Wood County’s Ray Price wins a Grammy in 1971

Published 6:00 am Sunday, March 15, 2020

At the Grammy Awards on this date in 1971, country crooner Ray Price, a native of Wood County, won Best Country Performance by a Male for his sentimental song “For the Good Times.”

He was one of three East Texans who received recognition for excellence in the recording industry.

Blues musician T-Bone Walker, a native of Linden, won Best Traditional Recording for “Good Feelin.’”

As a member of The Oak Ridge Boys, Duane Allen, a native of Lamar County, won Best Gospel Performance for “Talk about the Good Times”. 

In the Spotlight

— 2010: “Justified” debuts on TV. Jacksonville native Margo Martindale joins the series in its second season and wins an Emmy as the matriarch of a Kentucky crime family.

— 2008: Brady Smith, who attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, appears in a guest role on  “Unhitched.”

— 2005: Lindale native Miranda Lambert is a guest on “Today.”

— 1993: “Some Things are Meant to Be” by Carthage native Linda Davis peaks at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

— 1990: Mineola native Noble Willingham has a starring role in the samurai action film “Blind Fury.”. 

— 1985: Linden native Don Henley’s “Building the Perfect Beast” peaks at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

— 1979: Marshall native Susan Howard begins playing Donna Culver on the hit series “Dallas.”

— 1978: The Coasters, featuring Tyler native Carl Gardner, are seen in the TV special “Thank You, Rock ‘N’ Roll, a Tribute to Alan Freed.” 

— 1974: Marshall native Susan Howard and Anjanette Comer, a native of Navarro County, appear in the TV movie “Night Games.”

— 1974: The Oak Ridge Boys, featuring Lamar County native Duane Allen, are guests on “Hee Haw.”

— 1973: The Coasters, featuring Tyler native Carl Gardner, perform on “The Midnight Special.”

— 1968: “Here’s that Man Again” by  Kosse native Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys hits No. 24 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. 

— 1966: Whitewright native Guy Wilkerson appears in “The Silencers” starring Dean Martin.

— 1963: Whitewright native Guy Wilkerson plays the jury foreman in “To Kill a Mockingbird” starring Gregory Peck.

— 1963: Daingerfield native Sam Williams coaches the University of Texas Pan-American to the national basketball championship. 

— 1961: Honey Grove native Bill Erwin has a guest role in an episode of “Outlaws.”

— 1951: Audie Murphy, who grew up near Greenville, stars in “The Red Badge of Courage.”

— 1934: Kaufman native Ted Healy stars in “Lazy River.” 

— 1925: Douglas Fairbanks and Corsicana native Mary Brian star in the silent film “The Air Mail.”