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This day in Country Music History

  • Today in 1950, WSM-AM radio’s country music showcase, “Grand Ole Opry,” was telecast for the first time.
  • Today in 1977, Elvis Presley’s “Welcome To My World” album was certified gold.
  • Today in 1984, the album, “His Epic – The First Eleven – To Be Continued,” by Merle Haggard was released.
  • Today in 1992, George Jones was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  • Today in 1996, the album, “The Closer You Get,” by Alabama was certified quadruple platinum.
  • Today in 1997, LeAnn Rimes’ “You Light Up My Life” single was certified gold.
  • Today in 1997, Patty Loveless released her ninth album “Long Stretch of Lonesome.”
  • Today in 2002, the Chicks’ “Home” album was certified gold, platinum and double-platinum simultaneously.
  • Today in 2003, Billy Currington’s self-titled album debuted.
  • Today in 2006, George Strait lifts the Jamey Johnson-penned “Give It Away” to the top of the Billboard chart.
  • Today in 2013, The Band Perry’s Kimberly Perry got engaged to Toronto Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia at her parents’ home in Greeneville, Tennessee. The lovebirds exchanged “I do’s” the following June 19th (2014)…sadly they split in 2018.
  • Today in 2014, Warner Bros. released the Blake Shelton album, “Bringing Back The Sunshine.”
  • Today in 2015, Blake Shelton sang “Boys ‘Round Here” on the CW special “iHeart Radio Music Festival.” Lee Brice made a brief appearance on the two-hour show, with performances by Sam Smith, Puff Daddy and Fall Out Boy.
  • Today in 2016, John Prine’s album, “For Better, Or Worse,” was released. It features duets with Lee Ann Womack, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Kathy Mattea, Morgane Stapleton, Alison Krauss and Iris DeMent, among others.
  • Today in 2016, Thomas Rhett’s single, “Star Of The Show,” was released.
  • Today in 2017, Blake Shelton was presented with a key to the city as he headlined a grand-opening concert at Ole Red Tishomingo in Oklahoma. He was joined on the bill by RaeLynn, Ronnie Milsap, John Conlee and Jeannie Seely.
  • Today in 2017, Thomas Rhett’s “Life Changes” began a three-week run at #1 on the Billboard country albums chart.
  • Today in 2019, Dan + Shay performed “Speechless,” “Tequila” and “10,000 Hours” at the second wedding of Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin at Somerset Chapel in Bluffton, South Carolina. Also attending were Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Billy Baldwin and Chynna Phillips.
  • Today in 2019, Kane Brown’s “Homesick” went gold – and his song, “Good As You,” went platinum.
  • Today in 2020, “Some Girl” singer Jameson Rodgers and Sarah Allison Turner got engages at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, the club where they met nine years prior. The lovebirds became Mr. And Mrs. the following September.
  • Today in 2021, Justin Moore’s “With A Woman You Love” hit the airwaves. The same day? Blake Shelton’s single, “Come Back As A Country Boy,” was released.

LUKE BRYAN STARS IN HULU’S “IT’S ALL COUNTRY” DOCUSERIES

Luke Bryan puts his television experience to good use as he stars in the upcoming Hulu docuseries “It’s All Country.” The six-episode series follows Bryan through Nashville as he chats with fellow country legends about their music and careers. The Season 1 lineup includes Luke CombsSheryl Crow, Lady A, Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Wynonna Judd and Shaboozey. Not only does Luke talk up his country peers, there are new performances along the way as well. “It’s All Country” will premiere on Hulu on November 15.

