April 3 in Country Music History

In 1982, The Oak Ridge Boys went to Number One with "Bobbie Sue".

In 1976, Freddy Fender scored a Number One with "You'll Lose A Good Thing".

In 1975, EmmyLou Harris' band, The Hot Band, debuted in San Francisco, California. For more information about EmmyLou, and her Hot Band, click on the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmylou_Harris

In 1961, Spade Cooley murdered his wife, ending for the most part a brilliant career for the band leader who was probably as famous as Bob Wills. For more information about Spade Cooley, you know what to do:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spade_Cooley

In 1950, Curtis Stone, son of Cliffie Stone, was born in North Hollywood, California. Curtis was bass player for Highway 101.

In 1948, The Louisiana Hayride debuted on KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. Among the stars on the first show were The Bailes Brothers, Johnny and Jack, Kitty Wells, Shot Jackson, and Horace Logan. The price of admission was 60 cents for adults, 30 cents for children, and it stayed the same for eleven years. The Grand Ole Opry certainly has had the stars, but in its era, the Louisiana Hayride made most of them stars before they set foot on the Opry stage.

Also in 1948, Eddie Arnold's "Anytime" went to Number One, where it stayed for nine weeks on one edition of the charts.

In 1942, Billy Joe Royal was born in Valdosta, Georgia.

In 1928, Country Music Hall of Fame legend Don Gibson was born in Shelby, North Carolina.