April 16: Atlanta’s Tracy Lawrence is at the top with ‘If the Good Die Young’

Published 5:00 am Thursday, April 16, 2020

Tracy’s Lawrence’s song “If the Good Die Young” became his latest No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on this date in 1994. 

The song was the fourth No. 1 hit from his best-selling album “Alibis.” 

Lawrence was born in the small Cass County town of Atlanta and then raised in Arkansas. Lawrence’s career as a country music star began in 1991 with the single “Sticks and Stones.”   

 IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

— 2017: Marshall native Brea Grant appears in an episode of “The Arrangement.”

— 2015: Terrell native Jamie Foxx is a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

— 2014: Jacksonville native Margo Martindale stars in “Heaven Is for Real.”

— 2013: Alan Tudyk, who attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, voices Green Arrow in the video game “Injustice: Gods Among Us.”

— 2012: Tyler native Earl Campbell is a guest on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

— 2011: Terrell native Jamie Foxx appears on “Made in Hollywood.”

— 2007: Longview native Forest Whitaker gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

— 2004: Rodney Crowell, who attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, is a guest on “The Late Show.”

— 2000: Carthage native Linda Davis performs on “Austin City Limits.”

— 1999: Longview native Kenn Whitaker appears in “Life” starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.

— 1995: Whitewright native Julie Johnson voices Baby Bop in the video “Barney Safety.” 

— 1994: “Breakaway” by ZZ Top, with Frankston native Frank Beard on drums, peaks at No. 7 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. 

— 1990: “The Piano Lesson” opens on Broadway with Jacksonville native Tommy Hollis in the cast.

— 1987: Journalist Bill Moyers, who grew up in Marshall, begins hosting the documentary series “In Search of the Constitution.”

— 1979: Tyler native Sandy Duncan is a celebrity panelist on “Hollywood Squares.”

— 1977: Gilmer native Johnny Mathis’ “Loving You-Losing You” peaks at No. 29 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary singles chart.

— 1975: Gilmer native Johnny Mathis is a guest on “The Mike Douglas Show.”

— 1973: Tommy Tune, who attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, is a guest on “The Mike Douglas Show.” 

— 1960: Whitewright native Guy Wilkerson performs on an episode of “The Magical World of Disney.”

— 1959: Honey Grove native Bill Erwin appears in TV’s “Zane Grey Theater.”

— 1953: Texarkana native Dorothea Towles Church, one of the first top Artican-American fashion models, is featured on the cover of JET magazine. 

— 1952: Clarence Lung, who spent the final part of his life in Quitman, has a guest role on “China Smith.”

— 1927: Corsicana native Mary Brian has a starring role in ”Knockout Reilly,” a silent film about a boxer.