March 23rd: On this day

1870
Born on this day in Fannin County, Georgia was Fiddlin’ John Carson who became the first “hillbilly” artist to play on the radio, when he performed on Atlanta’s WSB. It was reported by the Atlanta Journal that Carson’s fame quickly spread all over the United States following his broadcast at WSB.

1970
Merle Haggard was at #1 on the US Country chart with “The Fightin’ Side of Me”, one of the most famous of his career. In reference to his own 2002 patriot song, “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)”, Toby Keith once called this song “the original Angry American song.”

1981
Dolly Parton was at #1 on the country chart with 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, her 23rd solo studio release. A concept album about working, the album was centered around Parton’s hit “9 to 5”, which served as the theme song to the film of the same name.

1986
Born on this day, was Brett Eldredge, American country music singer signed to Atlantic Records Nashville, who scored the 2013 #1 single “Don’t Ya” on the Country Airplay chart. Eldredge is the cousin of Terry Eldredge of The Grascals.

1990
Ricky Van Shelton was at #1 on the Country chart with his third album RVS III. The singles released from the album were “Statue of a Fool” (#2), “I’ve Cried My Last Tear for You”(#1), “I Meant Every Word He Said” (#2), and “Life’s Little Ups and Downs” (#4).

2006
Cindy Walker the prolific American songwriter, singer who wrote hits such as “Distant Drums”, “Bubbles in My Beer”, “Cherokee Maiden” and “You Don’t Know Me” died aged 87. Walker who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame in March 2011 also had the 1944 hit with “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again”.