August 4th: On this day

1890
Born on this day in Oswego, Kansas, was Carson Robison, country music singer and songwriter. Although his impact is generally forgotten today, he played a major role in promoting country music in its early years through numerous recordings and radio appearances. He was also known as Charles Robison and sometimes composed under the pseudonym Carlos B. McAfee. He died on March 24, 1957.

1927
Jimmie Rodgers recorded for the first time in Bristol, Tennessee, singing "Sleep, Baby, Sleep" and "The Soldier's Sweetheart" during an afternoon session with producer Ralph Peer at a furniture store at 408 State Street. Among the first country music superstars and pioneers, Rodgers was also known as The Singing Brakeman, The Blue Yodeler, as well as The Father of Country Music.

1938
Born on this day was American drummer and percussionist Kenny Malone. He provided percussion on the hits "Jolene" by Dolly Parton in 1973, and "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" by Crystal Gayle in 1977 and recorded with many artists including Johnny Cash, Don Williams, Emmylou Harris, Charley Pride and Merle Haggard. He died on August 26, 2021 age 83.

1947
Hank Williams recorded "On the Banks of the Old Ponchartrain" during sessions at Castle Studio, Nashville. According to biographer Colin Escott, Ramona Vincent, a crippled woman, wrote the words of the song as a poem and sent it to Williams, who put a melody to it. The track became the singer's second single on MGM Records, released in September 1947.

1956
Jimmy C. Newman was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Dolly Parton has long credited Newman with enabling her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, in 1959, describing how when she appeared at the Opry unannounced at age 13, asking to sing, Newman relinquished one of his two allotted slots to allow Parton to perform.

1957
Johnny Cash completed recoding sessions for his debut album, Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar. The album contained four of his hit singles: "I Walk the Line," "Cry! Cry! Cry!," "So Doggone Lonesome," and "Folsom Prison Blues." This was the first LP ever issued on Sam Phillips' Sun Records label.

1959
American country music singer and songwriter Skeeter Davis was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Davis was one of the first women to achieve major stardom in the country music field as a solo vocalist, she was an acknowledged influence on Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton and was hailed as an "extraordinary country/pop singer" by The New York Times music critic Robert Palmer.

1969
Johnny Cash was at #1 on the US Country chart with At San Quentin a recording of a live concert given to the inmates of San Quentin State Prison. The album was nominated for a number of Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and won Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "A Boy Named Sue."

1972
Born on this day in Muscle Shoals, Alabama was singer-songwriter John Paul White a member of the Grammy Award-winning duo The Civil Wars.

1984
The Judds made their first appearance at #1 on the Billboard country chart with "Mama He's Crazy", The Judds' second country hit and the first of fourteen #1 country hits.

1986
Randy Travis released "Diggin' Up Bones" as the third single from his album Storms of Life which became his second US #1 hit on the Country chart.

1992
Country music duo Brooks & Dunn were at #1 on the US Country charts with, "Boot Scootin' Boogie". Before its release, the band Asleep at the Wheel recorded it on their 1990 album Keepin' Me Up Nights. Brooks & Dunn's version was included on the album Brand New Man.

2001
Jason Aldean married Jessica Ann Ussery. On September 30, 2012, Aldean admitted to having "acted inappropriately at a bar" with former American Idol contestant Brittany Kerr, responding to reports linking her and Aldean. Aldean filed for divorce on April 26, 2013, citing irreconcilable differences.

2015
Influential country producer Billy Sherrill, who worked with artists like George Jones, Charlie Rich, and Tammy Wynette and is known for pioneering the "countrypolitan" sound, died after a short illness at the age of 78. Sherrill also co-wrote many hit songs, including "Stand by Your Man" (written with Tammy Wynette).

2022
Lady A announced that they are postponing their Request Line Tour to allow member Charles Kelley to focus on his sobriety. On December 23, 2022, Kelley released "As Far As You Could", a song about his struggles with alcohol.