December 4th: On this day

1944
Born on this day, was Chris Hillman, one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke. Along with frequent collaborator Gram Parsons, Hillman was a key figure in the development of country rock, virtually defining the genre through his seminal work in The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers and later became the leader of the country rock act Desert Rose Band who had the 1988 US Country #1 hit "He's Back and I'm Blue."

1944
Eddy Arnold held his first recording session at the WSM radio studios in Nashville, where he recorded his first hit, "Each Minute Seems A Million Years," which went on to become a #5 hit.

1956
The Million Dollar Quartet legend was born when a Memphis newspaper photographed Johnny Cash and Elvis Presely who had dropped in on a Carl Perkins session (for "Matchbox") at Sun Studios, with Jerry Lee Lewis as piano sideman.

1971
George Strait married his high school sweetheart, Normain in Mexico. In this same year he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii as a part of the 25th Infantry Division.

1982
Special guests on this week's syndicated US music television series The Glen Campbell Music Show included B.J. Thomas who performed "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" and then with Glen Campbell played "Hang On Baby (Ease My Mind)" and "Amazing Grace".

1991
The Judds performed the final show of their farewell tour at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Naomi Judd later retired, suffering from a potentially fatal strain of hepatitis, leaving Wynonna to pursue a solo career.

2003
Ricky Skaggs received five nominations for the annual Grammy awards, more than any other country artist, he went on to win Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal for "A Simple Life."

2010
Merle Haggard accepted the prestigious award for lifetime achievement and "outstanding contribution to American culture" from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

2012
Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings released The Complete Columbia Album Collection a box set by Johnny Cash. It included 63 CDs, including 59 original albums, three bonus discs: Johnny Cash With His Hot & Blue Guitar, which included recordings from Cash's pre-Columbia period with Sun Records.