July 30th: On this day

1958
Born on this day in Jacksonville, Texas, was Neal McCoy, country music singer. His 1993 singles "No Doubt About It" and "Wink" from his platinum-certified album No Doubt About It both topped the US Country charts.

1958
Johnny Cash started recoding session for his fourth album Greatest! Six out of the twelve songs featured on the album became singles, with "Get Rhythm" topping the Country charts and becoming the most successful one.

1971
Born on this day, was Gordie Sampson, Canadian singer-songwriter and producer from Big Pond, Nova Scotia. He has written songs for Carrie Underwood ("Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Just A Dream", "Get Out Of This Town"), Martina McBride ("If I Had Your Name", "You're Not Leavin Me"), LeAnn Rimes ("Long Night", "Save Myself"), and George Canyon ("My Name").

1983
George Jones was at #1 on the Country chart with "I Always Get Lucky With You", a song written by Merle Haggard. The track gave Jones his ninth and final chart topper.

1986
Variety magazine reported that RCA had dropped John Denver from its roster after the release of his single, "What Are We Making Weapons For". Variety said the song upset the record company's new owner, General Electric, one of the largest defense contractors in the US.

2003
Sam Phillips the founder of Sun Records and studio died of respiratory failure at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. In the 1940s, Phillips worked as a DJ for Muscle Shoals, Alabama radio station WLAY. Phillips recorded what some consider to be the first rock and roll record, "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats in 1951. He discovered Elvis Presley, worked with Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Ike Turner, B.B. King and Jerry Lee Lewis.