1
It’s May Day!
(Song suggestion: play “One Morning in May” by the Country Gentlemen, Jeff Scroggins & Colorado, Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive or other artists.)
Torrential rains on May 1-2 cause a 1000-year flood in middle Tennessee, 2010
(Song suggestion: play “The Flood of 2010” by Thomm Jutz)
Sam McGee born, 1894
Steve Arkin born, 1944 (died 8/24/2022)
Homer Earl “Pop” Dillard born, 1901 (died Aug. 29, 1990)
Tom Dooley (Dula) hanged in Statesville, North Carolina for murdering Sarah Foster, 1868
Gordon Lightfoot died, 2023
2
Ray Davis born, 1933
Ralph King born, 1936 (died 2018)
Flatt and Scruggs record “Live at Vanderbilt” album, 1963
Roy Lee Centers died, 1974
Lester Armistead died, 2014
John Starling died, 2019
3
Kentucky Derby 150 at Churchill Downs
(For song suggestions, click here)
Pete Seeger born, 1919 (died 1/27/2014)
Wayne Henderson born, 1947
Red Taylor died, 1987
Bill Napier died, 2000
Jim Mills died, 2024
4
National Firefighter Appreciation Day
(Song suggestion: Play “The Devil’s Broom” by Shannon Slaughter)
Michael McPeak born, 1949
Hubert Davis died, 1992
5
Cinco De Mayo
(For song suggestions, click here)
Lance LeRoy born, 1930 (died 12/15/2015)
Roni Stoneman born, 1938 (died 2/2/2024)
Mike Snider born, 1961
Harold Goad born, 1939 (died 1/14/2018)
Gloria Belle died, 2023
6
7
Riley Puckett born, 1894 (died 7/13/1946)
Kyle Bailes born, 1915 (died 3/3/1996)
8
Scott Vestal born, 1962
Roberta Gordon born, 1952
Josh Miller born, 1985
Homer Bailes born, 1922 (died 12/5/2013)
Benny Martin born, 1928 (died 3/13/2001)
Rick Allred born, 1960
Alan Perdue born, 1969 (died 2/20/2019)
Gail Rudisill born, 1973
Bill Price born, 1934 (died 9/11/2000)
Carroll Best died, 1995.
9
Bill Grant born, 1929 (died 7/9/2019)
Buck Ryan born, 1925 (died 1/7/1982)
Chris Warner born, 1946
Zeke Morris born, 1916 (died 8/21/1999)
Keith Whitley died, 1989
(Song suggestions: play “Song for Keith” by Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time or “Keith How Many” by Ernie Thacker.)
Jimmy Martin records “Hit Parade of Love,” 1956
10
Mother Maybelle Carter born, 1909 (died Oct. 23, 1978)
(Song suggestion: play “Mother Maybelle” by the Osborne Brothers or by Curly Seckler w/ Johnny Cash & Marty Stuart on his “Take a Little Time” album.)
Everett Lilly died, 2012
First performance by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver (at Buddy’s BBQ in Knoxville, Tennessee), 1979
11
Mother’s Day
(For song suggestions, click here)
Lester Flatt died, 1979
(Play “The Day that Lester Died” by Mark Newton and Claire Lynch on “Follow Me Back to the Fold” album, or on The Front Porch String Band “Hills of Alabam” album.)
