July 7th: On this day

1927
Born on this day in Henagar, Alabama, was Charlie Louvin, singer and songwriter. He is best known as one of the Louvin Brothers, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955. In 2001, the Louvin brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Charlie Louvin died on 26 Jan 2011.

1930
Born on this day in Hardy, Arkansas was Doyle Wilburn who was one half of the country music duo The Wilburn Brothers. In addition to being successful artists, the Wilburns formed the Wil-helm Talent Agency in the early 1960s and were instrumental in launching the careers of many country music legends, most notably Loretta Lynn. He died on October 16, 1982.

1947
Born on this day in Hot Springs, Arkansas was songwriter, pianist, and producer Randy Goodrum. A Grammy award-nominated writer and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Goodrum has written #1 songs in each of the four decades since his first #1 hit, 1978's "You Needed Me."

1950
Johnny Cash signed up for the Air Force, taking basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Assigned as Radio Intercept Operator to Air Force base in Landsberg, Germany, Cash organized a band of five servicemen who share his C&W tastes as the 'Landsberg Barbarians,' as he learns to play the guitar.

1956
Following six months on the Louisiana Hayride Johnny Cash made his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

1979
Born on this day in Hobbema, Alberta, was Cree-Canadian country music singer, songwriter Shane Yellowbird. He was named the Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year at the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards, Chevy Trucks Rising Star of the Year at the Canadian Country Music Awards, and had one of the 10 most played country music songs of the year in Canada.

1986
Johnny Cash was honoured with the Shalom Peace Award from the Jewish National Fund at a testimonial dinner held at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. Executive director of the JNF, Marcia Werbin, said "Johnny Cash was selected for this honour for his contributions and efforts to promote peace through music".

1987
Alabama re-released their fifth 1981 studio album Feels So Right which became their first #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album produced three #1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart: "Old Flame", the title track and "Love in the First Degree".

1990
"Love Without End, Amen" by George Strait became Billboard's first five-week #1 song, matching 1977's "Here You Come Again" by Dolly Parton. "Love Without End, Amen" is Strait's first multi-week chart-topper, after his first 18 #1's had spent just one week on top.

1997
Alan Jackson released "There Goes" which became his fifthteen #1 single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. It was the fourth single from his album, Everything I Love.

2007
Keith Urban performed with Alicia Keys at one of Al Gore's Live Earth concerts held around the world. The concerts which were held to raise awareness of global warming saw Urban performing at the concert held in New York City.

2013
Randy Travis was hospitalized in a critical condition with viral cardiomyopathy after a viral upper respiratory infection. Three days later, he suffered a stroke and underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. He was released from Baylor Heart Hospital in Plano, Texas on July 31, 2013 and entered a physical therapy facility.