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On This Day in Country Music: April 5

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

What happened on April 5 in country music history?

On April 5, 2009, Carrie Underwood won Entertainer of the Year and Top Female Vocalist at the 44th ACM Awards in Las Vegas. In 2005, the Library of Congress added 50 recordings to its National Recording Registry. Troy Gentry and Cowboy Jack Clement share this birthday.

THE BIG MOMENT2009

Carrie Underwood won Entertainer of the Year and Top Female Vocalist at the 44th ACM Awards in Las Vegas

Carrie Underwood won Entertainer of the Year and Top Female Vocalist at the 44th ACM Awards in Las Vegas. Brad Paisley took Top Male Vocalist, and Taylor Swift's Fearless was named Album of the Year.

Country Stars Born on April 5

1931

Jack Clement

Cowboy Jack Clement was born in Memphis, Tennessee. At Sun Records he worked with Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, and he first recorded Jerry Lee Lewis. He wrote Cash's hit "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" and died in Nashville in 2013.

1940

Tommy Cash

Tommy Cash, Johnny Cash's younger brother, was born in Dyess, Arkansas. He spun records on Armed Forces Radio during his Army days, then built his own country career. He died in 2024 at 84.

1967

Troy Gentry

Troy Gentry was born in Lexington, Kentucky. With Eddie Montgomery he formed Montgomery Gentry, who earned three platinum albums and joined the Grand Ole Opry in 2009. He died in 2017 in a helicopter crash in Medford, New Jersey.

1972

Pat Green

Pat Green was born in San Antonio, Texas. The Texas country favorite reached No. 3 in 2003 with "Wave on Wave," the title song of his gold album.

No. 1 Songs on This Date

1972

Freddie Hart and the Heartbeats were No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart with "My Hang-Up Is You." The song held the top spot for six weeks, the longest run of any No. 1 that year.

2000

Toby Keith was No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart with "How Do You Like Me Now?!" The song stayed on top for five weeks in a row, from mid-March to mid-April.

Big Awards Nights

2005

The Library of Congress added 50 recordings to its National Recording Registry. Country classics on the list included Jimmie Rodgers' "Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)," Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues" and Flatt & Scruggs' "Foggy Mountain Breakdown."

Source: cool.culturalheritage.org

New Music on This Date

2019

Brooks & Dunn released Reboot, their 12th studio album. They recorded 12 of their earlier hits again, each with a guest like Luke Combs, Kacey Musgraves or Kane Brown. It went to No. 1 on the country albums chart.

Quick Answers

Which country singers were born on April 5?

Cowboy Jack Clement (1931), Troy Gentry (1967) and Pat Green (1972) were all born on this date.

What was the No. 1 country song on this date?

It depends on the year. In 1972, Freddie Hart and the Heartbeats were No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart with "My Hang-Up Is You." In 2000, Toby Keith was No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart with "How Do You Like Me Now?!"

This Week in Country Music History

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