July 18th: On this day
1954
Born on this day, was Ricky Skaggs, country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer, who was the 1982 Country Music Association singer of the year. He scored the US country #1 single ‘Crying My Heart Out Over You’.
1966
Buck Owens was at #1 on the US Country charts with “Think Of Me.” The singer and songwriter who had 21 #1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band the Buckaroos, pioneered what came to be called the Bakersfield sound.
1980
The film Honeysuckle Rose, starring Willie Nelson, opened across America. The plot sees Buck Bonham (Willie Nelson) a country singer, with a good family, struggling to find national fame. He juggles his music career with his responsibilities to his wife and son. He has everything going his way until the daughter of his former guitarist joins his tour. The road leads to temptation, which leads to his downfall.
1982
Willie Nelson was at #1 on the country album chart with Always on My Mind, which became the Billboard #1 country album of the year. The album spent 22 weeks at the top of the charts and stayed for a total of 253 weeks on the Billboard Top Country Albums charts. The title track was originally recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972 and has since been recorded by dozens of performers including Elvis Presley in 1972 and John Wesley Ryles in 1979.
1986
USA Today printed articles concerning Columbia Records’ decision not to renew Johnny Cash’s contract. Cash had released a steady string of hit singles and over 30 albums during his 28 years with the label.
1990
Garth Brooks was at #1 on the Country singles chart with “The Dance.” Written by Tony Arata it is considered by many to be Brooks’ signature song.
2010
Brad Paisley was at #1 on the Country singles chart with “Water” which was released as the fourth single from his album American Saturday Night. The song was co-written with Kelley Lovelace and Chris DuBois.
2015
“Girl Crush” by Little Big Town made country music history by breaking the record of weeks spent at #1 by a group of three or more members, surpassing the current record holders The Browns and their song The Three Bells.