- Today in 1968, Johnny Cash recorded the live album, “Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison” in California – he remade “Folsom Prison Blues” in the process. Also on hand – June Carter, The Carter Family, Carl Perkins and The Statler Brothers.
- Today in 1978, the “Waylon Live” album by Waylon Jennings was certified gold.
- Today in 1981, country movie music scores big at the GRAMMYs, as the “Urban Cowboy” soundtrack scored four nominations.” Roadie” songs get three, and “Honeysuckle Rose” picks up two. Sissy Spacek gets a nomination for her performance of “Coal Miner’s Daughter”
- Today in 1990, Keith Whitley hits #1 on the Billboard country chart with “It Ain’t Nothin'”
- Today in 1992, George Strait’s “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind” album was certified platinum.
- Today in 1994, Clint Black’s fourth album, “No Time To Kill,” went platinum.
- Today in 1994, Alan Jackson hit #1 with the single, “Gone Country.”
- Today in 1995, Joe Diffie’s album, “Third Rock from the Sun,” went platinum.
- Today in 1995, the “Lead On” album by George Strait was certified gold and platinum simultaneously.
- Today in 1996, Faith Hill was at #1 on the Billboard country singles chart with “It Matters To Me”
- Today in 1996, Martina McBride made her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry since becoming a member the previous November. Terri Clark made her Opry debut the same evening.
- Today in 1997, Brooks & Dunn’s album, “Borderline,” went double platinum.
- Today in 1997, Toby Keith’s “Blue Moon” album went gold.
- Today in 1999, the album, “Who I Am,” by Alan Jackson was certified quadruple platinum.
- Today in 2002, the first episode of “CMT Crossroads” aired, pairing a country act with a non-country performer. In this inaugural show matched “Passionate Kisses” songwriter Lucinda Williams with Elvis Costello.
- Today in 2006, Big & Rich’s “Comin’ To Your City” album was certified gold and platinum simultaneously.
- Today in 2010, Trace Adkins signs a recording deal with Toby Keith’s Show Dog-Universal Music during a press conference at BMI in Nashville.
- Today in 2012, Jake Owen broke his collarbone skiing in Crested Butte, Colorado, forcing the cancellation of several concerts.
- Today in 2015, Brad Paisley’s “Crushin’ It” hit the airwaves.
- Today in 2017, Dierks Bentley took his annual polar plunge for New Year’s nearly two weeks late. Penalizing himself for his tardiness, he stayed in the 38-degree water for 13 minutes.
- Today in 2018, Billy Currington was thrown into panic when he received an official cell phone alert warning of an in-bound ballistic missile. The alarm, it was soon discovered, was the result of human error.
- Today in 2020, Darius Rucker’s version of “Wagon Wheel” was certified eight-times platinum.
- Today in 2020, Brooks & Dunn, Kane Brown and Brett Young topped the bill as Bobby Bones hosted his annual Million Dollar Show to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Surprise acts included Sawyer Brown, Old Dominion, Lindsay Ell and Sam Hunt, who performed “Kinfolks” and “Body Like A Back Road.”
- Today in 2020, Josh Gracin and his wife, Katie, welcomed their son, Luka Roman Gracin, in Nashville.
- Today in 2020, Jordan Davis picked up a double-platinum certification from the RIAA for his song, “Singles You Up.” The same day, Luke Bryan’s single, “That’s My Kind Of Night,” was certified quintuple-platinum.
- Today in 2021, moments after Donald Trump became the first president to be impeached twice, he presented Toby Keith and Ricky Skaggs the National Medal of Arts in the East Room of the White House.
- Today in 2021, Tennessee State Rep. John Windle introduced a bill to create a statue of Dolly Parton to reside at the Capitol in Nashville. As “humbled” as she was about the suggestion, Dolly later asked that the legislation be dropped – noting, “With all that is going on in the world, I don’t think that putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time.”
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