Gold Country NEWS

1892
Born on this day in Independence, Missouri, was Ralph Peer an American talent scout, recording engineer and record producer. He is credited with what is often called the first country music recording, Fiddlin' John Carson's disc "Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane"/"That Old Hen Cackled and The Rooster's Goin' To Crow". In August 1927, while talent hunting in the southern states, he recorded both Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family in the same session at a makeshift studio in Bristol, Tennessee, known as the Bristol Sessions. This momentous event could be described as the genesis of country music as we know it today. Peer died on 19 Jan 1960.

1892

1961
Born on this day in Dayton, Ohio was bassist Dana Williams from Diamond Rio, (originally known as the Grizzly River Boys). Their 1991 single "Meet in the Middle", made them the first band ever to send a debut single to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

1969
Glen Campbell was at #1 on the Billboard country album chart with Galveston. The singers thirteenth studio album spent 11 weeks at #1 and 26 weeks on the chart. The title track written by Jimmy Webb, describes a soldier waiting to go into battle who thinks of the woman he loves and his hometown of Galveston, Texas.

1970
Merle Haggard was at #1 on the Country music album chart with Okie from Muskogee. The album won the Academy of Country Music award for Album of the Year in 1969. Haggard also won Single of the Year for "Okie from Muskogee" as well as Top Male Vocalist.

1973
Dolly Parton recorded the song "Jolene" during sessions at RCA Studio B in Nashville. Released in October 15, 1973 the song became Parton's second #1 hit on the Billboard US Country charts.

1993
CBS aired Willie Nelson The Big Six-0: An All-Star Birthday Celebration with guests Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, B.B. King, Paul Simon, Travis Tritt, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyle Lovett, Bob Dylan, Marty Stuart and Kris Kristofferson

2000
Aaron Tippin released "Kiss This", the first single from his album People Like Us. Co-written by Aaron's wife, Thea, the single became Aaron's third and final #1 on the Billboard country charts, five years after his last chart topper.

2003
At the Academy of Country Music awards ceremony in Las Vegas, there were boos when the Dixie Chicks' nomination for Entertainer of the Year award was announced, (after Natalie Maines' comment about George Bush), however, the broadcast's host, Vince Gill, reminded the audience that everyone was entitled to freedom of speech.

2004
Rascal Flatts' Mayberry was at #1 on the Billboard country album charts, their fourth and final single from their 2002 album, Melt.

If you could bring a dead country star back for one gig, who would it be?