So Lonesome I Could Die - Today In Country Music History

December 31st, 1952

Hank Williams is pronounced dead at Oak Hill General Hospital in Oak Hill, West Virginia, after passing away in the back seat of a Cadillac, en route to a show in Canton, Ohio. Many believe he died from a mix of alcohol and morphine.

Williams was scheduled to perform at the Municipal Auditorium in Charleston, West Virginia on Wednesday December 31, 1952. That day, because of an ice storm in the Nashville area, Williams could not fly, so he hired a college student, Charles Carr, to drive him to the concerts. Carr called the Charleston auditorium from Knoxville to say that Williams would not arrive on time owing to the ice storm and was ordered to drive Williams to Canton, Ohio, for the New Year's Day concert there.

They arrived at the Andrew Johnson Hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Carr requested a doctor for Williams, as he was feeling the combination of the chloral hydrate and alcohol he had drunk on the way from Montgomery to Knoxville.Dr. P.H. Cardwell injected Williams with two shots of vitamin B12 that also contained a quarter-grain of morphine.

Carr and Williams checked out of the hotel, the porters had to carry Williams to the car, as he was coughing and hiccuping.After they crossed the Tennessee state line and arrived in Bristol, Virginia, Carr stopped at a small all-night restaurant and asked Williams if he wanted to eat. Williams said he did not, and those are believed to be his last words. Carr later drove on until he stopped for fuel at a gas station in Oak Hill, West Virginia, where he realized that Williams was dead. The filling station's owner called the chief of the local police. In Williams' Cadillac the police found some empty beer cans and unfinished handwritten lyrics.

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2010
Departing with the windchill at 18 degrees, Jimmy Wayne begins a 1,700-mile walk from Nashville to Phoenix to call attention to teen homelessness.
Called the "Meet Me Halfway" campaign, he walked 25 miles a day, only coming off the walk for scheduled concertsand to go to the California State Capitol to speak in favor of a bill that would increase the age kids age of the foster system from 18 to 21.
He successfully arrived in Phoenix on August 1, 2010 after suffering a broken foot 4 days prior, having successfully walked 1,700 miles over seven months.
Even after completing his walk, Wayne continues to advocate for foster children. He is a National Spokesperson for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a national network of volunteers who represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom and other settings.and says eventually his goal is to walk across all 50 statesto bring awareness to the cause of foster kids who are aging out of the system.
2000
Singer/songwriter Jamey Johnson moves to Nashville amid fears that a Y2K computer glitch will upend society, saying, "If the world is going to hell, I'm going to Nashville to sing about it"
1992
Dwight Yoakam falls off his horse in the middle of the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, when the saddle strap breaks. Someone from the crowd repairs the strap, and Yoakam is back in the saddle again
1959
Johnny Cash performs at San Quentin prison. Merle Haggard is in the audience.
#1 On This Date
SINGLES
2011 – Zac Brown Band – “Keep Me In Mind”
2005 – Billy Currington – “Must Be Doing Something Right”
1994 – Joe Diffie – “Pick-up Man”
1988 – Keith Whitley – “When You Say Nothing At All”
1983 – Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Bros. – “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You)”
1977 – Dolly Parton – “Here You Come Again”
1966 – Jack Greene – “There Goes My Everything”
1960 – Ferlin Huskey – “Wings Of A Dove”
1955 – Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Sixteens Tons”
1949 – Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Mule Train”

ALBUMS
2011 – Lady Antebellum – Own The Night
2005 – Carrie Underwood – Some Hearts
1994 – Garth Brooks – The Hits
1988 – Ricky Van Shelton – Loving Proof
1983 – Kenny Rogers – Eyes That See In The Dark
1977 – Dolly Parton – Here You Come Again
1966 – Sonny James – The Best Of
Anniversaries
Kellie Pickler and songwriter Kyle Jacobs celebrate their anniversary.
Shania Twain and husband Frederic Thiebaud also celebrate their third anniversary

So Lonesome I Could Die – Today In Country Music History [VIDEO]