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If you like facts, figures and trivia then this is the page for you. Here you will find how some performers got their names - Country firsts - Relations - Artists with highways etc named after them - Members of the Country Music Hall of Fame
BEFORE SOME WERE FAMOUS
Roy Acuff Semi-pro baseball player
Bill Anderson Disc Jockey
Clint Black Iron worker - Bait cutter & guide on fishing boat
Suzy Bogguss Sold vacuum cleaners
Chad Brock Wrestler
Garth Brooks Ditch digger - Bouncer - Bootseller
Mary Chapin Carpenter Admin assistant
Billy Ray Cyrus Car salesman
Joe Diffie Tanker driver - Foundry worker
Donna Fargo Teacher
Don Gibson Textile worker
Eric Heatherly House painter - Landscaper
Naomi Judd Nurse - Secretary - Advertising model
Sammy Kershaw Welder - Carpenter - Disc Jockey
Heather & Jennifer Kinley Worked at McDonalds
Danni Leigh Bungee Jump Instructor - Waitress - Animal caretaker
Kathy Mattea Waitress - Demo singer - Tour guide at CM Hall of Fame
Martina McBride Sold T-shirts at Garth Brooks concerts - Demo singer
Ken Mellons Shoe salesman
Craig Morgan Army paratrooper
Charley Pride Cottonpicker - Baseball player - Zinc smelter
Willie Nelson Sold bibles and encyclopaedias - Disc Jockey
Doug Stone Diesel mechanic - Plumber - Carpenter
Mel Tillis Railroad fireman - Delivery truck driver - Baker in USAF
Don Williams Furniture salesman - Bill collector - Oilfield worker
   
RELATIVELY SPEAKING
Buddy Alan Son of Buck Owens & Bonnie Owens
Lynn Anderson Daughter of Liz Anderson
Matraca Berg Step daughter of Dave Kirby - Wife of Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Clint Black Husband of Lisa Hartman Black
Debbie Boone Daughter of Pat Boone - Granddaughter of Red Foley
Garth Brooks Stepbrother of Betsy, Husband of Trisha Yearwood
Carlene Carter Daughter of Carl Smith & June Carter - Step Daughter of Johnny Cash - Ex wife of Nick Lowe
Deana Carter Daughter of Fred Carter Jnr
Maybelle Carter Mother of June Carter Cash, Helen Carter & Anita Carter
Johnny Cash Father of Rosanne Cash, Cindy Cash & John Carter Cash
Rosanne Cash Wife of John Leventhal (Producer) - Ex wife of Rodney Crowell
Jessi Colter Wife of Waylon Jennings - ex wife of Duane Eddy
Rodney Crowell Husband of Claudia Church - ex husband of Rosanne Cash - Cousin of Larry Willoughby
Linda Davis Wife of Scott Lang
Johnny Duncan Cousin of Dan Seals
Holly Dunn Sister of Chris Waters (singer/writer)
Red Foley Father-in-law of Pat Boone - Grandfather of Debby Boone - Uncle of J P Pennington (Exile)
Crystal Gayle Sister of Loretta Lynn, Jay Webb and Peggy Sue
Bobbie Gentry Ex wife of Jim Stafford
Vince Gill Husband of Amy Grant - Ex husband of Janis (Sweethearts of the Rodeo)
Vern Gosdin Brother of Rex Gosdin
Adie Grey Cousin of Tobias Brothers - Grand daughter of Bill Lave (Film composer)
Merle Haggard Father of Marty Haggard & Noel Haggard
Emmylou Harris Ex wife of Brian Ahern (producer) & Paul Kennerley (songwriter)
Jan Howard Ex wife of Harlan Howard
Tommy Jennings Brother of Waylon Jennings
Sammy Kershaw Third cousin of Doug Kershaw
Johnny Lee Ex husband of Charlene Tilton (actress)
Regina Leigh (Regina Regina) Husband of Tony Kay (Brooks & Dunn Band)
Jerry Lee Lewis Cousin of Mickey Gilley - Brother of Linda Gail Lewis
Patty Loveless Distant cousin of Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle, Jay Webb & Peggy Sue
Lyle Lovett Ex husband of Julia Roberts
Loretta Lynn Mother of The Lynns - Sister of Crystal Gayle, Jay Webb & Peggy Sue
Shelby Lynne Sister of Allison Moorer
Reba McEntire Sister to Pake McEntire and Susie Luchsinger
Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks) Daughter of Lloyd Maines
Barbara Mandrell Sister to Louise & Irlene Mandrell
Dean Miller Son of Roger Miller
John Michael
Montgomery
Brother of Eddie Montgomery (Montgomery Gentry)
Allison Moorer Sister of Shelby Lynne - Wife of Steve Earle
Lorrie Morgan Daughter of George Morgan - Wife of Sammy Kershaw
Willie Nelson Ex husband of Shirley Collie
Dolly Parton Sister of Stella Parton - Ex sister-in-law of Paul Overstreet
Brian Prout (Diamond Rio) Husband of Stephanie Bentley
Former husband of Nancy Given (Wild Rose)
Marty Robbins Father of Ronny Robbins
Earl Scruggs Father of Randy, Gary and Steve Scruggs
Brady Seals Nephew of Troy Seals - Cousin of Dan Seals & Jim Seals
Jeannie Seely Ex wife of Hank Cochran
Jim Stafford Ex husband of Bobbie Gentry
Keith Stegall Third Cousin of Johnny Horton
Ray Stevens Father of Susie Ragsdale
Chip Taylor Brother of actor Jon Voight
Pam Tillis Daughter of Mel Tillis
Merle Travis Father of Tom Bresh
Ernest Tubb Father of Justin Tubb
Tanya Tucker Sister of LaCosta
Doc Watson Father of Merle Watson
Kitty Wells Wife of Johnny Wright - Mother of Bobby & Ruby Wright
Shelly West Daughter of Dottie West - Sister-in-law of David Frizzell
Buck White Father of Sharon Skaggs, Cheryl White, Rosie White
Kelly Willis Wife of Bruce Robison - Sister in Law to Charlie Robison
Lee Ann Womack Ex wife of Jason Sellers
Wynonna Daughter of Naomi Judd - Sister of Ashley Judd
   
