April 3rd: On this day

1928
Born on this day in Shelby, North Carolina, was Don Gibson, songwriter and country musician who was nicknamed ‘The Sad Poet’ because he frequently wrote songs that told of loneliness and lost love. Gibson, who made his first recodings in 1948, penned such country standards as “Sweet Dreams”, “Oh Lonesome Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You”, (which has been recorded by over 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles in 1962) Gibson enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s. He died from natural causes on November 17, 2003.

1942
Born on this day in in Valdosta, Georgia was pop and country singer Billy Joe Royal. His most successful record was “Down in the Boondocks” in 1965. His first hit on the country music chart was in 1984 with “Burned Like a Rocket.”

1948
Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys appeared for the inaugural broadcast of theLouisiana Hayride on KWKH, broadcasting from the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana. During its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American country and western music.

1971
Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty were at #1 on the US country singles chart with “After the Fire Is Gone”. The duet written by L.E. White was the only single released from the LP, We Only Make Believe. “After the Fire Is Gone” was the first chart topper for Lynn and Twitty as a duo.

1981
Hank Williams Jr. was at #1 on the US country singles chart with “Texas Women”, his third #1 on the country chart.

1991
Clint Black was at #1 on the US country singles chart with “Loving Blind” the second single from his album Put Yourself in My Shoes. It was his seventh single overall and became his fifth single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

2005
Miranda Lambert was at #1 on the US country chart with Kerosene, her first studio album. After placing third in the television competition, Nashville Star in 2003, Lambert signed with Epic Nashville in 2004. The album spawned four Top 40 BillboardCountry Chart singles, however only the title track was a major hit, peaking at #15.

2011
Winners at the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards hosted by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton included: Entertainer of the Year – Taylor Swift, Top Vocal Group – Lady Antebellum, Top New Solo Vocalist – Eric Church, Top New Vocal Duo or Group – The Band Perry, Single Record of the Year, Song of the year and Video of the year went to Miranda Lambert for “The House That Built Me” and Vocal Event of the Year went to Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson for “As She’s Walking Away.”

2014
Country guitarist Arthur Smith, best known for the theme tune from the 1972 filmDeliverance, died. He was one of the most influential guitar-players in country and early rock ‘n’ roll. He found fame with his 1948 single “Guitar Boogie” and enjoyed other hits including “Feudin’ Banjos” in 1955. When the Warner Bros film studio used a cover version and renamed it “Dueling Banjos” for Deliverance, he sued them and won substantial royalties. He died at his home from natural causes at the age of 93 just 2 days after his 93rd birthday.