Sep 13, 1997

Tracy Lawrence and his wife, Stacie, have a fight over gambling at Buffalo Bill's in Primm, Nevada, for which he is later convicted of battery. She says he hit her in the head at least twice with clenched fists; he maintains he only pushed her over a bed

Dec 5, 1997

Ray Charles' manager, Carl Hunter, is arrested for suspicion of marijuana possession in Nagoya, Japan. Charles brought country to mass culture with his 1962 album "Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music"

Jan 22, 1998

David "Skull" Schulman is murdered at Skull's Rainbow Room, a Printers Alley club he owned. Skull had ties to Mel Tillis and Tanya Tucker, and made several appearances on "Hee Haw"

Jan 27, 1998

Tracy Lawrence is convicted of battery in Las Vegas, following a September fight with his wife, Stacie. He's required to pay $500 to a Vegas shelter for battered women

Feb 14, 1998

Doug Supernaw is arrested in Houston for public intoxication. He spends one day in jail before the charges are dismissed

Apr 2, 1998

Doug Supernaw is arrested and incarcerated at the Harris County Jail in Texas for public intoxication. He failed a field sobriety test on U.S. Highway 290

Jul 9, 1998

Guitarist Robert "Waddy" Wachtel and his wife are arrested on child pornography charges after images are found on his hard drive. Wachtel played on numerous Linda Ronstadt recordings, including "Blue Bayou"

Aug 18, 1998

A jury finds Tammy Wynette's daughter, Tamala Georgette Smith, not guilty of attacking an off-duty police officer in a Pittsburgh hospital, where her mother was being treated in February

Aug 29, 1998

Johnny Rodriguez shoots and kills Israel Borrego, an acquaintance he says he thought was an intruder in his home in Sabinal, Texas. Rodriguez is charged with murder and freed on a $250,000 bond

Oct 19, 1998

Three college students steal a Les Paul Parkway road sign for their dorm room in Wisconsin. Within days, they face criminal charges