This Day in Country Music

[Spiritinthesky]

18th Nov 2005, The Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line, opened nationwide in the US. The movie stared Joaquin Phoenix as "The Man in Black" and Reese Witherspoon as his girlfriend (and wife-to-be) June Carter. The movie was widely praised by critics and beame a major box office hit. More on Johnny Cash: http://www.thisdayincountrymusic.com/pages/johnny_cash

[Spiritinthesky]

19th Nov 1968, Jeannie C. Riley was at #1 on the US Country album chart with Harper Valley PTA. The title track "Harper Valley PTA" became a hit for Riley and went to #1 on both the Billboard Pop and Country singles charts, a feat not repeated until 1981 when Dolly Parton released "9 to 5".

[Spiritinthesky]

20th Nov 1930, Born on this day in Princeton, Jackson County, Alabama, was Curly Putman, Jr., songwriter. His biggest success was "Green, Green Grass of Home" (1964, sung by Porter Wagoner), which was covered by Elvis Presley, Johnny Darrell, Gram Parsons, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roberto Leal, Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Joe Tex, Nana Mouskouri, and Tom Jones. He also co-wrote "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" with Bobby Braddock.

[Spiritinthesky]

21st Nov 1933, Born on this day in Paul's Valley, Oklahoma, was Jean Shepard, honky tonk singer, songwriter, who has scored the hits "Second Fiddle (To An Old Guitar)," "A Satisfied Mind" and a Ferlin Husky duet, "A Dear John Letter." In 2005, Shepard celebrated 50 years as a member of the Opry and is the longest-living female member of the Opry to date.

[Spiritinthesky]

22nd Nov 1975, John Denver was at #1 on the US Country chart with Windsong his ninth album which contained the songs "I'm Sorry" and "Calypso," which comprised a two-sided hit for Denver in the fall of 1975.

[Spiritinthesky]

23rd Nov 1992, American country music singer Roy Acuff died aged 89. Known as the "King of Country Music," he was the first living artist elected to the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Acuff started his career in 1932 working for Dr. Hauer's medicine show, hired as one of its entertainers to draw a crowd to whom Hauer could sell medicines.

[Spiritinthesky]

24th Nov 1973, Charlie Rich was at #1 on the US Country singles chart with "The Most Beautiful Girl" which was also a #1 on the pop charts. "The Most Beautiful Girl" was also recorded by Slim Whitman in the 1970s. More on Charlie Rich: http://www.thisdayincountrymusic.com/pages/charlie_rich

[Spiritinthesky]

25th Nov 2003, Glen Campbell was arrested in Phoenix Arizona with a blood alcohol level of .20 after his BMW struck a Toyota Camry. He was charged with 'extreme' drunk driving, hit and run, and assaulting a police officer. A police officer reported that while in custody, Campbell hummed his hit "Rhinestone Cowboy" repeatedly. More on Glen: http://www.thisdayincountrymusic.com/pa ... n_campbell

[Spiritinthesky]

26th Nov 2010, Willie Nelson was arrested for possession of six ounces of marijuana found in his tour bus while travelling from Los Angeles to Texas. He was released after paying bail of $2,500. Prosecutor Kit Bramblett supported not sentencing Nelson to jail due to the amount of marijuana being small, but suggested instead a $100 fine and told Nelson that he would have him sing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court. More on Willie Nelson: http://www.thisdayincountrymusic.com/pa ... lie_nelson

[Spiritinthesky]

27th Nov 1941, Born on this day, in Brooklyn, New York, was Eddie Rabbitt, singer-songwriter and musician who as a songwriter in the late 1960s, wrote such hits as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap. Rabbitt also had the 1976 US #1 Country hit with "Drinkin' My Baby (Off My Mind)”. He died from lung cancer at the age of 56 on 7th May 1998.