Today would have been singer Mindy McCready’s 43rd birthday. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, she took vocal lessons at the age of 10 and spent seven years studying opera. Once, for Christmas, her dad gave her a Makita power drill and she wasn’t afraid to use it. She quipped, “Guys are scared of me.” Mindy had promised her mom that she would come back home to Florida if she didn’t get a recording contract in one year. She got it 51 weeks to the day after she arrived in Nashville. Mindy had a dozen songs on the country charts from 1996-2002, including the #1 hit “Guys Do It All the Time.” McCready, who was once engaged to actor Dean Cain, had several run-ins with the law since 2004 and had attempted suicide before taking her own life in 2013.

Celebrating Birthdays Today: Canadian singer Drew Leith turns 40; Alberta drummer Chad Melchert turns 46 (he was the 2012 Canadian Country Music Association’s Drummer of the Year); Johnny Cash tribute artist Paul Anthony marks another year around the sun; singer Jeannie Kendall, of the father/daughter duo The Kendalls, turns 64 (their album “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away” was certified gold on her 28th birthday); singer and producer Jimmy Bowen turns 81; and bass player Bob Moore, who was one of Nashville’s top session players and worked with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lewis, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline and countless others, turns 86.

Also Born on This Date: singer June Pointer, of The Pointer Sisters, in 1953 (she died of cancer in 2006); singer Teddy Wilburn, of The Wilburn Brothers, in 1931 (he died in 2003); and TV personality and producer Dick Clark—his company still produces the Academy of Country Music (ACM) awards—in 1929 (he died in 2012).

Passages: 1950’s country singer Lawrence (Larry) Harvey in 2015 in Toronto (he was one of the first Canadians to sign with an American record label; Ralph Ezell, bassist and co-founder of Shenandoah, in 2007 of a heart attack at age 53; drummer Butch McDade, of The Amazing Rhythm Aces, in 1998 of cancer at age 52; and singer/songwriter David Houston, who had half-a-dozen #1 country hits in the 1960’s, in 1993 of a brain aneurysm at age 57.

Opry Moment #1: Tim McGraw made his Grand Ole Opry debut 16 years ago today. Brad Paisley also performed on the show that night.

Opry Moment #2: Martina McBride joined the Opry 23 years ago today during a taping of a CBS-TV special celebrating the Opry’s 70th anniversary. She was inducted by one of her biggest influences, Loretta Lynn.

The Final Show: six years ago today, Glen Campbell played the final date on his “Goodbye Tour” in Napa, California, with three of his children joining him in his backup band. He had played over 120 shows that year with filmmaker James Keach following the tour for the documentary “I’ll Be Me” (which I highly recommend). Glen died last year.