1919
Born on this day in Nashville, Tennessee was Ellen Muriel Deason who became known as Kitty Wells. Her 1952 hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”, made her the first female country singer to top the US country charts, and turned her into the first female country star. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame; as of 2011 – at the age of 92 – is its oldest living member. Wells’ accomplishments earned her the moniker, ‘The Queen of Country Music.’
1949
Hank Williams went into Herzog Studio in Cincinnati to record “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. Williams wrote the song originally intending that the words be spoken, rather than sung. The song about loneliness was largely inspired by his troubled relationship with wife Audrey Sheppard and was released as the B side to “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It” which was a #2 hit in 1949.
1950
Hank Snow was at #1 on the Country music singles charts with “I’m Moving On”. The song, stayed at the top of the charts for 21 weeks and was the first of seven #1 Billboard country hits Snow scored throughout his career.
1969
Roger Miller was the special guest on this week’s Johnny Cash ABC television music variety show. Roger performed “Me And Bobby Magee” and a short comedy version of “I Walk The Line”.
1971
Lynn Anderson was at #1 on the country music album chart with You’re My Man,Anderson’s fourth studio album. The record was a #1 hit on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for seven weeks, Anderson’s third (and to date, last) #1 on the chart. Produced by Anderson’s husband Glenn Sutton, the title song was Anderson’s second #1 record.
2004
Kris Kristofferson and former record executive Jim Foglesong were named the 2004 inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
2007
Reba McEntire received two CMA nominations: Female Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year. With those two nominations plus another in 2008 and two more in 2009, McEntire became the female artist with the most nominations (forty-eight) in the forty-three year history of the CMA Awards, surpassing Dolly Parton, who has forty-three
