SEPTEMBER 20
1892: Songwriter Roy Turk was born in New York, NY. He wrote Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome To-night?” and Marty Robbins’ “I Don’t Know Why (I Just Do).”
1895: Songwriter Bob Miller was born in Memphis, TN. An associate of Elton Britt, he penned the Ernest Tubb hit “Driftwood On The River” and is among the inaugural 20 inductees in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
1949: Record producer Garth Fundis was born in Lawrence, KS. His credits include: Don Williams’ “I Believe In You,” Collin Raye’s “In This Life,” Keith Whitley’s “I’m No Stranger To The Rain” and Trisha Yearwood’s “She’s In Love With The Boy.”
1955: Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded the Merle Travis-written “Sixteen Tons” at the Capitol Recording Studio on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood.
1965: The Stanley Brothers held their final recording session as a duo in Cincinnati. Their last song: “Soldier’s Grave.”
1968: When his band was delayed with transportation problems, Johnny Cash met guitarist Bob Wootton prior to a show in Fayetteville, AR. Wootton claimed he could play all of Cash’s songs and became a band member that night.
1973: A day after Gram Parsons died, his body was stolen during transfer at the Los Angeles International Airport, then taken to Joshua Tree, where it was burned, in accordance with his request. Road manager Phil Kaufman was among two charged with the crime.
1978: RCA released Waylon Jennings’ album “I’ve Always Been Crazy.”
1978: ABC released Barbara Mandrell’s album “Moods.”
1983: Reba McEntire made her acting debut in the TNN series “I-40 Paradise.”
1984: Singer/songwriter Steve Goodman died at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle of complications from leukemia. He wrote “You Never Even Called Me By My Name,” by David Allan Coe; and “City Of New Orleans,” by Willie Nelson.
1985: Capitol/Curb releases Sawyer Brown’s “Shakin’” album.
1988: Crystal Gayle and Loretta Lynn played a concert together for the first time.
1991: Garth Brooks taped the first of two shows at Dallas’ Reunion Arena for an NBC-TV special, “This Is Garth Brooks.” Included in the set list: “Friends In Low Places,” “The Dance,” “Papa Loved Mama” and “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).”
1994: Atlantic released Tracy Lawrence’s “I See It Now” album.
1997: During an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, Johnny Paycheck received an invitation from Opry general manager Bob Whittaker to join the cast.
2002: Toby Keith’s “Who’s Your Daddy?” video premiered on CMT.
2007: Charlie Daniels and 16-year-old Trey Hensley performed for vice president Dick Cheney and 50 wounded soldiers at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.
