Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On April 9, 1998, Nashville said goodbye to Tammy Wynette at a public memorial at the Ryman Auditorium. In 1969, Bob Dylan put out "Nashville Skyline," his country-leaning ninth studio album. Margo Smith and Hal Ketchum share this birthday.
Nashville said goodbye to Tammy Wynette at a public memorial at the Ryman Auditorium. Dolly Parton sang a song written for the day and closed with part of "I Will Always Love You." Wynonna Judd and Lorrie Morgan also sang.
Carl Perkins, the King of Rockabilly, was born in Tiptonville, Tennessee. He cut his early records at Sun in Memphis and wrote "Blue Suede Shoes," which climbed to No. 1 on the country chart. He passed away in 1998.
Margo Smith was born in Dayton, Ohio. Known as The Tennessee Yodeler, she topped the country chart twice in 1978 with "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" and "It Only Hurts for a Little While." She died in 2024 at 84.
Kay Adams was born in Knox City, Texas. She gave fans 1960s songs like "Six Days a Waiting" and "Honky Tonk Heartache." In 1965 she won Top New Female Vocalist at the very first ACM Awards.
Con Hunley was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. The singer put more than 20 songs on the country chart, among them "Weekend Friend" and "Oh Girl."
Hal Ketchum was born in Greenwich, New York. His 1991 album "Past the Point of Rescue" went gold, and he landed 17 songs on the country chart. He passed away at 67 in Fischer, Texas, in 2020.
Bob Dylan put out "Nashville Skyline," his country-leaning ninth studio album. Johnny Cash joined him on "Girl from the North Country," and the record also carried "Lay Lady Lay."
Brad Paisley released "Wheelhouse," his 10th studio album. It opened at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, his seventh album to reach the top spot.
Mae Boren Axton, called the Queen Mother of Nashville, died at 82 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. She helped write Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," his first No. 1, and was the mother of singer Hoyt Axton.
Bob Wootton, longtime lead guitarist for Johnny Cash, died at 75. He stepped into the Tennessee Three after Luther Perkins died in 1968 and played beside Cash for close to 30 years.
Margo Smith (1939), Kay Adams (1941), Con Hunley (1945) and Hal Ketchum (1953) were all born on this date.
Every entry is checked by the Country Thang Daily editors. Spot something we got wrong? Let us know and we’ll fix it and note the change.