Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY (Tues., March 5) Advertisement Guitarist Jimmy Bryant was born in 1925. George Wilkerson, fiddler for early Grand Ole Opry string band the Fruit Jar Drinkers, died in 1954. Sgt. Elvis Presley was discharged from the U.S. Army in 1960. George Hamilton IV joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1960. The first major college bluegrass concert, featuring the Osborne Brothers, was held at Antioch College in 1960. Patsy Cline died in a plane crash near Camden, Tenn., in 1963 She was 30. Also killed in the crash: Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas and Randy Hughes. Alabama appeared for first time at the Bowery Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in 1973. Zeke Campbell, pioneering electric guitarist with the Western swing band Light Crust Doughboys, died in 1997. MUSIC AND MORE 'DEAN OF NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS' DIES A private funeral service will be held Wednesday for Harlan Howard -- the "dean of Nashville songwriters" and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame -- who died Sunday at his home in Nashville. He was 74. CMT.com quotes his widow, Melanie Howard, saying his death was unexpected, although her husband had suffered from arthritis and heart trouble. Advertisement Howard's many country and pop hits include "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down," "I Fall to Pieces," "Busted" and "Blame It on Your Heart." His favorite recording of one of his songs was Melba Montgomery's "No Charge," about a mother's love for her son. "Worldwide, overall, that was probably the biggest hit I ever had," Howard once said, "and it totally had to do with the family thing." "I am devastated by the loss of my friend and old writing partner," Hank Cochran said in a statement. "He was the master of the country song. ... This town and country music will never be the same. I love him and will never forget the times we had together." A public memorial service is scheduled for March 19 (2-4 p.m.) at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. MR. BROOKS GOES TO WASHINGTON ASCAP -- the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers -- will present Garth Brooks with its prestigious Golden Note Award next week in Washington. The event will be held in the Russell Senate Office building on the north side of Capitol Hill. Many members of Congress have been invited -- along with songsters Pat Alger, Alan Bergman, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Hal David, David Gates and Jimmy Webb. A "surprise" guest has been tapped to do a special tribute to Brooks. Advertisement Some past winners of the award include Elton John, Tom Petty and Andre Previn. By the way, ASCAP had hoped to present Brooks with the award last fall, but it picked the wrong date to stage the event ... Sept.11. (Thanks to UPI's Dennis Daily)
