• Today in 1972, the single, “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me,” by Mac Davis was at #1 on the pop singles chart.
• Today in 1974, the Mac Davis album, “Stop & Smell The Roses,” was certified gold.
• Today in 1988, the album, “All Time Greatest Hits Of Roy Orbison – Vol. II,” was released.
• Today in 1992, the “No Fences” album by Garth Brooks was certified for multi-platinum sales of 9-million.
• Today in 1993, Garth Brooks opened the first of his three sold-out concerts at Texas Stadium near Dallas.
• Today in 1994, Joe Diffie topped the charts with “Third Rock From The Sun.” Incidentally, the TV series, “3rd Rock From the Sun,” premiered on NBC two years later on the same date.
• Today in 1997, Shania Twain’s “Love Gets Me Every Time” single was released.
• Today in 1998, Garth Brooks’ album, “Ropin’ The Wind,” was certified for multi-platinum sales of 14-million.
• Today in 1998, nearly 36-million viewers tuned in for the 32^nd annual CMA Awards live on CBS television. The Dixie Chicks and Steve Wariner were the only multiple award-winners at the 1998 CMA Awards in Nashville…taking home two awards each. Garth Brooks was named Entertainer of the Year for the second straight year, and fourth time overall.
• Today in 2000, Tim McGraw was on the cover of “TV Guide.”
• Today in 2002, the taped appearance of Reba McEntire and “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson, who has said Reba is her favorite country performer and overall idol, aired on FOX-TV. The duo performed Reba’s 1993 hit, “Does He Love You.”
• Today in 2002, Reba McEntire and Charlie Daniels were among the 25 inaugural inductees into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame.
• Today in 2003, Alan Jackson has reclaimed the #1 spot on both the “Radio & Records’” Country Top 50 chart as well as “Billboard’s” Hot Country Singles chart with “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” his duet with Jimmy Buffett. He was also at #1 for a fifth week on “Billboard’s” Top Country Albums chart. And while all this sounds cool, consider that having a #1 song for eight collective weeks also made a little history for Alan and Jimmy. For starters, the song notched the most weeks at #1 for any country track that year. This was also the first time since 1962 that a country duet has logged eight weeks in the top slot – and only the second time since 1964 that any country single has achieved the feat.
• Today in 2006, Vince Gill and Allison Krauss taped an episode of “CMT Cross Country” at The Factory in Franklin, Tennessee.
• Today in 2012, Carrie Underwood was surprised during her show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena by Brad Paisley. The two performed “Remind Me” together.
• Today in 2016, Florida Georgia Line’s single, “H.O.L.Y.,” went gold, platinum and double-platinum, while the RIAA certified “Anything Goes” platinum.
• Today in 2017, “Are You Ready For The Country” author Neil Young is inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at Massey Hall in Toronto.
• Today in 2019, Joe Nichols performed in the United Kingdom for the first time with a show in Bristol.

• Today in 1939, Gene Autry’s “Back In The Saddle Again” was released.
• Today in 1976, Willie Nelson released “The Troublemaker” album.
• Today in 1979, “Just Good Ol’ Boys” (not the theme for “Dukes of Hazzard,” which belongs to Waylon Jennings) hit #1 on the Billboard country singles chart for duet partners Moe Bandy & Joe Stampley.
• Today in 1983, the Everly Brothers performed together for the first time in 10 years at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
• Today in 1985, Willie Nelson, John Cougar and Neil Young hosted the first Farm Aid concert in Champaign, Illinois, raising $10-million for troubled family farmers.
• Today in 1986, Reba McEntire’s “What Am I Gonna Do About You” album was released.
• Today in 1992, Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Some Gave All” album was certified quadruple platinum.
• Today in 1992, Garth Brooks released his album, “The Chase.” It was the second country album ever to enter both the pop and country album charts at #1 – his “Ropin’ the Wind” was the first.
• Today in 1995, Collin Raye was #1 with the single, “One Boy, One Girl.”
• Today in 1998, Vince Gill’s album, “The Key,” was certified gold.
• Today in 1998, Lee Ann Womack released the album, “Some Things I Know.”
• Today in 1998, Garth Brooks performed for the first time in Latin America at the world’s largest rodeo in Barretos, Brazil.
• Today in 1999, the Dixie Chicks’ album, “Wide Open Spaces,” was certified for multi-platinum sales of 7-million. On the same day, the Chicks won three awards at the CMAs during the 33rd ceremony at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. They were named Vocal Group of the Year, while “Wide Open Spaces” took Single and Music Video of the Year
• Today in 2001, Cyndi Thomson’s debut single, “What I Really Meant To Say,” began a three-week run at #1 in Billboard.
• Today in 2005, Keith Urban’s “Golden Road” album went triple-platinum.
• Today in 2007, Rascal Flatts’ “Take Me There,” which was written by Kenny Chesney, hit #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.

