Today In Country History- Stones and Haggard, Statlers Discovered By Cash

The Music and Memories of March 9

The Headlines

2006- The Rolling Stones have Merle Haggard as their opening act when the band plays Little Rock, Arkansas.  Brooks and Dunn also serve as an opening act on future shows.

2005- Chris LeDoux dies.  Chris was a successful rodeo performer and award winning bull rider, who turned his rodeo fans into his music fans.  Chris builds a big cult following and makes several independent records that he sells at his own club dates.  In 1989, Garth Brooks drops his name in the hit song "Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old," and Capitol records picks him up in 1991 for a major record deal.  Although, he only scores one top ten radio hit, "Watcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy" (a duet with Garth), his fan base continues to grow and his records still sell.  Liver cancer takes his life in 2005 at the age of 56.

1964- The Statler Brothers show up at a Johnny Cash show in Canton, Ohio.  They hope to play for Johnny, but when he's running late, they actually end up on stage "killing time."  Johnny is impressed by the quartet and adds them as part of his touring cast for the next eight years.  In 1965, he persuades his own record label, Columbia, to let the guys record.  The result is the Grammy Winning debut smash "Flowers On The Wall."  The Statlers go on to have a successful television series, win more awards than any other group in Country Music and are inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

The #1 Billboard Hits

2002- Bring On The Rain- Jo Dee Messina

1996- I'll Try- Alan Jackson

1991- I'd Love You All Over Again- Alan Jackson

1985- My Only Love- The Statler Brothers

1974- There Won't Be Anymore- Charlie Rich

1968- Take Me To Your World- Tammy Wynette

Birthdays

Mickey Gilley, 1936.  In 1974 he places the first of 17 Number One singles at the top with "Room Full Of Roses."  Mickey puts his name on a night club, from 1971-1989, that inspires the movie Urban Cowboy.  Gilley's night club starts a national cowboy, two steppin', mechanical bull ridin' craze.  Mickey buys a theater in Branson, Mo. and becomes a tourist favorite throughout the early 2000's.