- Today in 1952, Hank Williams Sr. his first wife, Audrey, (the mother of Hank Williams Jr.) finally divorced. Married since 1944, their union was marked by drug and alcohol addiction (his) and cheating (his). The couple’s tumultuous relationship found them separating and reconciling a number of times…until this divorce. She was awarded the house and their child as well as half of her ex-husband’s future royalties on the condition that she never remarry. She never did.
- Today in 1992, Billy Ray Cyrus scored his first #1 hit with “Achy Breaky Heart.”
- Today in 1993, Wynonna got an early birthday present (her b-day is tomorrow) when her second solo album, “Tell Me Why,” debuted at #1 on the country charts.
- Today in 1996, Diamond Rio’s Dana Williams and his wife, Lisa, became parents to son Jacob Keith.
- Today in 1997, Bill Engvall’s debut album, “Here’s Your Sign,” went gold.
- Today in 1998, Chely Wright attended a senior prom in Altoona, Pennsylvania with a fan named David Showalter. Turns out the teen was tired of his mom bugging him to find a prom date, so he wrote to Chely and asked her to be his date — and she said yes! At the time, Chely noted, quote, “I happened to have the evening off, so I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it.’”
- Today in 2001, Mary Chapin Carpenter’s album, “Time*Sex*Love,” and Brad Paisley’s “Part II” project arrived in stores.
- Today in 2004, Gretchen Wilson’s debut single, “Redneck Woman,” took command of the top spot in “Billboard” for the first of five weeks.
- Today in 2004, George Strait, Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett co-headlined a date at Texas Stadium in Irving. The three join voices on “Hey, Good Lookin'” and “Margaritaville” as the show becomes an album, “Live At Texas Stadium.”
- Today in 2010, Taylor Swift headlined a stadium for the first time, at the Bayou Country Superfest at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Also appearing on the bill: Keith Urban, David Nail, Kellie Pickler and Gloriana.
- Today in 2013, Blake Shelton raised $6-million with the charitable “Healing In The Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert” from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Aired on NBC and CMT, among others, it featured Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan, Vince Gill, Rascal Flatts and OneRepublic singer Ryan Tedder.
- Today in 2014, “This is a bust your ass kinda night”: Luke Bryan fells off of the stage and into the photo pit during a concert at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, North Carolina. He turned the accident into a set-up for “Crash My Party” and was able to finish the show, but still required stitches.
- Today in 2016, Trace Adkins performed “Arlington” at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., for PBS’ “National Memorial Day Concert.” Also on the bill were The Beach Boys, Katharine McPhee and “American Idol” winner Trent Harmon, who sang the national anthem.
- Today in 2017, Billy Ray Cyrus gave voice to an animated lizard in the Nickelodeon series “Blaze And The Monster Machines.”
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