This day in Country Music History

  • Today in 1993, The Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inducted Don Schlitz, who authored “The Gambler” and “On The Other Hand”; Red Lane, known for “My Own Kind Of Hat” and “‘Til I Get It Right”; and Conway Twitty
  • Today in 1997, Diamond Rio’s “How Your Love Makes Me Feel” worked its way to #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
  • Today in 2002, Brad Paisley’s CMT-sponsored show at Los Angeles’ Universal Amphitheatre ended with a huge jam. “According To Jim” star Jim Belushi sang “The House Is Rockin'” with Paisley and his band, plus Steve Azar, Shannon Lawson and guitarist Albert Lee.
  • Today in 2003, Dierks Bentley registered his first #1 single in Billboard with “What Was I Thinkin’.”
  • Today in 2004, The “Party For Two” video, featuring Shania Twain and Billy Currington swinging from the chandeliers, debuted on CMT.
  • Today in 2007, Sugarland kicked off its first headlining tour at the North Charleston Coliseum in South Carolina. Sponsored by CMT, the tour lineup includes Little Big Town and Jake Owen.
  • Today in 2008, a “CMT Crossroads” episode featuring Trace Adkins and 38 Special debuts. The set list included “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up In You,” “You’re Gonna Miss This” and “Ladies Love Country Boys.”
  • Today in 2011, Vince Gill invited Rascal Flatts to join the Grand Ole Opry during a Tuesday edition of the show. The group teamed with Gill on “Whenever You Come Around.”
  • Today in 2012, Emmylou Harris joined Mumford & Sons as a new edition of “CMT Crossroads” debuts. It includes performances of “The Boxer” and “If I Needed You.”
  • Today in 2016, Luke Combs signed a recording deal from a tour stop at the Top Hat in Missoula, Montana.
  • Today in 2016, Chris Stapleton’s album “Traveller” is certified double-platinum by the RIAA.
  • Today in 2019, the Carly Pearce & Lee Brice collabo, “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” hit the airwaves.
  • Today in 2019, Sturgill Simpson’s album, “Sound & Fury,” and Jon Pardi’s record, “Heartache Medication,” were released.
  • Today in 2019, Toby Keith presents a $16-thousand all-terrain wheelchair to a wounded veteran during his show at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. The retired Marine corporal also joins Keith on stage during “American Soldier.”
  • Today in 2019, Taylor Swift’s pop album, “Lover,” was certified gold and platinum by the RIAA
  • Today in 2020, Thomas Rhett performed “Be A Light” and “T-Shirt” during the first night of the two-part “iHeartRadio Music Festival” on the CW. He was also joined by Jon Pardi on “Beer Can’t Fix.”

H & S FEED & COUNTRY STORE PET OF THE WEEK: ROCKY

This week’s H&S Feed and Country Store Pet of the Week is “Rocky”, an 8 year old Lab/Retriever mix. Rocky comes from a farm background, but he is very well-mannered and is learning to walk on a leash. Rocky is a puppy at heart and has still has plenty of playful energy and gets along great with kids. Rocky would be a great dog in a rural setting, and is fully vetted, vaccinated, microchipped, neutered and ready to go to a loving home. And because Rocky is the Pet of the Week, the adoption fee is only $100 this week!

If you’d like to set up an appointment to meet Rocky or any of the pets at Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter, visit https://www.stephenmemorial.org/ and fill out an adoption application.

Check out our visit about Rocky with Shanna from Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter here:

KENNY CHESNEY MAKES MASSIVE DONATION TO MASSACHUSETTS FIRST RESPONDERS

Kenny Chesney has loved Massachusetts for a long time. He recently proved that with more than just a shout out from the stage or a social media post. The last show on his “Sun Goes Down tour took place at Gillette Stadium last month, and according to “MassLive.com,” at around the same time he made a massive donation of over $1-million to several organizations across the state. While Kenny himself has remained mum about the gift, his reps confirm that he was, in fact, behind the donation. “As someone who likes to quietly give back to enrich others’ lives, this is his way of spreading the love and saying thank you… to him, it’s a gift for others, not something he wants to talk about.”  Sources say $100-thousand of the money would go to the Foxborough police and fire departments, respectively, as well as other portions of it going to places like the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

This day in Country Music History

  • Today in 1956, Elvis’s hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi held “Elvis Presley Day.”
  • Today in 1978, Waylon Jennings’ album, “I’ve Always Been Crazy,” was certified gold.
  • Today in 1986, Exile’s single, “It’ll Be Me,” was at #1 on “Radio & Records’” country chart.
  • Today in 1989, the album, “Just Lookin’ For A Hit,” by Dwight Yoakam was released.
  • Today in 1989, Randy Travis released his album, “No Holdin’ Back.”
  • Today in 1991, Mark Chesnutt’s debut album, “Too Cold At Home,” was certified gold.
  • Today in 1994, the “Very Best Of Conway Twitty” album was certified gold.
  • Today in 1995, Little Texas released the album, “Greatest Hits,” and “Music For All Occasions” by the Mavericks was also released.
  • Today in 1995, the video, “The Woman In Me,” by Shania Twain first aired.
  • Today in 1996, Alabama’s “Cheap Seats” album was certified platinum.
  • Today in 2000, Kenny Chesney’s “Greatest Hits” album arrived in stores, The albums, “Brand New Me,” by John Michael Montgomery; “The Hardest Part” from Allison Moorer; Ricochet’s “What You Leave Behind” and SHeDAISY’s “Brand New Year” were also released.
  • Today in 2001, it was revealed that Dixie Chick Martie Seidel had become Martie Maguire when she married Gareth Maguire on August 10th in a supersecret ceremony in Hawaii. They have since welcomed three daughters: fraternal twins Eva Ruth and Kathleen ‘Katie’ Emilie were born April 27, 2004. Katie was named after Gareth’s late sister, Kathleen. Third daughter Harper Rosie Maguire was born July 25, 2008.
  • Today in 2002, Terri Clark’s “I Just Wanna Be Mad” video debuted on CMT.
  • Today in 2011, Dierks Bentley’s single, “Home,” was released.
  • Today in 2014, Lee Ann Womack teamed with R&B vocalist John Legend as a new edition of “CMT Crossroads” debuted. They collaborated on his hit, “All Of Me,” and her recordings, “The Way I’m Livin’,” “I May Hate Myself In The Morning” and “I Hope You Dance.”
  • Today in 2016, Dierks Bentley welcomed a surprise guest to his show at Red Rocks Amphitheater near Denver: Maren Morris sang “My Church” with Bentley and the two were joined by opening act Randy Houser on “Bad Angel.”

