• Today in 1957, Elvis Presley made his final appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
• Today in 1958, Jerry Lee Lewis grabbed the #1 spot on the Billboard country singles chart with “Great Balls Of Fire.”
• Today in 1979, Don Williams reached #1 on the Billboard country chart with “Tulsa Time.”
• Today in 1983, Rosanne Cash reeled in her first gold album for “Seven Year Ache.”
• Today in 1990, Sawyer Brown’s Mark Miller married makeup artist Lisa Knight in Los Angeles.
• Today in 1998, Trisha Yearwood and LeAnn Rimes were each nominated for best Country Vocal Performance by a Female for their versions of “How Do I Live.” It was the first time in GRAMMY history that two renditions of the same song competed against each other.
• Today in 2005, Lee Ann Womack’s “I May Hate Myself In The Morning” video debuted on CMT.
• Today in 2007, Brad Paisley hit #1 on the Billboard chart with “She’s Everything.”
• Today in 2014, The Swon Brothers’ debut single, “Later On,” was released.
• Today in 2016, “Blue” was the first song performed during auditions as the final season of “American Idol” launches on FOX. Judge Keith Urban offers critiques as contestants perform “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” “(Ghost) Riders In The Sky,” “Chainsaw,” “Leavin’ On Your Mind,” “Follow Your Arrow” and “Last Name.”

• Today in 1980, actor George Burns hit the country charts with “I Wish I Was 18 Again.”
• Today in 1982, the “Christmas” album by Kenny Rogers was certified gold and platinum.
• Today in 1982, Juice Newton’s album, “Juice,” was certified platinum.
• Today in 1994, the album, “Honky Tonk Angels,” featuring Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn was certified gold.
• Today in 1994, Alan Jackson’s video, “Livin’, Lovin’, And Rockin’ That Jukebox” was certified gold.
• Today in 1995, Jeff Foxworthy’s album, “You Might Be A Redneck If …,” was certified platinum.
• Today in 1995, Faith Hill’s debut album, “Take Me As I Am,” went platinum.
• Today in 1995, Wade Hayes released his debut album, “Old Enough To Know Better.”
• Today in 1999, Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One” received GRAMMY noms for Record and Song of the Year, while “Come On Over” was up for Album of the Year. The Dixie Chicks were finalists for Best New Artist. It was the first time country acts made each of the top four Grammy categories in one year.
• Today in 2007, Jo Dee Messina began her first USO tour: she performed for American G.I.s in Italy over a five-day period.
• Today in 2009, James Otto had shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff and bone spurs.
• Today in 2010, Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova” went gold.

• Today in 1923, WBAP in Dallas became the first station west of the Mississippi River to broadcast country music, airing “The Radio Barn Dance.”
• Today in 1953, Hank Williams’ funeral drew more than 20,000 people in Montgomery, Alabama. A country choir led by Webb Pierce, Red Foley, Little Jimmy Dickens and Carl Smith performed “I Saw The Light.” Ernest Tubb offered “Beyond The Sunset.”
• Today in 1969, Johnny Cash earned a #1 single in “Billboard” with “Daddy Sang Bass.” Written by Carl Perkins, it features vocal appearances by The Statler Brothers and The Carter Family.
• Today in 1989, Dwight Yoakam registered a gold album with “Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room.”
• Today in 1991, the US Internal Revenue Service holds the first of several auctions of property belonging to Willie Nelson to pay off nearly $17-million in taxes and penalties.
• Today in 1992, Collin Raye posted his first #1 country single with “Love, Me.”
• Today in 2000, the Dixie Chicks’ “Fly” album was nominated for the Album of the Year GRAMMY, competing with Santana, Diana Krall, The Backstreet Boys and TLC. In all, the Chicks picked up a total of four nominations.
• Today in 2002, the soundtrack to “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and individual cuts pick up five nominations in the GRAMMY awards. The album, “Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute” also collected five.
• Today in 2006, LeAnn Rimes sang the national anthem at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, while Big & Rich performed six songs at a pre-game tailgate party. The Texas Longhorns defeat the USC Trojans, 41-38, in the waning seconds.
• Today in 2016, a thief broke into Kacey Musgraves’ car in downtown Nashville and stole her new pair of boots. When 30-year-old Darnell Cunningham tried to return the boots – which were valued at about $900 – for cash, the clerk recognized them, called the cops and Cunningham was busted on theft of property charges.

Today, December 31^st:

• Today in 1947, Roy Rogers married Dale Evans in Murray County, Oklahoma. Rogers was late for the ceremony after having to put out a fire started by a cigarette butt in another room. They remained together until Rogers’ death in 1998.
• Today in 1985, Rick Nelson died in a plane crash outside of DeKalb, Texas.
• Today in 1990, Lisa Hartman first met Clint Black backstage at his New Year’s Eve concert in Houston, Texas.
• Today in 1999, Trisha Yearwood and Kenny Rogers took part in CBS-TV’s landmark special, “America’s Millennium: A Celebration” in Washington D.C. Of course, some folks say that the “real” millennium didn’t take place until the first of the following year.
• Today in 2002, Big Kenny, already $140,000 in debt, lost most of his last $200 while playing black jack in a Las Vegas casino. He gave the dealer a $20 tip, which left himself with just one buck. This event inspired him to write a future Tim McGraw hit, “Last Dollar (Fly Away).”
• Today in 2003, Toby Keith headlined the big year-end show for folks in Nashville at the Gaylord Entertainment Center for the first time. The show included performances from Scotty Emerick, Willie Nelson and Blake Shelton. Things went so well that Toby returned – this time with Terri Clark and Dierks Bentley in tow.
• Today in 2008, Kellie Pickler was a correspondent in 18-degree weather in Times Square on ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” Lionel Richie, The Jonas Brothers, and Taylor Swift performed.
• Today in 2011, The Band Perry performed “If I Die Young” on the ABC year-end special, “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” along with, Fergie, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Hot Chelle Rae. It was the last iconic New Year’s Eve of Clark’s life.

• Today in 1944, Bob Willis & The Texas Playboys appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, which caused a stir when Monte Mountjoy’s drum set was moved onto the stage last minute. Drums were previously not allowed.
• Today in 1950, Lefty Frizzell made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry when he sang, “If You’ve Got The Money I’ve Got The Time” and “I Love You A Thousand Ways.”
• Today in 1956, Suzy Bogguss was born in Aledo, Illinois.
• Today in 1962, Brenda Lee suffered from a minor eye injury and had her hair singed when she unsuccessfully tried to rescue her poodle form a house fire in Nashville.
• Today in 1984, Gary Morris’ run in a New York production of the opera “La Boheme” concluded at the Anspacher Theater after 2 ½ months.
• Today in 2001, Neal McCoy joined Wayne Newton and comedian Drew Carey to entertain American troops at the Kandahar Airport in Afghanistan as a part of the USO’s Deliver America Tour.
• Today in 2010, Trace Adkins sang the national anthem and Ashton Shepherd performed “God Bless America” at the Music City Bowl at Nashville’s LP Field.