Today Country Legend was born on May 25, in Tick Ridge, Kentucky,

enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1957, serving in Germany.

big songwriting break came in 1963, when country singer Jimmy C. Newman recorded his song “DJ For a Day”.

was nicknamed “The Storyteller”, and he composed songs for dozens of country music stars, including Johnny Cash, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, and Bobby Bare.

On February 12, 2008, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.