Gold Country NEWS

1933
Born on this day in Abbott, Texas, was Willie Nelson, country music singer, songwriter, author, poet, actor, and activist. (He was born on April 29, 1933, but his birth was recorded by doctor F. D. Sims on April 30). Nelson was one of the main figures of outlaw country, a subgenre of country music that developed at the end of the 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana. Along with Neil Young and John Mellencamp, he set up Farm Aid in 1985 to assist and increase awareness of the importance of family farms.

1943
Born on this day in Taylortown, Texas, was Duane Allen, singer with The Oak Ridge Boys. Of The Oak Ridge Boys' singles, seventeen reached #1 on the Billboard country singles charts. Two of these songs, "Elvira" and "Bobbie Sue", were also Top 40 pop and Adult Contemporary hits. Allen was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the Oak Ridge Boys.

1950
Carl Smith was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. The American country singer known as "Mister Country", was one of the genre's most successful male artists during the 1950s, scoring 30 top-10 Billboard hits. In 1952, Smith married June Carter, with whom he had daughter Carlene; the couple divorced in 1956. His eldest daughter Carlene was also the stepdaughter of fellow Johnny Cash.

1963
Born on this day in Thomasville, Georgia, was Stephanie Bentley, country music artist who found success as a songwriter, having penned Faith Hill's 1999 crossover single "Breathe", as well as Martina McBride's 2002 Top 5 hit "Concrete Angel".

1972
Born on this day in Winter Park, Florida, was James Bonamy, American country music artist who scored the 1996 #2 Country hit "I Don't Think I Will".

1977
Born on this day in Danville, Kentucky, was Ashley Gorley, singer, songwriter who has written hits for Trace Adkins' "You're Gonna Miss This," Darius Rucker's "It Won't Be Like This For Long" and Brad Paisley's "Then."

1988
Born on this day in Eustis, Florida, was Michael Ray, American country music singer and songwriter. Having taken 65 weeks to reach #1, his single "Whiskey and Rain" tied a record previously set in June 2020 by Travis Denning's "After a Few" for the slowest ascent to the top when it reached the top of the Airplay chart in January 2022.

1990
People magazine featured George Strait among the "50 Most Beautiful People In The World." The first annual list was topped by actress Michelle Pfeiffer.

1991
Alan Jackson released "Don't Rock the Jukebox" his second consecutive #1 single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. The song also received an ASCAP award for Country Song of the Year in 1992.

1992
Dan Seals was at the top of the country charts with "Love on Arrival". The first single from his 1990 album On Arrival, the song spent three weeks at #1, making it the longest-running chart-topper of his career.

1992
Billy Dean was one of seven double-winners at the 27th annual Academy Of Country Music awards, aired by NBC from Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheatre. Dean was named Top New Male Vocalist as well as winning Song of the Year for "Somewhere In My Broken Heart."