Singer/songwriter Kathleen Alice Mattea turns 53 today!  Discovered in 1983 while working as waitress in Nashville, Kathy signed her first recording contract on her 24th birthday!  She would go on to win the Country Music Association Female Vocalist award in 1989 and 1990.  Singer/songwriter Allison Moorer, younger sister of singer Shelby Lynne, turns 40 today!  She married Steve Earle in 2005.  And singer/pianist Hillary Kanter celebrates her birthday today.  She had three songs on the country charts in the mid-1980's.

Singer/songwriter Leon Everette turns 64 today!  Leon scored eight Top 10 country hits, such as "Midnight Rodeo" and "I Could'a Had You," in the early 1980's.  Porter Howell, of the group Little Texas, celebrates his 48th birthday today.  And Jason McCoy's daughter, Grace, turns 6 today!

On this date in 1955, Johnny Cash's first record, "Hey Porter" and "Cry, Cry, Cry," was released on the Sun record label.  Johnny told me Sam Phillips gave him a 78rpm copy and, right away, Johnny took it to the local radio station.  The DJ played one side, then, as he flipped the heavy record over to play the other side, it broke!  Crestfallen, Johnny went back to Sam, told him what happened and said he thought his career was over.  Sam said, "You bonehead (or a similar word to that effect)!"  He pointed to the corner of the room and said, "There's a whole box full of those records.  Take as many as you need!"  Johnny laughed as he told me he thought at the time that only one copy of the record had been made!