John Hickman died, 2021
12
Jan Harvey born, 1966
Butch Robins born, 1949
Jeremy Chapman born, 1979
Adam McIntosh born, 1981
13
Johnny Wright born, 1914 (died 9/27/2011)
Jack Anglin born, 1916 (died 3/7/1963)
Gid Tanner died, 1960
Bob Wills died, 1975
Larry Rice died, 2006
Barry Poss died, 2025
14
Mike Scott born, 1962
Jimmy Martin died, 2005
Sierra Hull and Justin Moses married, 2017
15
Peace Officers Memorial Day
(Song suggestion: Play “Thin Blue Line” by Jerry Salley from his ‘Front Porch Philosophy” album)
Ray Park died, 2002
16
Nick Forster born, 1955
Doug Dillard died, 2012
17
Armed Forces Day
(Song suggestions: “Soldier of Freedom” by Phoenix or “Pray for the Boys” by Flatt and Scruggs/The Earls of Leicester or “Come Home Good Boy” by Dale Ann Bradley)
Red Smiley born, 1925 (died Jan. 2, 1972)
Grant Turner (Grand Ole Opry announcer) born, 1912 (died 10/9/1992)
Roy McMillan born, 1930 (died 7/5/2014)
Paul Warren born, 1918 (died Jan. 12, 1978)
President Reagan honored Bill Monroe at the White House, 1983
Rodney Dillard born, 1942
Rudi Ekstein born, 1952
18
Gary Scruggs born, 1949 (died 12/1/2021)
Murphy Henry born, 1952
Bobby Thompson died, 2005
19
Red Taylor born, 1927 (died 5/3/1987)
George D. Hay died, 1968
James King died, 2016
20
Charles Lindbergh makes his first transatlantic flight in the “Spirit of St. Louis,” 1927.
(Song suggestion: play “Spirit of St. Louis” by Joe Ross.)
21
(Play “The 21st of May” by Nickel Creek from their “A Dotted Line” album. The song is about the late evangelist Harold Camping’s highly-publicized prediction that the world would end on 5/21/2011).
Benny Cain born, 1921 (died 11/8/1098)
Charlie Poole died, 1931
Jimmy Bowen born, 1963
22
Miggie Lewis born, 1926 (died 12/26/2017)
Bobby Atkins born, 1933 (died 3/27/2022)
Dave Freeman born, 1939 (died 12/25/2023)
Roger Smith died, 2013
23
Mac Wiseman born, 1925 (died 2/24/2019)
Mac Wiseman made his first recording for Dot Records, 1951
Patti Chapman born, 1955
LeRoy Troy born, 1966
Ken Irwin (Rounder Records) born, 1944
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot to death by officers in an ambush near Sailes, Bienville Parish, Louisiana on this date, 1934.
(Song suggestions: “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde” by Fast Track or anything from the Story of Bonnie and Clyde album by Flatt & Scruggs.)
24
Mike Lilly born, 1950 (died 2/12/2020)
Ray Hesson died, 2016
25
The 108th running of the Indy 500
Tom T. Hall born, 1936 (died 8/20/2021)
(Song suggestion: Play “Who’s Gonna Tell The Story” by Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road or “Me and Tom T. Hall” by Jerry Salley)
Pop Stoneman born, 1893 (died 6/14/1968)
26
Memorial Day
(For song suggestions, click here)
“Singing Brakeman” Jimmie Rodgers died, 1933
Lance LeRoy born, 1930 (died 12/17/2015)
Glen Duncan born, 1955
Rob Ickes born, 1967
Dixie Hall born, 1934 (died 1/16/2015)
27
Patsy Stoneman born, 1925 (died, 7/23/2015)
Vivian Williams born, 1938 (died 1/6/2023)
28
Jerry Douglas born, 1956
John Palmer born, 1927
29
Carl Story born, 1916 (died 3/31/95)
Jerry McCoury born, 1948
Tim Smith born, 1955
Cohen T. Williams (founder of Martha White Mills) died, 1988.
Doc Watson died, 2012
(Song suggestion: play “Doc Watson Morning” from Peter Rowan’s “The Old School” album.)
30
Mike Snider born, 1955
Aubry Noble born, 1980
31
The South Fork Dam on the Little Conemaugh River bursts and destroys the town of Johnstown, PA, killing over 2200 people, 1889
(Song suggestion: play “The Johnstown Flood” by Rick Lang on his “A Tale to Tell” album. Note that date in the song is incorrect.)
William “Red” Rector died, 1990
Lonnie Peerce died, 1996
Jerry Sullivan died, 2014
Slim Richey died, 2015