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On This Day in Country Music: April 22

Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.

What happened on April 22 in country music history?

On April 22, 1998, At the 33rd ACM Awards, George Strait and Trisha Yearwood took the top vocalist awards and Kenny Chesney was named Top New Male Vocalist. In 2007, Emmylou Harris, Wynonna Judd, John Hiatt and The Crickets got stars on Nashville's Music City Walk of Fame. Glen Campbell and Kellie Coffey share this birthday.

THE BIG MOMENT1998

At the 33rd ACM Awards, George Strait and Trisha Yearwood took the top vocalist awards and Kenny Chesney was named Top New Male Vocalist

At the 33rd ACM Awards, George Strait and Trisha Yearwood took the top vocalist awards and Kenny Chesney was named Top New Male Vocalist. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's "It's Your Love" won Single and Video of the Year, and Charlie Daniels got the Pioneer Award.

Country Stars Born on April 22

1935

W.S. "Fluke" Holland

W.S. "Fluke" Holland was born in Saltillo, Tennessee. He played drums on Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" and spent decades behind Johnny Cash in the Tennessee Three. He died in 2020 at 85.

1936

Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell was born near Delight in Pike County, Arkansas. He gave us "Wichita Lineman," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Rhinestone Cowboy," and once toured with the Beach Boys. He died in 2017 at 81.

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1940

Ray Griff

Songwriter Ray Griff was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He penned "Canadian Pacific" for George Hamilton IV and "Who's Gonna Play This Old Piano" for Jerry Lee Lewis. Griff died in 2016 at 75.

1971

Kellie Coffey

Kellie Coffey was born in Moore, Oklahoma. Her first single, "When You Lie Next to Me," made the country Top 10, and she won the ACM's Top New Female Vocalist award in 2003.

Big Awards Nights

2007

Emmylou Harris, Wynonna Judd, John Hiatt and The Crickets got stars on Nashville's Music City Walk of Fame. Michael W. Smith and longtime BMI leader Frances Preston were honored in the same ceremony.

Source: bmi.com

On TV and the Big Screen

2011

Pistol Annies made their TV debut singing "Hell on Heels" on the CBS special Girls' Night Out: Superstar Women of Country. The trio of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley put out their first album that August.

Source: acmliftinglives.org

Remembering the Ones We Lost

2003

Songwriter Felice Bryant died at 77 after a battle with cancer. With her husband Boudleaux, she wrote "Rocky Top" and Everly Brothers hits like "Bye Bye Love" and "All I Have to Do Is Dream."

Quick Answers

Which country singers were born on April 22?

Glen Campbell (1936) and Kellie Coffey (1971) were all born on this date.

This Week in Country Music History

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