NOVEMBER 3

1926: Guitarist Ray Edenton was born in Mineral, VA. A member of Nashville’s A-Team, his credits include George Jones’ “The Grand Tour,” Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams,” Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and Roger Miller’s “King Of The Road.”

1944: The first graphite reactor, designed to produce atomic power, went into operation in the secret government town of Oak Ridge, TN. The community’s name was soon borrowed by the Oak Ridge Quartet, which became The Oak Ridge Boys.

1952: Roy Acuff and Eddy Arnold hosted the first live telecast from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The half-hour “Celebrities For Eisenhower,” financed by the Republican party, aired in five Southern states.

1955: Marty Robbins recorded “Singing The Blues” and “I Can’t Quit (I’ve Gone Too Far)” during a late-night session at the Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville.

1960: Guitarist James Alan Shelton was born. He became a member of Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys.

1960: Merle Haggard was released from San Quentin Prison and allowed to complete the more than two years remaining of his sentence on parole.

1961: Hank Williams, music publisher Fred Rose and Jimmie Rodgers were the first inductees in the Country Music Hall Of Fame.

1964: Roger Miller recorded “King Of The Road” in Nashville.

1971: Donna Fargo recorded “The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A.” in Nashville.

1973: Dolly Parton’s second #1 song “Jolene” hit the charts.

1979: Kenny Rogers’ “You Decorated My Life” rested at #1 on the Billboard country chart.

1984: Willie Nelson’s remake of “City Of New Orleans” powered its way to #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.

1990: As if one dozen wasn’t enough: Minnie Pearl celebrated her 50th anniversary on the Grand Ole Opry, prompting Dwight Yoakam to send her 50 dozen roses.

1990: Reba McEntire collected a #1 single in Billboard with “You Lie.”

1991: Reba McEntire appeared with Kenny Rogers in the NBC-TV movie “The Gambler Returns: Luck Of The Draw.”

1995: George Strait topped the charts with “Check Yes Or No” for the second week. The song was later named the 1996 CMA Single of the Year.

2001: Garth Brooks made his debut pitching Dr. Pepper in TV commercials.

2002: Bob Dylan (“To Make You Feel My Love“), Shel Silverstein (“A Boy Named Sue“) and Dean Dillon (“Ocean Front Property“) entered the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame during ceremonies at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza.

2010: The Darryl Worley Cancer Center opens in Savannah, TN.