NAME ORIGINS
BR5-49 Fictional phone number used by Junior Samples on Hee Haw
Jessi Colter Her great great uncle Jesse Colter
Diamond Rio Mis-spelling of a US truck Manufacturer 'Diamond Reo'
Lacy J Dalton ''Lacy' - a friend : 'J' - Jill (her own name) : 'Dalton' - her singing teacher Karen Dalton
Dixie Chicks Title of an album by 'Little Feat'
Evangeline Name of a long lost lover in a Longfellow poem
Emerson Drive Name of road where thye used to live - Emerson Trail
Freddie Fender 'Fender' amplifiers
Crystal Gayle 'Krystal' Hamburgers (Gayle is her own Christian name)
Hot Rize A secret ingredient of 'Martha White's Self Raising Flour'
Gary Le Vox A joke from "Le Vox" from "the voice" Real name is Vernon
Little Texas Community in Williamson County, Tennessee
Marshall Tucker Band Marshall Tucker was the owner of the band's rehearsal hall
Oak Ridge Boys The place of Oak Ridge in Tennessee
Johnny Paycheck Name of a prize fighter 'John Austin Paycheck'
Perfect Stranger A 1985 hit by Southern Pacific
Pin Monkey After a "Simpsons" episode
Pure Prairie League A women's temperance union in an Erroll Flynn film
Bobbie Gentry Film called 'Ruby Gentry'
Sawyer Brown Street name in Nashville
SHeDAISY American Indian word for 'my sister'
Statler Bros Brand of tissues called 'Statler'
Sweethearts of the Rodeo An album by the Byrds
Conway Twitty Places named 'Conway' in Arkansas and 'Twitty' in Texas
Kitty Wells A folk song 'Sweet Kitty Wells'
Wynonna Place 'Wynonna' in Oklahoma
 
FIRSTS
Roy Acuff Living member inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame
Roy Acuff Performer to sing on stage of new Opry in Opryland
Clint Black Artist in any music genre to have 5 No 1's from a debut album
Garth Brooks Artist in any music to sell more than 1 million albums in the first week of release
Rosanne Cash Female Country Artist to have 4 No 1's from an album
Dixie Chicks Country group to debut ay No 1 (The Fly) on Soundscan Album Charts
Red Foley Country performer to have own national radio programme (1939)
George Hamilton IV Country artist to perform in Russia
Reba McEntire Female Country performer to have 5 multi-platinum albums
Barbara Mandrell Artist to sign a recording contract live on television
Patsy Montana Female Country performer to sell 1 million (I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart)
LeAnn Rimes Country performer to win the 'Newcomer Award' at the Grammies
George Strait Album to enter Billboard's Country Charts at No 1
Ernest Tubb Country artist to play at Carnegie Hall
Shania Twain Female to have consecutive albums sell over 10 million copies
Kitty Wells Female to have a No1 on Billboard's Country Charts
Slim Whitman Country artist to perform at London Palladium
Don Williams Country artist to receive a Platinum album for UK sales
Tammy Wynette Female Country performer to earn a Platinum album
 
