September 23rd: On this day

1930
Born on this day in Albany, Georgia, was Ray Charles who helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s. His 1962 album, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and its sequel Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2, helped to bring country into the mainstream of music. His version of the Don Gibson song, "I Can't Stop Loving You" topped the Pop chart for five weeks. Charles died on June 10, 2004 due to acute liver disease at his home in Los Angeles, California.

1935
Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys made their first recordings in Dallas, Texas, produced by Don Law and Art Satherley of the American Record Corporation. Wills' later recording of "Ida Red" served as a model for Chuck Berry's decades later version of the same song - "Maybellene"

1947
Born on this day, was Pat Alger, songwriter, singer and guitarist who in 1991, was voted Songwriter of the Year by the Nashville Songwriter's Association International. He wrote hits for Garth Brooks like "Unanswered Prayers", "What She's Doing Now", "The Thunder Rolls" and "That Summer." He also wrote hits for Hal Ketchum, "Small Town Saturday Night," and for Trisha Yearwood, "Like We Never Had A Broken Heart."

1947
Born on this day was American actress and singer Mary Kay Place. She is best known for portraying Loretta Haggers on the television series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Place also recorded three studio albums one in the Haggers persona, which included the Top Ten country music hit "Baby Boy".

1952
Hank Williams recorded "Kaw-Liga", "Your Cheatin' Heart", and "Take These Chains from My Heart", in what became the musicians last ever recording session.

1966
Dolly Parton recorded "Dumb Blonde". It was released as a single on November 7, 1966, by Monument Records and was included on Parton's 1967 debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly. The song is notable for being Parton's first song to chart on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, peaking at #24. Parton re-recorded the song with Miranda Lambert in 2018 for the Dumplin' soundtrack album.

1979
Born on this day in Watkins Glen, New York was Willie Watson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, banjo player, actor and founding member of Old Crow Medicine Show. Watson appeared as The Kid in the Coen brothers' The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), performing in "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings."

1982
Jimmy Wakely, actor and country Western music vocalist, and one of the last singing cowboys died. During the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, he released records, appeared in several B-Western movies, appeared on radio and television and even had his own series of comic books. His duet singles with Margaret Whiting from 1949-51 produced a string of hits, including 1949's #1 hit on the US country charts and pop music charts, "Slippin' Around."

1993
Faith Hill released "Wild One" which gave the singer her first #1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Originally titled "She's a Wild One", the song was written by Pat Bunch, Jaime Kyle, and Will Rambeoux and was first recorded in 1992 by country band Zaca Creek.

1998
The 32nd Country Music Association Awards, Ceremony, was held at the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee, hosted by Vince Gill. Tim McGraw and George Strait went in to the night with 5 nominations each, including Entertainer of the Year. Steve Wariner led the night with 3 wins, including Song of the year and Single of the Year for "Holes In The Floor of Heaven". Trisha Yearwood won Female Vocalist of the Year and video of The Year for "This Kiss". Dixie Chicks won Vocal Group of the Year.

2003
Johnny Cash released A Concert: Behind Prison Walls his 54th overal album and a live album recorded in the Tenessee Prison 1976. The album features Cash with his backing band the Tennessee Three, but also features performances by Linda Ronstadt, Roy Clark, and Foster Brooks. The album was not released until this year.

2007
Linda Ronstadt was inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame, along with Stevie Nicks and Buck Owens.

2014
Kenny Chesney released his sixteenth studio album The Big Revival which became his tenth Country #1 album. The album produced four singles: "American Kids", "Til It's Gone", "Wild Child", and "Save It for a Rainy Day", all of which reached #1 on the US Country Airplay chart.

2020
Drummer W. S. "Fluke" Holland, died at his home in Jackson, Tennessee at the age of 85. He worked extensively with numerous rock and roll musicians, beginning with Carl Perkins, but became well known as the drummer with Johnny Cash's succession of backing bands: The Tennessee Three, The Great Eighties Eight, and The Johnny Cash Show Band. Holland played drums on the 1955 Sun Records recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" by Carl Perkins.