- Today in 1956, Elvis Presley got a number one Billboard country single with “Heartbreak Hotel.”
- Today in 1969, Glen Campbell released both the album and the single “Galveston.”
- Today in 1972, both hippies and traditional country fans flocked to an outdoor festival in Dripping Springs, Texas that featured Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Roy Acuff, Buck Owens, Kris Kristofferson, Tex Ritter, and Tom T. Hall.
- Today in 1972, a 13-year-old Tanya Tucker entered a studio to record her first hit, “Delta Dawn.”
- Today in 1986, the “Lost In The Fifties” album by Ronnie Milsap was released.
- Today in 1989, Keith Whitley hit number one on the “Radio & Records” country chart with “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.”
- Today in 1990, “Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart” by Randy Travis hit the top of the Billboard country chart, where it would stay for four weeks.
- Today in 1992, Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire were among the winners at the 18th Annual People’s Choice Awards, taking home trophies in the Favorite Male and Female Country Music Performer categories. They also trumped their pop counterparts in capturing the awards for overall Favorite Male and Female Musical Performer.
- Today in 1995, Suzy Bogguss and her husband, Doug Crider, became parents to son Ben.
- Today in 1995, Clay Walker topped the country charts with “This Woman and This Man.”
- Today in 1997, filming began on the first motion picture ever shot inside of Elvis Presley’s Graceland. “Finding Graceland” starred Harvey Keitel as a man claiming to be Elvis and Bridget Fonda as a Marilyn Monroe impersonator.
- Today in 1998, Jo Dee Messina released her second album, “I’m Alright.”
- Today in 1998, Doubleday announced it was canceling LeAnn Rimes’ two-book deal, which was reportedly worth two-million-dollars. They made the decision after LeAnn’s book “Holiday In Your Heart” failed to sell as well as expected.
- Today in 1998, Shania Twain announced plans for her first world tour.
- Today in 2000, Shania Twain’s “Come On Over” was certified for sales of 17-million in the U.S., making it the best-selling solo album by a female artist.
- Today in 2001, quarterback Peyton Manning married Ashley Thompson, and Kenny Chesney sang “Me And You” at the wedding.
- Today in 2002, Vince Gill was elected president of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. He succeeded Marty Stuart, who enjoyed six consecutive terms as president.
- Today in 2003, Dixie Chick Natalie Maines apologized to President George Bush for comments she made a week earlier in London, including saying she was ashamed she and Bush shared Texas as a home state.
- Today in 2004, Kenny Chesney performed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, setting a new attendance record with 70-thousand-668 tickets sold for the show.
- Today in 2004, Brett Warren and his wife, Raquel, welcomed Angeli Nicole Warren to their family.
- Today in 2005, Keith Urban began a three-night performance at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. During his encore, Kenny Chesney joined him onstage to sing Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried.”
- Today in 2006, Kenny Chesney climbed to number one on the “Radio & Records” country chart with “Living in Fast Forward.”
- Today in 2007, Loretta Lynn received an honorary doctorate from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in recognition of her contributions to contemporary music and for using her songs to tackle real-life situations faced by many women. The presentation was made on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, where Lynn performed that evening.
- Today in 2007, an installment of “CMT Cross Country” featuring Big & Rich and John Anderson included the songs “Swingin’,” “8th Of November,” “Seminole Wind,” and “Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy.)”
- Today in 2008, two former Dallas policemen accused of assaulting Steve Holy and Holy’s friend the previous December were indicted on felony charges. Both were facing a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, while one of the ex-officers was also charged with kidnapping.
- Today in 2008, Steve Azar took part in Gino Torretta’s Celebrity Golf and Gourmet Weekend, golfing for charity at the Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation, Florida.
- Today in 2009, Willie Nelson cancelled his show in Clearwater, Florida, along with his next five consecutive nights of concerts, reportedly due to “illness.” Shows in Melbourne and Panama City, Florida; Choctaw, Mississippi; Marksville, Louisiana; and Springdale, Arkansas were affected.
- Today in 2009, Jewel took the “Dancing With the Stars” stage — to sing. Leg injuries forced her to drop out of the competition before the show launched, but she was regularly on hand to support husband Ty Murray — who was still a contender — and on this night she also promoted her then-upcoming CD “Lullaby” with a performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
- Today in 2009, Randy Travis was the guest mentor for “American Idol” finalists for the show’s “Grand Ole Opry Week.” In addition, his CD “I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis” arrived in stores, while Brad Paisley’s single “Then,” Rascal Flatts’ song “Forever,” and Alabama’s Jeff Cook’s solo CD “Ashes Won’t Burn” were released digitally.
- Today in 2010, Taylor Swift was honored for a number of her career accomplishments at an event in Nashville. Her list of achievements included record sales of more than 13-million units and 25-million digital downloads. In addition, her CD “Fearless” was the best-selling album in the U.S. in both 2008 and 2009, and is the only disc ever to be named Album of the Year by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, and capture the same honors at the GRAMMY Awards and the American Music Awards.
- Today in 2010, Larry Gatlin became a member of Fox Business Network’s “America’s Nightly Scoreboard” panel as a celebrity political analyst.
- Today in 2011, Country Music Hall of Famer Ferlin Husky died at his daughter’s home in Westmoreland, Tennessee. He had been suffering from congestive heart failure. Husky was 85.
- Today in 2011, Kenny Chesney launched his “Goin’ Coastal” tour in West Palm Beach, Florida, marking his official return to the concert circuit after taking a year off touring.
- Today in 2011, the Zac Brown Band made their RodeoHouston debut.
- Today in 2012, during Miranda Lambert’s “On Fire Tour,” she brought out Kelly Clarkson as a surprise to sing her own hit “Stronger.”
- Today in 2013, George Strait’s appearance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which was part of his “Cowboy Rides Away” final tour, drew a record crowd of 80-thousand-28 people.
- Today in 2013, Trace Adkins impressed fellow contestants on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice” with his acting ability, sweeping Susan Lucci off her feet in a soap-opera skit to promote Crystal Light. His team wins Donald Trump’s assignment in the episode, with Stephen Baldwin serving as project manager.
- Today in 2014, Frankie Ballard topped the charts for the first time with his single “Helluva Life.”
- Today in 2014, Luke Bryan’s “Play It Again” hit the airwaves.
- Today in 2014, the Band Perry performed their first USO concert for American troops at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.
- Today in 2017, Ty Herndon received the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award during the HRC Nashville Equality Dinner at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.
- Today in 2017, Jeff Bates spoke to inmates at the Henderson County Detention Center in Henderson, Kentucky, recounting his own incarceration for theft to feed addictions to methadone and alcohol. Bates hoped to inspire the convicts to retool their lives once they’re released.
- Today in 2017, Garth Brooks surprised attendees at South By Southwest with an unannounced show at Austin’s Broken Spoke. The 45-minute set includes covers of “The Fightin’ Side Of Me,” “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
- Today in 2017, Loretta Lynn and B.B. King were honored with Governor’s Arts Awards at the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion in Nashville.
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