STREETS AHEAD
Bill Anderson Bill Anderson Boulevard in Commerce, Georgia
Bellamy Bros Bellamy Bros Boulevard in Darby, Florida
Owen Bradley Owen Bradley Square in Nashville, Tennessee
Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Boulevard in Yukon, Oklahoma
Terri Clark A park named after her in Medicine, Alberta
Billy Crash Craddock Billy Crash Craddock Bridge in Greensboro
Billy Ray Cyrus Billy Ray Cyrus Boulevard in Kentucky
Emilio A hospital wing named after him at Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio
Crystal Gayle Crystal Gayle Highway in Paintsville, Kentucky
Faith Hill Faith Hill Street in Jackson, Mississippi
George Jones George Jones Place in Beaumont, Texas
Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Avenue in Shreveport, Louisiana
Ralph Stanley Ralph Stanley Highway (Route 652) in south-west Virginia
Travis Tritt Travis Tritt Highway (part of Highway 92) in Georgia
Shania Twain Shania Twain Way in Timmins, Ontario
Jett Williams Jett Williams Drive in Macon County, Tennessee
Sheb Wooley Sheb Wooley Avenue in Eric, Oklahoma
Darryl Worley Darryl Worley Way in Savannah, Tennessee
Chely Wright Chely Wright Way in Wellsville, Kansas
Trisha Yearwood Trisha Yearwood Parkway (Highway 83-N) in Monticello, Georgia
   
STAGE, SCREEN, TV, RADIO
Johnny Cash appears in the film "Five Minutes To Live" - "The nightrider"
Faith Hill Appears in the Film "Stepford Wives"
Faith Hill Voiced a radio Public Service announcement to discourage drink driving
Toby Keith Appears in the film "Broken Bridges"
Toby Keith HIs song "I Am A Working Man" has been featured in a TV campaign for Ford Motors
Tim McGraw Appears in the film "Flicka"
Willie Nelson Plays Uncle Jesse in "Dukes Of Hazzard"
Dolly Parton has appeared in advertisements for the state of Tennessee
Billy Jo Shaver appears in the film "The Wendell Baker Story"
   
MISCELLANEOUS
Trace Adkins has done voice overs for Kentucky Fried Chicken
Sara Evans Is an ambassador for the National Eating Disorder Association
Crystal Gayle Has a boutique called "Crystals"
George Jones Has a Southern Style restaurant in Enterprise, Alabama called "Possum Hoiller"
Reba McEntire Has her own range of clothing called "Reba"
Tift Merritt Won the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at Merlefest 2000
Wille Nelson Bought the church in his home town of Abbott Texas
Dolly Parton, Amy Grant, Minnie Pearl, Pam Tillis All have roses named after them
Shania Twain Has her own perfume
Hank Williams Jnr Has a family barbecue sauce named after him
Lee Ann Womack Was "Miss Nashville" in 1988
   
COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAMERS
1961 - Jimmie Rodgers - Fred Rose - Hank Williams
1962 - Roy Acuff
1964 - Tex Ritter
1965 - Ernest Tubb
1966 - Eddy Arnold - James R Denny - George D Hay - Uncle Dave Macon
1967 - Red Foley - J L Frank - Jim Reeves - Stephen H Sholes
1968 - Bob Wills
1969 - Gene Autry
1970 - Bill Monroe - Original Carter Family
1971 - Arthur Edward Satherley
1972 - Jimmie H Davis
1973 - Chet Atkins - Patsy Cline
1974 - Owen Bradley - Frank 'Pee Wee' King
1975 - Minnie Pearl
1976 - Kitty Wells - Paul Cohen
1977 - Merle Travis
1978 - Grandpa Jones
1979 - Hank Snow
1980 - Connie B Gay - Original Sons Of The Pioneers - Johnny Cash
1981 - Vernon Dalhart - Grant Turner
1982 - Lefty Frizzell - Marty Robbins - Roy Horton
1983 - Little Jimmy Dickens
1984 - Ralph S Peer - Floyd Tillman
1985 - Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs
1986 - Wesley H Rose - Whitey Ford
1987 - Rod Brasfield
1988 - Roy Rogers - Loretta Lynn
1989 - Cliffie Stone - Hank Thompson - Jack Stapp
1990 - Tennessee Ernie Ford
1991 - Felice & Boudleaux Bryant
1992 - George Jones - Frances William Preston
1993 - Willie Nelson
1994 - Merle Haggard
1995 - Jo Walker-Meador - Roger Miller
1996 - Patsy Montana - Buck Owens - Ray Price
1997 - Harlan Howard - Brenda Lee - Cindy Walker
1998 - George Morgan - Elvis Presley - E W 'Bud' Wendell - Tammy Wynette
1999 - Johnny Bond - Dolly Parton - Conway Twitty
2000 - Charley Pride - Faron Young
2001 - Bill Anderson, Delmore Brothers, Everly Brothers, Don Gibson, Homer & Jethro, Waylon Jennings, Jordanaires, Don Law, Louvin Brothers, Ken Nelson, Sam Phillips, Webb Pierce
2002 - Bill Carlisle - Porter Wagoner
2003 - Carl Smith - Floyd Cramer
2004 - Jim Foglesong - Kris Kristofferson
2005 - Alabama - Deford Bailey
2006 - Harold Bradley - Sonny James - George Strait