Monday
2012 Jason Aldean’s “Fly Over States” video premieres on CMT
2011 Sara Evans’ single “A Little Bit Stronger” is certified gold
2006 Carrie Underwood’s video for “Don’t Forget To Remember Me” debuts on CMT
2005 Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw and Big & Rich snag four nominations apiece for the CMT Music Awards. Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson earn three
2002 Tim McGraw’s “The Cowboy In Me” rides to #1 on the Billboard country chart
1998 LeAnn Rimes’ debut single, “Blue,” is certified gold
1996 Garth Brooks gains a #1 single in Billboard with “The Beaches Of Cheyenne”
1991 A plane crash outside of San Diego kills eight members of Reba McEntire’s band and crew, including singer/songwriter Chris Austin, whose “Same Ol’ Love” becomes a hit for Ricky Skaggs
1951 Hank Williams records “Hey, Good Lookin’,” “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You),” “Howlin’ At The Moon” and “My Heart Would Know” in an afternoon session at Nashville’s Castle Recording Studio.Ray Benson is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He forms Asleep At The Wheel, which emerges as the strongest modern advocate for western swing. The group wins multiple Grammys but earns just one hit, “The Letter That Johnny Walker Read”
Tuesday
2013 Republic Nashville announces the signing of Cassadee Pope to a recording contract
2006 Sugarland posts a message on its website announcing Kristen Hall is leaving the trio to concentrate on songwriting
2000 Garth Brooks is named Artist of the Decade for the ’90s during the American Music Awards at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium. He also wins trophies for Favorite Male Country Artist and Favorite Country Album, for “Sevens.” Shania Twain nets two
1998 Tim McGraw begins a six-week residency at #1 on the Billboard country chart with “Just To See You Smile”
1982 Amanda Wilkinson is born in Belleville, Ontario. The Canadian singer joins father Steve and brother Tyler to form The Wilkinsons, who mesh tight harmonies in their sentimental 1998 single “26 Cents”
1981 Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love A Rainy Night” hits #1 on the Billboard country singles chart
1973 Epic releases Charlie Rich’s “Behind Closed Doors”
1971 Bob Ritchie, better known as rap-rocker Kid Rock, is born in Dearborn, Michigan. He collects a country hit with “All Summer Long” and earns awards nominations for his duet with Sheryl Crow, “Picture”
Wednesday
2013 George Strait launches the Cowboy Rides Away Tour, his last official concert trek, at the United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas, with opener Martina McBride. Strait’s set includes “Here For A Good Time,” “The Chair” and “Folsom Prison Blues”
2009 Garth Brooks sings “We Shall Be Free” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during an inaugural event for Barack Obama. Also appearing: James Taylor, Jennifer Nettles, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Sheryl Crow
2007 Dierks Bentley’s “Long Trip Alone” video has its world premiere on CMT
2006 Keith Urban’s “Be Here” album goes triple-platinum
2001 Inaugural celebrations for president George W. Bush in Washington, D.C., include performances by Lorrie Morgan, Sammy Kershaw, Lee Ann Womack and Brooks & Dunn, who sing “Only In America”
1989 Lee Greenwood sings “God Bless The U.S.A.” at the opening inaugural ceremonies for president George Bush
1986 Dan Seals’ nostalgic “Bop” goes to #1 on the Billboard country singles cha
Thursday
2012 Eric Church kicks off his first arena headlining tour in Fort Smith, Arkansas, with opening acts Brantley Gilbert, Sonia Leigh and The Cadillac Black, a band that includes “You Gonna Fly” songwriter Jaren Johnston
2011 Jason Aldean earns a gold single for “My Kinda Party”
2010 Shania Twain is featured as a guest judge on FOX-TV’s “American Idol” during the season’s third episode
2005 On the eve of George W. Bush’s inauguration, Lee Greenwood, Kenny Chesney, The Gatlins, Sara Evans, Clay Walker, Lyle Lovett, Asleep At The Wheel, Robert Earl Keen, The Derailers and Neal McCoy perform at related events in Washington, D.C.
