This Day January 18 in Country Music

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In 1938 Hargus Melvin "Pig" Robinson was born in Tennessee. Blind since he was four years old he was an American session keyboard and piano player who played on the records of such country artists as George Jones, Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, David Allan Coe, George Hamilton IV and Conway Twitty. In 1941 Bobby Goldsboro was born in Florida and has a string of pop-country hits in the 1960s and 1970s. Among them was his signature number one hit "Honey." In 1995 Goldsboro created the children's TV series "The Swamp Critters." Goldsboro voiced all the characters, wrote all the scripts, and played all the musical instruments. In 1955 Kevin Costner was born in California. This American actor, producer, and singer was part of the country-rock band Kevin Costner & Modern West. In 1956 American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, producer, and advocater and fundraiser for Type 1 diabetes Mark Collie had sixteen singles charted as Hot Country songs among them "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" and "Born to Love You". He has also written songs for other country artists like Aaron Tippin, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, and JT Hodges. In 1966 Red Sovine was at number one on the US Chountry charts with "Giddyup Go" about the reunion of an emotional father with his son at a highway truck stop. American country singer and comedienne Minnie Pearl recorded an answer version "Giddyup Go Answer" Un 1979 Willie Nelson was at number one on the US Country Music Album chart with his double set Willie and Family Love. Some of the songs featured Emmylou Harris and Johnny Paycheck. In 1984 Country singer Kristy Cook was born in Washington. She was the seventh place finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. The singer scored the 2008 Top 10 country album Why Wait. In 2009 Garth Brooks performed "We Shall Be Free" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the inauguration even for Barack Obama. Other artists appearing were James Taylor, Jennifer Nettles, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Sheryl Crow. In 2019 Reggie Young passed on at 82. He was the lead guitarist in the American Sound Studios Band (aka The Memphis Boys), and was a leading session musician. He played on various recordings with artists such as Elvis Presley, ("In the Ghetto"), Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard, and George Strait.