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Fiddler Eck Robertson was born in Delaney, Arkansas. His 1922 Victor recordings helped establish commercial country music.
Source: Archives of Appalachia
November 20 – This Day in Country Music History
🤠🎻 November 20 in country music history: Curly Putman, Eck Robertson, Josh Turner, classic releases, and unforgettable No. 1 records. 🎶 #whenthecowboysings #CountryMusicHistory #November20 #TraditionalCountry #WesternSwing
Births
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Composer Fred Spielman was born in Vienna, Austria. He co-wrote “Paper Roses,” later a country hit for Marie Osmond.
Source: RolandNote
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Dobro player Robert “Tut” Taylor was born in Baldwin County, Georgia. He became known for flat-picking the instrument.
Source: Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame
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Songwriter Curly Putman was born in Princeton, Alabama. His classics include “Green, Green Grass of Home,” “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
Source: Alabama Music Hall of Fame
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Songwriter Even Stevens was born in Ohio. He co-wrote numerous Eddie Rabbitt hits and Kenny Rogers’ “Love Will Turn You Around.”
Source: RolandNote
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Songwriter Roger Murrah was born in Athens, Alabama. His credits include “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “High Cotton,” and “Life’s Highway.”
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Drummer George Grantham was born in Cordell, Oklahoma. A founding member of Poco, he also recorded with Ricky Skaggs.
Source: Wikipedia
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Songwriter Wade Kirby was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His credits include George Strait’s “I Saw God Today.”
Source: RolandNote
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Country singer Dierks Bentley was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He became a Grand Ole Opry member in 2005.
Source: Wikipedia
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Country singer Josh Turner was born in Hannah, South Carolina. His deep voice became familiar through “Long Black Train” and “Your Man.”
Source: Wikipedia
Deaths
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Bluegrass broadcaster, writer, and emcee Bill Vernon died in Rocky Mount, Virginia, at 59.
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Film director and songwriter Robert Altman died in Los Angeles at 81. He directed Nashville and co-wrote John Anderson’s “Black Sheep.”
Source: Wikipedia
Album Releases
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Merle Haggard & the Strangers released It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad) on Capitol.
Source: Capitol Records / Apple Music
No. 1 Albums
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The First Thing Ev’ry Morning by Jimmy Dean remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country albums chart.
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Easy Loving by Freddie Hart remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country albums chart.
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The Troublemaker by Willie Nelson reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country albums chart.
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Highways & Heartaches by Ricky Skaggs reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country albums chart.
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Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles by Various Artists remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country albums chart.
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LeAnn Rimes by LeAnn Rimes remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country albums chart.
Gold & Platinum
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The box set The King of Rock ’n’ Roll: The Complete ’50s Masters by Elvis Presley was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Source: RIAA
Song Recordings & Releases
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No. 1 Songs
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Eddy Arnold remained No. 1 on Billboard’s Best Selling Retail Folk Records chart with “Bouquet of Roses”.
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Eddy Arnold remained No. 1 on Billboard’s Most Played Juke Box Folk Records chart with “Just a Little Lovin’ (Will Go a Long Way)”.
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Hank Snow remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country jukebox chart with “I Don’t Hurt Anymore”.
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Webb Pierce remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country best-seller and disc jockey charts with “More and More”.
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Jimmy Dean reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart with “Big Bad John”.
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Little Jimmy Dickens reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart with “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose”.
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Merle Haggard reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart with “Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)”.
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Loretta Lynn remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart with “Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missin’ Tonight)”.
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T.G. Sheppard reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart with “War Is Hell (On the Homefront Too)”.
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Mark Chesnutt reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart with “Almost Goodbye”.
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Martina McBride remained No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart with “I Love You”.
Traditional Country News
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New Brockton, Alabama, celebrated Don Helms Day, honoring Hank Williams’ steel guitarist.
Source: RolandNote
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Loretta Lynn received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House.
Source: White House archives
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Jean Shepard was remembered at a Nashville Palace tribute featuring Jan Howard, Jeannie Seely, Jody Miller, and Leona Williams.
Source: RolandNote
This historical date is reused each year. Only verified events are included.