• Today in 1990, The Internal Revenue Service placed liens totaling $16.7-million on Willie Nelson’s property to guarantee that he paid $6.5-million in back taxes.
• Today in 1993, Garth Brooks’ self-titled debut album was certified for sales of 5-million copies.
• Today in 1993, the Country Music Association announced it would induct Willie Nelson into its Hall of Fame. The actual induction took place on September 29th.
• Today in 1994, Garth Brooks’ “No Fences” album was certified for sales of 11-million copies.
• Today in 1994, Pam Tillis’ “Sweetheart’s Dance” album was certified gold.
• Today in 1995, John Berry’s debut album was certified platinum.
• Today in 1995, the album, “Games Rednecks Play,” by Jeff Foxworthy was certified gold and platinum simultaneously.
• Today in 1996, the audience at the Grand Ole Opry witnessed a historic moment when 23-year-old Hank Williams III, son of Hank Williams Jr. and grandson of country music legend Hank Williams made his Opry debut. Hank III wore a black western shirt trimmed with green fringe that belonged to his grandfather.
• Today in 1999, Brooks & Dunn’s album, “Tight Rope,” was released.
• Today in 2001, newlyweds Vince Gill and wife Amy Grant announced that they were expecting their first child together. The couple welcomed their daughter Corrina Grant Gill, into the world at 12:36 am CT on March 11^th. Here are two fun facts for you: First, Vince and Amy didn’t find out if they were having a boy or a girl until she made her debut. Second, the baby’s name isn’t a combination of the couple’s last names – “Grant” is actually Vince’s middle name.
• Today in 2004, Keith Urban’s “Be Here” album was released.
• Today in 2011, Carrie Underwood, Ashley Gorley and Chris DeStefano wrote their future hit, “Good Girl,” in Los Angeles.
• Today in 2013, Willie Nelson’s Farm Aid featured Kacey Musgraves, Carlene Carter, Pete Seeger, Jack Johnson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Neil Young, among others, at the Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center in New York.
• Today in 2015, Dierks Bentley was a surprise guest during Taylor Swift’s concert at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. They teamed up on “Every Mile A Memory.”

Today in 1947, Carnegie Hall hosted its first country music show with Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff as headliners.

Today in 1981, George Jones’ “I Am What I Am” album was certified gold.

Today in 1986, the “#7” album by George Strait was certified gold.

Today in 1989, Willie Nelson’s “Take It To The Limit” album was certified gold and his “Pretty Paper” album was certified platinum.

Today in 1992, Clint Black’s album, “The Hard Way,” was certified gold and platinum simultaneously.

Today in 1997, Patty Loveless’ “Long Stretch Of Lonesome” album was released.

Today in 1997, the Farm Aid concert – canceled due to low ticket sales at the Texas Stadium – was rescheduled at the New World Music Theatre in Tinley Park, Illinois, for the same day…October 4th. The benefit was a sell-out.

Today in 1998, Reba McEntire joined the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star, the 2,120th planted in the famous foot thoroughfare, was unveiled in front of the Johnny Grant Building, 7018 Hollywood Boulevard.

Today in 1998, Jett Williams paid tribute to her late father, Hank Williams, who would have been 75 the day before, on the Grand Ole Opry. She saluted her dad by performing “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” a song released after his death on New Year’s Eve, 1952. Jett told the crowd, quote, “He never sang the song on the Opry. He never sang it live.”

