OCTOBER 6
1942: Leonard Slye legally adopted the name by which he became a star: Roy Rogers.
1966: Tim Rushlow was born in Arlington, TX. He became the lead singer of Little Texas, a six-man harmony group that earned consistent success in the early-1990s. He later added a 2001 solo hit and formed another group in 2002, Rushlow. He now performs along with Ritchie McDonald (formerly of Lonestar) and Larry Stewart (formerly Restless Heart) as part of the supergroup, Frontmen of Country.
1971: Faron Young recorded “It’s Four In The Morning” at the Mercury Recording Studio in Nashville.
1974: Marty Robbins hit a wall at 160 mph to avoid hitting other drivers in the National 500 stock car race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Robbins sustained two broken ribs and a broken tailbone, and required 37 facial stitches.
1975: Bill Anderson & Mary Lou Turner recorded “Sometimes” in the afternoon at Bradley’s Barn in Mt. Juliet, TN.
1979: T.G. Sheppard danced at the top of the Billboard country singles chart with “Last Cheater’s Waltz.”
1981: Earl Scruggs had a role as CBS airs a two-hour TV movie, “The Return Of The Beverly Hillbillies.” Buddy Ebsen stars with guest appearances by musicians Shug Fisher, John Hartford and Rodney Dillard.
1983: MCA releases George Strait’s “Right Or Wrong” album.
1990: Garth Brooks joined the Grand Ole Opry. His setlist for the momentous occasion is “Friends In Low Places,” “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and “The Dance.”
1990: Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places” hit #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
1992: Mercury releases Kathy Mattea’s “Lonesome Standard Time” album.
1996: Tim McGraw married Faith Hill in Rayville, LA, the day of his Swampstock benefit concert. In attendance were fellow artists Mark Collie, Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt and Jeff Carson.
1996: Kellogg’s put Clint Black’s image on boxes of its “Heart Healthy” line of cereals for the next five weeks.
1998: Alabama was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 7060 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
1998: Warner Bros. released Connie Smith’s self-titled album, produced by Marty Stuart. It was her first album in two decades.
2015: Billy Joe Royal died at his home in North Carolina. Following his start in pop music, he became a country star in the late-1980s, notching hits with “I Miss You Already,” “Love Has No Right” and “Tell It Like It Is.”