July 19th: On this day

1937
Born on this day in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was George Hamilton IV, country musician. Hamilton’s breakthrough hit was the 1961 song “Before this Day Ends”. His biggest hit came two years later with “Abilene”, another song penned by Loudermilk and Bob Gibson. The song spent four weeks at #1 on Billboard’s country singles chart. Hamilton died on Sept 17th 2014 after he suffered a major heart attack.

1939
Born on this day in Okemah, Oklahoma, was Billy Parker country music disc jockey and singer. He was named Disc Jockey of the Year by the Country Music Associationin 1974 and by the Academy of Country Music in 1975, 1977, 1978 and 1984. Between 1976 and 1989, Parker charted more than twenty singles on the BillboardHot Country Singles chart.

1947
Born on this day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was Bernie Leadon, musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member of two pioneering and highly influential country rock bands, Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers.

1969
Special guests on this week’s Johnny Cash ABC television music variety show included, Ed Ames, Roy Clark, The Monkees and Joni Mitchell. Cash introduced The Monkees by playing the first verse of their hit “Last Train To Clarksville” with The Monkees on backing vocals, The Monkees then performed a version of the Johnny Cash song “Everybody Loves a Nut”, with Cash.

1975
Lefty Frizzell the American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s died. He became a major influence on Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, George Jones, John Fogerty and Roy Orbison, (who as a part of the Traveling Wilburys chose the name “Lefty Wilbury” to honor his musical hero).

1992
Wynonna was at #1 on the US Country singles chart with “I Saw the Light” the second single from Wynonna’s self-titled debut album, it was also that album’s second #1 hit.

2007
Country music duo Big & Rich were at #1 on the US singles chart with “Lost in This Moment.” Prior to its release, the duo’s highest-charting single was “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)”, which reached #11.