May 23, 1955

"The Pee Wee King Show" debuts on ABC-TV, where it remains for four months. The program originates at WEWS in Cleveland

May 23, 1953

Jim Reeves' "Mexican Joe" owns the top spot in the Billboard country singles chart

May 23, 1953

Ruben Tarpley, the father of eight-year-old Brenda Lee, dies from a freak accident, after being hit on the head by a hammer during a construction project in Georgia

May 23, 1953

The Davis Sisters--Skeeter Davis and the unrelated Betty Jack Davis--record "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know." An auto accident kills Betty Jack in August, making this the only hit record they cut together

May 23, 1953

Jim Reeves makes his Grand Ole Opry debut, singing "Mexican Joe"

May 23, 1952

Hank Williams' two-week engagement at Las Vegas' Last Frontier is cancelled after just one week

May 23, 1951

Judy Rodman is born in Riverside, California. After singing background on hits by George Strait, T.G. Sheppard and George Jones, Rodman develops her own solo career, earning the Academy of Country Music's Top New Female award in 1986

May 23, 1951

Happy birthday to you: Mac Wiseman has his first recording session as a solo artist, cutting sides for Dot Records

May 23, 1950

Linda Thompson, Elvis Presley's future girlfriend, is born in Memphis, Tennessee. She becomes a regular on "Hee Haw" for 15 years, beginning in 1977

May 23, 1949

Cajun artist Nathan Abshire records "Pine Grove Blues" at KPLC Radio in Lake Charles, Louisiana