures, he appears as a supporting musician on country hits by Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash.

1938: Gordon Lightfoot was born in Orillia, Ontario. The pop singer/songwriter crossed into the country charts with his million-selling 1974 single “Sundown,” and wrote Marty Robbins’ “Ribbon Of Darkness” and George Hamilton IV’s “Early Morning Rain.”

1941: Gene Clark was born in Tipton, MO. He became a founding member of The Byrds, a pioneering group in the development of country-rock.

1964: One day after he saw Waylon Jennings perform at J.D.s in Phoenix, Bobby Bare called Chet Atkins, while headed to Las Vegas, and urged him to sign Jennings to RCA. Atkins didn’t pursue it until Duane Eddy placed a similar call a few weeks later.

1971: The Statler Brothers recorded the nostalgic “Do You Remember These” during the afternoon at the Mercury Studio in Nashville, name-checking Roy Rogers, James Dean, Clark Gable and Charles Atlas, plus “Tutti Frutti” and “Blue Suede Shoes.”

1980: Alabama recorded “Lady Down On Love.”

1980: Warner/Viva released the “Any Which Way You Can” soundtrack, featuring David Frizzell & Shelly West, Glen Campbell, Gene Watson, Ray Charles & Clint Eastwood, Fats Domino, Johnny Duncan, Jim Stafford and Cliff Crofford.

1988: Bass player Reid Perry was born in Jackson, MS. He became one-third of The Band Perry, which earned a triple-platinum single with “If I Die Young” and won the Country Music Association’s New Artist of the Year in 2011.

1989: “Steel Magnolias,” starring Dolly Parton, Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts, opens in movie theaters. “Jambalaya (On The Bayou)” was performed during an on-screen wedding reception.

1994: Kathy Mattea’s album, “A Collection Of Hits,” was certified platinum.

1994: Sammy Kershaw’s “Feeling Good Train” album was certified gold. The same day his “Haunted Heart” project was certified platinum.

1994: Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Some Gave All” CD was certified for sales of 8-million.

1997: LeAnn Rimes’ version of “How Do I Live” was certified double platinum – the only country single ever to reach that mark at that time. On the same day, Rimes’ “Blue” album was certified for multi-platinum sales of 5-million.

1997: Shania Twain’s “The Woman In Me” made Shania Twain the first female country artist to have an album certified for shipments of 10-million copies.

1998: Reba McEntire trotted into Nashville’s LOUD Recording Studio to join Asleep At The Wheel in cutting “Right Or Wrong” for the Bob Wills tribute “Ride With Bob.” The project gained a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album.

1998: Garth Brooks’ “Double Live” album was released, the same day new albums from Jewel, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston hit record stores. After the dust had settled on what record stores called “Super Tuesday,” Garth emerged victorious. He captured the #1 spot on the album charts – and set a first-week sales record of 1.9-million copies.

1998: “The Prince Of Egypt – Nashville” soundtrack was released. The album featured songs by Vince Gill, Wynonna, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, Faith Hill and Jessica Andrews.

1999: Tim McGraw’s album, “A Place In The Sun,” was certified double-platinum.

1999: Faith Hill’s “Breathe” album debuted at the top of both the “Billboard” country and all-genre album charts.

2000: Pam Tillis’ “All of This Love” album was certified gold.

2000: Alabama’s “For the Record: 41 Number-One Hits” collection was certified quadruple-platinum.

2003: Singer/songwriter Don Gibson died at Nashville’s Baptist Hospital. Best known for writing such classics as “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Oh Lonesome Me,” he joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

2017: The animated Christmas movie “The Star” debuted in theaters. Kris Kristofferson, Kelly Clarkson and Oprah Winfrey provided voices for the picture, while the soundtrack features Kelsea Ballerini, Jake Owen, Pentatonix and Jessie James Decker.

2017: Kenny Rogers received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Louis.

2017: The animated Christmas movie, “The Star,” debuted in theaters. Kris Kristofferson, Kelly Clarkson and Opry Winfrey provided voices for the picture, while the soundtrack featured Kelsea Ballerini, Jake Owen, Pentatonix and Jessie James Decker.

2018: Pistol Annies’ “Interstate Gospel” debuted at #1 on the Billboard country albums chart.