Tammy Wynette’s Controversial Death, Merle Haggard Born-Today In Country History

The Music and Memories of April 6

2009- George Strait is officially named the Academy of Country Music's Artist of the Decade during a taping for CBS.

1998- Tammy Wynette dies at home in Nashville from a blood clot in her lung.  The controversial death causes family drama between Tammy's widow, George Richey, and her children, who believe there was a conspiracy to kill their mother.  The 'Stand By Your Man' singer is inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame five months later.

1991- Garth Brooks continues his streak of chart toppers with "Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House" residing at No. 1.

1987- Randy Travis is the hottest act at the ACM Awards.  Randy claims four trophies including Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year for 'Storms Of Life,' and Single Record and Song for 'On The Other Hand.'

1957- Ferlin Husky hits No. 1 with 'Gone.'

1956- The round recording studio becomes a California landmark!  Capitol Records opens its new Hollywood headquarters, the world's first round office building, at the corner of Hollywood & Vine. Among the artists who record in the studio are Buck Owens, Glen Campbell, Dwight Yoakam and Merle Haggard.

Birthdays

Merle Haggard, 1937.  The 'Okie From Muskogee' has a rough and ragged childhood. By his twenty-first birthday he had run away regularly from home, been placed in two separate reform schools, from which he escaped numerous times.  He also spent time in local jails for theft and bad checks.  After a string of bad behavior he was eventually sent to San Quentin.  Merle uses music to get back on track and straitens out his life to become a Country Music Hall of Famer, thanks to autobiographical hits like 'Mama Tried' and 'Branded Man.'