Country Music News

TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY

(Tues., April 30)

The late Johnny Horton was born in 1927.

Willie Nelson was born in 1933.

Darrell McCall was born in 1940.

Ray Price's first single, "If You're Ever Lonely Darling," was released by Columbia in 1951.

Mavericks bass player Robert Reynolds was born in 1962.

Ray Pillow joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1966.

Carolyn Dawn Johnson was born in 1971.

Merle Haggard recorded the No.1 single "Old Man From the Mountain" in 1974.

CBS aired the made-for-TV biopic "Take Me Home --- The John Denver Story" in 2000. It starred Chad Lowe in the title role and was based on Denver's autobiography "Take Me Home." Denver was killed in October 1997 when his experimental plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean.

MUSIC AND MORE

COUNTRY STARS FLOCK TO DETROIT

George Jones, Tracy Byrd, and Aaron Tippin will be the nightly headliners for Detroit's 20th annual Budweiser Downtown Hoedown. The free country music festival -- with the theme "United We Stand" -- is set for May 17-19 in Detroit's Hart Plaza, Billboard.com reports.

The three-day event will also feature sets by the Kentucky Headhunters, Emerson Drive, David Ball, Steve Holy, Rodney Atkins, and Pinmonkey.

The festival's "United We Stand" theme has been set "to honor the memory of those who suffered irreplaceable loss on Sept. 11," according to organizers. Two local TV stations (WWJ and WKBD) will tape a portion of the May 18 event for future local broadcast, and attendees are requested to wear red, white, and blue to show their support for U.S. armed forces around the world.

(Web site: wattsupinc.com)

BRAD PAISLEY HOOKS ONE FOR CHARITY

Brad Paisley hosted the third annual Hook, Line & Singer fishing tournament last Friday at Cedar Creek Yacht club outside Nashville, CMT.com reports.

The event is a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Hospital. Paisley fished in the tourney last year. This was his first year as host.

Country artists Elizabeth Cook, Tommy Shane Steiner and newcomer Tebey Ottoh joined music industry executives and songwriters to raise money for the Memphis hospital. Last year's Hook, Line & Singer tournament raised $16,000. Organizers hoped to exceed that amount this year.

Paisley chooses fishing over a relationship in his latest hit, "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishing Song)."