MORE HINTS A RASCAL FLATTS REUNION COULD BE COMING

Earlier this month there were hints that perhaps the biggest country band of the 2000s, Rascal Flatts, might be considering a reunion of some sort. Now, more hints that they may actually be getting the band back together. On the website for the Patriotic Festival in Norfolk, Virginia, a tease for their 2025 lineup of artists is leading fans to think the event will be opened up by none other than Rascal Flatts. A graphic shows the silhouette of three members of a band, and it’s not a huge leap to think those silhouettes are of Jay DeMarcusJoe Don Rooney and Gary LeVox. The lineup is set to be officially released on October 14th; the festival kicks off May 23, 2025. We’ll know in three weeks.

This day in Country Music History

  • Today in 1962, Loretta Lynn joined the Grand Ole Opry.
  • Today in 1965, the Statler Brothers made their chart debut with “Flowers On The Wall”. In 2000, Eric Heatherly brought the classic back to life when he released his version of the song.
  • Today in 1992, Collin Raye’s single, “In This Life,” hit the top of the charts.
  • Today in 1993, the “Something Up My Sleeve” album by Suzy Bogguss was released.
  • Today in 1998, it was revealed that Johnny Cash had suffered a recurrence of pneumonia less than a year after nearly dying from the ailment. He would receive similar treatments repeatedly thereafter, and rebounded every time, before eventually dying of diabetes-related causes.
  • Today in 1998, Tim McGraw was #1 on “Radio & Records’” Country Top 50 chart with his single, “Where the Green Grass Grows.”
  • Today in 2000, Brooks & Dunn announced preliminary plans for their inaugural “Neon Circus & Wild West Show” tour. The shows, which also included Toby Keith, Montgomery Gentry and Keith Urban, went on to become one of the hottest tickets of the year.
  • Today in 2000, Aaron Tippin’s “People Like Us” album was certified gold.
  • Today in 2001, the album, “Never Love You Enough,” by Chely Wright arrived in stores. Other projects released on this day include Chad Brock’s “III,” SHeDAISY’s remix album, “The Whole SHeBANG: All Mixed Up,” and Willie Nelson’s “The Great Divide.”
  • Today in 2002, Diamond Rio’s Brian Prout and his songwriter wife, Stephanie Bentley, welcomed their first child, daughter Lily Arlina Kay Prout.
  • Today in 2002, Dwight Yoakam’s Bakersfield Biscuits went on sale nationwide.
  • Today in 2004, Lonestar drummer Keech Rainwater married CMT Canada employee Elissa Landsdell in Toronto.
  • Today in 2005, Jake Owens signed with RCA Records.
  • Today in 2012, Taylor Swift’s single, “Begin Again,” hit the airwaves.
  • Today in 2016, Lonestar, Mark Chesnutt, Jamie O’Neal and John Schneider performed at a flood-relief concert at Repentance Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The bill also features Tracy Byrd, John Conlee, Chad Brock and Mickey Gilley.
  • Today in 2016, Grand Ole Opry member Jean Shepard died in Nashville. A 2011 inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame, she used a honky-tonk sound to become a pioneer among female country acts, best known for the singles “Slippin’ Away,” “Second Fiddle (To An Old Guitar)” and a Ferlin Husky duet, “A Dear John Letter.”
  • Today in 2017, Dolly Parton collected gold singles from the RIAA for “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene,” plus a platinum award for “9 To 5.”
  • Today in 2017, Blake Shelton returned as a coach for the season premiere of NBC’s “The Voice,” joined by Adam Levine, Jennifer Hudson and Miley Cyrus. The contestants include Nashvillian Mitchell Lee, who covers the Hootie + The Blowfish song “Hold My Hand.”

Who Is the Toughest Act to Follow in Country Music?

Back during the “ACM Awards”“The Boot” caught up with a bunch of Country stars, and asked them all the same question:  “Who was the toughest act to follow in all of Country music?”

And not surprisingly the most common answer they got was Chris Stapleton . . . Because who would ever want to go onstage right after Chris?  Not Thomas Rhett, that’s for sure.  He said, “I’ve done that before.  That’s not a fun gig.”

Here are some of the best answers:

1.  Chayce Beckham said, “I played after Zach Top the other day and that felt wrong to me.  I felt like I should be opening up for Zach.”