Today in 1999, Faith Hill graced the cover of “TV Guide.”

Today in 2000, Toby Keith was the guest of honor at a special event in Nashville. Toby was the benefactor of the first songwriter/artist endowment to support the work and mission of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Today in 2001, Martina McBride’s “Greatest Hits” collection and Aaron Tippin’s “A December To Remember” album arrived in stores.

Today in 2002, Joe Nichols scored a number of firsts: a debut artist, a debut single, a brand new label and a #1 record! Joe’s debut single, “The Impossible,” leapt four chart positions to claim the top spot on the “Radio & Records” Country Top 50 chart.

Today in 2004, “Days Go By” took Keith Urban to the top of the Billboard country chart.

Today in 2006, Willie and Bobbie Nelson received misdemeanor citations for drug possession when his bus stopped on Interstate 10 in Louisiana. A search of the vehicle yielded 1.5-pounds of pot and 2/10 of a pound of mushrooms.

Today in 2008, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant won two trophies – Duo/Group of the Year and Album of the Year for “Raising Sand” – during the seventh annual Americana Honors & Awards.

Today in 2010, Billy Currington rose to the top of the Billboard country singles chart with “Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer.”

Today in 2015, Miranda Lambert launched her eighth annual Paws For The Cause fundraiser for the MuttNation Foundation in Luckenbach, Texas. She’s joined by Radney Foster, Gwen Sebastian and songwriters Jon Randall and Jessi Alexander.

Today in 2017, Three years after the previous signs were removed, new signs proclaiming Marshville, North Carolina, as the birthplace of Randy Travis were dedicated. Travis was also presented keys to the city.

Today in 2017, Kellie Pickler and Ben Aaron launched their new talk show, “Pickler & Ben,” launches on television with surprise guest Dolly Parton. Faith Hill is one of several executive producers.

Today in 1960, Loretta Lynn made her Grand Ole Opry debut.

Today in 1977, Reba McEntire made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. She performed “Invitation to the Blues.”

Today in 1996, Alabama released their second holiday album, “Alabama Christmas II,” and John Berry released his album, “Faces.”

Today in 1996, the mayor of Rhinelander, Wisconsin proclaimed today’s date as “Trace Adkins Day,” and presented Trace with the key to the city. The previous month, the mayor of Trace’s hometown of Sarepta, Louisiana had made such a declaration.

Today in 1996, Ty England’s “Two Ways to Fall” album arrived in stores.

Today in 1999, the Dixie Chicks’ album, “Fly,” began its second straight week at #1 on both the pop and country albums charts. In just two weeks, the album sold 545,000 units, which means it had already gone gold (you need 500,000 copies sold for a gold album). In fact, first day sales were 75,000. SoundScan figures show that the album had the highest first week sales of any act in country music history except for Garth Brooks. In addition, “Fly,” became the first country album to spend more than one week at #1 on the pop albums chart since Garth’s album, “Double Live,” in 1998.

Today in 1999, Lisa Hartman Black joined her hubby Clint Black on stage for their first public performance of their mega-hit, “When I Said I Do.”

Today in 2000, Alan Jackson, Sawyer Brown and Travis Tritt joined Farm Aid founders Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young and a host of other performers in Bristow, Virginia for the 15th anniversary of Farm Aid.

Today in 2002, Clay Walker’s album, “Christmas,” arrived in stores.

Today in 2002, Tracy Byrd and his wife, Michelle, finally had a name for their third child, who had arrived two weeks earlier – Jared James. When he left St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Beaumont, Texas, Jared – aka J.J. – joined his sister, Evee Elisabeth, and brother, Logan Lynn. By the way, in case you’re wondering, the Byrd family did not break the record for delayed baby-naming – not even close. The State of Texas told them it once took a family three months to decide on what to call their child.

Today in 2002, Faith Hill was in Los Angeles to tape an NBC concert special, which aired on Thanksgiving.

Today in 2005, The Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton single “Islands in The Stream” topped the list with the debut of “CMT 100 Greatest Duets”

Today in 2009, Buddy Miller won four times during the Americana Music Association Awards & Honors at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville

Today in 2012, Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” video debuted on CMT.