1993 Kenny Rogers and Trisha Yearwood perform in “The Presidential Inaugural Gala” a day before Bill Clinton takes office. Others on the bill include Fleetwood Mac, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Chuck Berry and Elton John
1990 Reba McEntire’s first movie, the sci-fi picture “Tremors,” debuts, with Kevin Bacon in the leading role
1974 Tom T. Hall reaches #1 on the Billboard country singles list with his own list of favorite things, “I Love”
1963 Black gold, Texas tea and Flatt & Scruggs: “The Ballad Of Jed Clampett” goes to #1 on the Billboard country singles chart
1946 Dolly Parton is born in Sevier County, Tennessee. First gaining attention as a duet partner with Porter Wagoner, she melds a big personality with talents in performing, writing and acting on her way into in the Country Music Hall of Fame
Friday
2013 The Zac Brown Band performs “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The San Francisco 49ers advance to the Super Bowl with a 28-24 win against the Falcons
2009 Faith Hill performs “If My Heart Had Wings” at the Washington Convention Center during ABC’s “The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration.” Also appearing: Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Sting, Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder
2005 Keith Urban and John Fogerty tape an episode of “CMT Crossroads” together at Union Station in Los Angeles. In addition to Urban’s hits “You’ll Think Of Me,” “Somebody Like You” and “Days Go By,” they work up a version of “Blue Suede Shoes”
2001 Sara Evans soars to #1 in Billboard with “Born To Fly”
1997 Billy Ray Cyrus, Lonestar, Trisha Yearwood and Kim Richey are among the performers at Bill Clinton’s inaugural celebration, which includes 14 different receptions. Vice president Al Gore and wife Tipper dance to the “Tennessee Waltz”
1995 he “Wynonna” album is certified quadruple-platinum
1998 Country stars appear en masse for the George Bush inauguration. Performing for the occasion are: The Oak Ridge Boys, Crystal Gayle, Moe Bandy, Steve Wariner, Lee Greenwood, Randy Travis and Loretta Lynn
1985 Brantley Gilbert is born in Jefferson, Georgia. He earns his first hit, “Country Must Be Country Wide,” in 2011, following with “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” “Bottoms Up” and “More Than Miles.” Gilbert also writes Jason Aldean’s hits “My Kinda Party” and “Dirt Road Anthem”
1973 Jerry Lee Lewis makes his Grand Ole Opry debut, breaking two promises: he won’t sing rock & roll, and won’t swear. The set list includes “Another Place, Another Time,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Great Balls Of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On”
1968 Merle Haggard goes to #1 on the Billboard country chart with “Sing Me Back Home”
1965 John Michael Montgomery is born in Danville, Kentucky. His hits “I Love The Way You Love Me,” “I Swear” and “I Can Love You Like That” make him one of the top balladeers of the 1990s
Saturday
2013 Brad Paisley performs “American Saturday Night” during an inaugural concert for president Barack Obama at the Washington Convention Center. Also in the lineup: Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder and Jamie Foxx, who sings “I Can’t Stop Loving You”
2006 Carrie Underwood parks herself at #1 in Billboard for the first of six weeks with “Jesus, Take The Wheel”
2000 Drummer Brian Prout returns to live work with Diamond Rio at Sam’s Town in Robinsville, Mississippi, 10 weeks after surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome
1996 Wynonna Judd marries Arch Kelley at the Christ Church in Nashville, then holds the reception at her mother’s Trilogy restaurant
1989 Rodney Crowell’s “She’s Crazy For Leaving,” co-written with Guy Clark, reaches #1 on the Billboard country singles chart
1987 Dwight Yoakam picks up his first gold album, for “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.”
1985 “Wanted: The Outlaws,” featuring Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, is certified double-platinum, along with the “Waylon & Willie” album. Jennings’ “Greatest Hits” is recognized for shipments of three million copies
1947 Guitarist Jimmy Ibbotson is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1969, he joins The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. After its pop forays, the group strings together more than 15 country hits in the 1980s and records three “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” albums
1942 Mac Davis is born in Lubbock, Texas. After writing the Elvis Presley hits “In The Ghetto” and “Don’t Cry Daddy,” he becomes an actor, TV host and recording artist. His biggest country hits include “It’s Hard To Be Humble” and the autobiographical “Texas In My Rear View Mirror”
Sunday
2013 Capitol releases Lady Antebellum’s “Downtown” to radio
2012 Brad Paisley performs “Camouflage” in a short halftime set during an NFL playoff game at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. The New York Giants defeat the 49ers in the game, 20-17
2005 Darryl Worley’s “Awful, Beautiful Life” leads him to the top spot on the Billboard country singles chart
2001 Kenny Chesney’s “Greatest Hits” album is certified gold and platinum simultaneously
1994 Hal Ketchum joins the Grand Ole Opry
1991 RCA releases Aaron Tippin’s first album, “You’ve Got To Stand For Something”
1990 For the third straight year, Randy Travis leads country winners at the American Music Awards with a trio of trophies, including Favorite Country Single, for “Deeper Than The Holler.” Other country victors: Reba McEntire, Alabama and Clint Black
1969 Glen Campbell nets the first gold single of his career, for “Wichita Lineman”
1952 Alabama bass player Teddy Gentry is born in Fort Payne, Alabama. The band mixes country with southern rock in becoming the hottest country act of the 1980s, eventually entering the Country Music Hall of Fame
1949 Exile lead vocalist J.P. Pennington is born in Berea, Kentucky. Founded in 1963, Exile becomes one of country’s top groups during the 1980s, with Pennington and bass player Sonny Lemaire co-writing the bulk of the band’s hook-filled hits
