OCTOBER 12
1935: Sam Moore, of Sam & Dave, was born in Miami. Known for such hits as “Soul Man” and “Hold On! I’m A Comin’,” he sang a duet version of “A Rainy Night In Georgia” in what proved to be Conway Twitty’s last session.
1953: Harmonica player Terry McMillan was born in Lexington, NC. Working with the likes of Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and Dolly Parton, he gained his biggest recognition for his parts on Garth Brooks’ “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til The Sun Comes Up).”
1966: Registered bloodhound Beauregard was born. The dog becomes a star on “Hee Haw.”
1970: The Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inducted its first 20 members. The list includes Ted Daffan, Johnny Bond, Floyd Tillman, Stuart Hamblen, Cindy Walker, Merle Travis, Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart, Bob Wills, Fred Rose, Hank Williams, A.P. Carter and Jimmie Rodgers.
1971: Gene Vincent died of a bleeding ulcer in Los Angeles. The rockabilly pioneer earned a pop and country hit with his 1956 recording of “Be-Bop-A-Lula.”
1981: Country pioneer Vernon Dalhart and Grand Ole Opry announcer Grant Turner joined the Country Music Hall of Fame during the 15th annual Country Music Association awards, held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
1981: Barbara Mandrell became the first act to win consecutive Entertainer of the Year awards from the Country Music Association during its 15th annual show at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House. Mandrell, who co-hosted with Mac Davis, also won Female Vocalist of the Year.
1984: The Oak Ridge Boys became the first country act honored with the Recording Industry Association of America’s new multi-platinum award. They’re recognized as double-platinum for shipping two million copies of the “Fancy Free” album.
1984: About two decades after he first joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, fiddler Kenny Baker quit the band on stage, frustrated by Monroe’s inattention to non-performing band details.
1985: Marie Osmond and Dan Seals combined to register a #1 single in Billboard with “Meet Me In Montana.”
1986: The Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inducted Dolly Parton and Otis Blackwell. Parton penned “To Daddy,” “9 To 5” and “I Will Always Love You.” Blackwell wrote Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel” and Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls Of Fire.”
1987: Comedian Rod Brasfield joined the Country Music Hall of Fame during the 21st annual Country Music Association awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
1987: Randy Travis took home three honors during the 21st annual Country Music Association awards at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House: Male Vocalist of the Year; Album, for “Always And Forever“; and Single, for “Forever And Ever, Amen,” also named Song of the Year.
1988: George Strait recorded “Ace In The Hole” at the Sound Stage Studios in Nashville.
1991: Ricky Van Shelton’s “Keep It Between The Lines” drove to #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
1997: John Denver died in a plane crash near Monterey, CA, when the engine quit on the test plane he was piloting. Denver left a string of folk-influenced pop-country hits, including “Thank God I’m A Country Boy,” “Annie’s Song” and “Back Home Again.”