2.  Cody Johnson is a huge Brothers Osborne fan.  He said, “I would not in any capacity want to follow Brothers Osborne live on stage.”

3.  Which is funny because Brothers Osborne said the same thing about Cody Johnson.  They knew way back in the day when he opened for them, that he was “destined for greatness.”  Jelly Roll and Ian Munsick also named Cody, because he’s so talented.

4.  Kylie Morgan named Morgan Wallen, and with good reason.  She said, “He puts on such an incredible show that I’d be like, ‘I’m just gonna go home now.'”

5.  And then almost everyone else said Chris Stapleton.  Imagine him rocking out, singing, “White Horse” . . . and then it’s your turn.  Yeah, no thanks.

(You can check out all the rest of the answers, here.)

This day in Country Music History

  • Today in 1962, Hall of Famers Flatt and Scruggs recorded “The Ballad of Jed Clampett.” It went on to become the theme song of the TV series, “The Beverly Hillbillies.”
  • Today in 1977, just one month after his apparent death, 2,500 fans of the King gathered in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the first Elvis Presley Convention where original copies of some early Presley singles sold for $300.
  • Today in 1973, Loretta Lynn’s classic single, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” was released.
  • Today in 1989, Clint Black’s debut album, “Killin’ Time,” was certified gold.
  • Today in 1989, the Judds’ only Christmas album, “Christmas Time with the Judds,” went gold.
  • Today in 1991, Mark Chesnutt’s first album, “Too Cold at Home,” went gold.
  • Today in 1996, Clint Black released his “Greatest Hits” and John Michael Montgomery released “What I Do the Best.”
  • Today in 1997, Garth Brooks was named Entertainer of the Year at the 31st annual CMA Awards. It was his first CMA win since 1993. Other winners that night included Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, Deana Carter (Single of the Year) and LeAnn Rimes (Horizon Award).
  • Today in 1998, Elvis Presley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  • Today in 1999, the “Complete Woman In Me” video by Shania Twain was certified platinum.
  • Today in 1999, Lee Ann Womack’s self-titled debut album was certified platinum, while her second project, “Some Things I Know,” was certified gold.
  • Today in 1999, the “Lonely Grill” album by Lonestar was certified platinum.
  • Today in 2002, the album, “Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash,” arrived in stores. The star-studded list of artists featured on the CD includes Rosanne Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Little Richard, Charlie Robison, Bruce Springsteen, Travis Tritt, Hank Williams, Jr. and Marty Stuart, who spearheaded the effort.
  • Today in 2002, Travis Tritt’s “Strong Enough” album arrived in stores. Other CDs released include Joe Diffie’s “Super Hits,” Elvis Presley’s “Elvis: 30 #1 Hits,” Doug Stone’s “The Long Way” and Tanya Tucker’s “Tanya.”
  • Today in 2002, Tennessee’s Governor Don Sundquist appointed Dolly Parton as the Official Ambassador for the Tennessee Film and Music Industries.
  • Today in 2002, Clint Black and Dixie Chick Martie Maguire were among the famous folks on hand at a California State Senate hearing on artists’ rights and the accounting practices of record labels.
  • Today in 2004, Loretta Lynn was a double-winner at the Americana Music Awards.
  • Today in 2005, Sara Evans completed her run to #1 on the Billboard charts with “A Real Fine Place To Start”.
  • Today in 2009, Miranda Lambert performed her entire “Revolution” album at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for an audience that included Taylor Swift.
  • Today in 2014, Jason Aldean got engaged to Brittany Kerr at the San Diego Zoo.
  • Today in 2016, Kelsea Ballerini’s “Peter Pan” began a two-week stay at #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
  • Today in 2016, Cam married Adam Weaver in Joshua Tree, California.
  • Today in 2017, Meghan Linsey kneeled at the end of her national anthem performance at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium in a show of unity with protesters following president Donald Trump’s verbal attack on NFL players.
  • Today in 2017, “Variety revealed that Luke Bryan had agreed to serve as a judge on ABC-TV’s revival of the music competition “American Idol.”
  • Today in 2017, Chris Stapleton played at a Concert for Charlottesville, a Virginia response to a racial confrontation over Confederate statues that drew national attention the previous month. Also appearing at Scott Stadium were Justin Timberlake, The Dave Matthews Band, Pharrell Williams and Cage The Elephant.
  • Today in 2018, Taylor Swift received three nominations as finalists are announced by E! for the People’s Choice Awards. Keith Urban was a double nominee, up for Male Artist for 2018 and a contender for Country Artist with Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett and Carrie Underwood.
  • Today in 2018, Charlie Robison announced his retirement from performing on social media, citing a surgical procedure that made him unable to sing.
  • Today in 2018, Thomas Rhett’s single, “Marry Me,” was certified double-platinum by the RIAA.

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