Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On August 2, 1986, George Strait was No. 1 on Billboard's country chart on this day in 1986 with "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her." In 2003, Brooks & Dunn hit No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart on this day in 2003 with "Red Dirt Road," the title song of their album. It’s also Hank Cochran’s birthday.
George Strait was No. 1 on Billboard's country chart on this day in 1986 with "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her." Writer Dean Dillon had taken his own version to No. 25 in 1980.
Hank Cochran was born in Isola, Mississippi, on this day in 1935. The songwriter gave Patsy Cline "I Fall to Pieces" and "She's Got You" and Eddy Arnold "Make the World Go Away." He died in 2010 at 74.
Bluegrass picker and producer Jeff White was born in Syracuse, New York, on this day in 1957. He has worked with Alison Krauss and Vince Gill and won a Grammy with The Earls of Leicester.
Becky Isaacs of the gospel and bluegrass family group The Isaacs was born on this day in 1975. The group was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry in 2021.
Brooks & Dunn hit No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart on this day in 2003 with "Red Dirt Road," the title song of their album.
Faith Hill put out "Fireflies," her sixth studio album, on this day in 2005. It gave fans "Mississippi Girl," "The Lucky One" and "Sunshine and Summertime."
Merle Haggard, O.C. Smith and Merrilee Rush were guests on Johnny Cash's ABC show on this night in 1969. Carl Perkins also sang on the episode.
Searchers found the plane Jim Reeves had been flying on this day in 1964, and his death was made official. Reeves and his manager Dean Manuel went down in a storm near Nashville two days earlier. Thousands of fans later lined the streets for his funeral procession.
Hank Cochran (1935) was born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1986, George Strait was No. 1 on Billboard's country chart on this day in 1986 with "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her." In 2003, Brooks & Dunn hit No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart on this day in 2003 with "Red Dirt Road," the title song of their album.
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.