Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On April 30, 1981, the 16th Academy of Country Music Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In 1977, Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Johnny Horton and Terry Gregory share this birthday.
The 16th Academy of Country Music Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Dolly Parton and George Jones took the top vocalist awards, Alabama won Top Vocal Group, and Terri Gibbs and Johnny Lee were the top newcomers.
Johnny Horton was born in Los Angeles. He was known for his story songs about history, and "The Battle of New Orleans" won him a Grammy in 1960. He died that November after a car wreck near Milano, Texas.
Terry Gregory was born in Washington, D.C. Her 1981 debut album, Just Like Me, came out on Handshake Records, and the title song made the top 20 on the country chart.
Carolyn Dawn Johnson was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Before her own hits, she co-wrote Chely Wright's "Single White Female," a No. 1 country song in 1999.
Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Written by Allen Toussaint, it was Campbell's second and last pop chart-topper.
Capitol Nashville released Garth Brooks' "The Dance." Written by Tony Arata, it spent three weeks at No. 1 and won ACM awards for Song and Video of the Year.
Garth Brooks played for more than 102,000 fans at LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. When he sang "Callin' Baton Rouge," the crowd shook the ground enough to register as a small earthquake.
USA Network announced Real Country, a talent show to find country music's next star. Shania Twain, Jake Owen and Travis Tritt served as judges.
Source: tvinsider.comBillboard changed the name of its main country chart to Hot Country Songs. It had been known as Hot Country Singles & Tracks.
Canadian director Steven Goldmann died at 53. His video for Faith Hill's "This Kiss" won Video of the Year from both the CMA and the ACM, and he directed the Toby Keith film Broken Bridges.
Naomi Judd died at 76 at her home in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, she and daughter Wynonna made up The Judds, one of country's most loved duos and winners of five Grammys.
Johnny Horton (1925), Terry Gregory (1956) and Carolyn Dawn Johnson (1971) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1977, Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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