- Today in 1959, George Jones’ “White Lightning” picked up his first #1 country single in Billboard magazine as a recording artist.
- Today in 1963, Bill Anderson’s “Still” reached #1 on Billboard’s country chart.
- Today in 1965, Roger Miller set a record by winning five GRAMMYS in one night. No other country star has ever won that many at one time.
- Today in 1970, Bettie Azevedez picked up five trophies on behalf of Merle Haggard in the Academy Of Country & Western Music awards at the Hollywood Palladium.
- Today in 1996, Lonestar’s “No News” topped Billboard for the first time.
- Today in 2002, Faith Hill was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. She wasn’t there, though, and only about 70 people attended the induction ceremony at the University of Southern Mississippi. Other new inductees include jazz diva Cassandra Wilson; former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley; Walter Turnbull, the founder and conductor of the Boys Choir of Harlem; blues great Howlin’ Wolf; pop musician Van Dyke Parks; and former member of the Temptations David Ruffin.
- Today in 2003, Andy Griggs, Kris Kristofferson, Jeffrey Steele and others teamed up to play in a Waylon Jennings tribute concert in Scottsdale, Arizona. The event was one of three shows with the theme “Crossing the Bound’ries,” an acoustic evening of Waylon music and anecdotes that also raised funds for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Also participating were Waylon’s widow, Jessi Coulter, and son Shooter Jennings.
- Today in 2005, Willie Nelson’s attorney sent a Texas Senator a letter declining to have a toll road named for the singer. Nelson told the Austin American-Statesman, “I’d put my name on an electric chair, too, but I don’t think that’d be too great a thing.”
- Today in 2009, Big Machine released Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” to radio.
- Today in 2012, Jana Kramer performed “Why Ya Wanna” as she made her Grand Ole Opry debut.
- Today in 2013, Jason Aldean performed the first of a handful of stadium dates on his 2013 itinerary, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, with Luke Bryan, Jake Owens and Thomas Rhett. Ludacris made a surprise appearance.
- Today in 2014, Taylor Swift made a surprise cameo appearance during Seth Rogen’s show-opening monologue on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” “You’re getting really upset,” she exclaimed. “And whenever a man shows emotion, I appear!”
- Today in 2014, the late Johnny Cash was atop the “Billboard” country albums chart with “Out Among The Stars.”
- Today in 2015, Trace Adkins embarked on a USO tour that took him to Kuwait, Afghanistan and Germany.
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