Jan 17, 1929

Session guitarist Grady Martin is born in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. The author of Ronnie Milsap's "Snap Your Fingers," Martin backs such acts as Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Elvis Presley and Ray Price, before taking a job with Willie Nelson's band

May 4, 1929

Banjo player Kirk McGee makes his Grand Ole Opry debut

May 15, 1929

Eddy Arnold's father, Will, dies, the same day Eddy celebrates his 11th birthday

Jun 9, 1929

R&B singer John Alexander born in Memphis, Tennessee. He performs under the name Johnny Ace, dying before he earns a hit with "Pledging My Love" in 1955. The song is revived for the country audience by Emmylou Harris in 1984

Jul 3, 1929

William "Gil" Wright is born in Nashville. As a member of The Anita Kerr Singers, he provides backing vocals on Bobby Helms' "My Special Angel," Skeeter Davis' "The End Of The World" and Jim Reeves' "He'll Have To Go"

Jul 7, 1929

While playing baseball at Knoxville's Caswell Park, Roy Acuff collapses from sunstroke. After three more attacks, Acuff gives up plans for a baseball career and ends up in music

Sep 19, 1929

Jimmie Davis holds a recording session at the Municipal Auditorium in Memphis, his first for Victor Records, where he remains for four years

Oct 11, 1929

Vocalist Hugh Jarrett born in Nashville, Tennessee. A member of The Jordanaires during the mid-1950s, he appears on numerous Elvis Presley hits as well as the Jim Reeves single "The Blizzard"

Oct 26, 1929

Neal Matthews born in Nashville. As a member of The Jordanaires, he sings background on hits by George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Horton, Elvis Presley and others, propelling the quartet into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001

Nov 23, 1929

Clarence "Tom" Ashley records "The Coo-Coo Bird" in Johnson City, Tennessee. The recording will be ranked among the 500 greatest country singles of all-time in the Country Music Foundation book "Heartaches By The Number"