Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On August 20, 1982, Alabama put out "Close Enough to Perfect," the third single from Mountain Music. In 2008, Singer-songwriter Will Hoge was badly hurt in a traffic crash in East Nashville while heading home from a studio session. It’s also Aaron Watson’s birthday.
Alabama put out "Close Enough to Perfect," the third single from Mountain Music. The love song climbed to No. 1 on the country chart that fall, giving the band its eighth chart-topper.
Jim Reeves, the smooth-voiced singer fans called "Gentleman Jim," was born in Galloway, Texas. He became a leading voice of the Nashville Sound before he died in a plane crash in 1964 at 40. He is in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Steel guitar great "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow was born in South Bend, Indiana. He played in the early Flying Burrito Brothers with Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, and his steel can also be heard on records by John Lennon and Joni Mitchell. He died in 2007 at 72.
Justin Tubb, eldest son of Ernest Tubb, was born in San Antonio, Texas. He joined the Grand Ole Opry at 20 and wrote hits for others, including "Lonesome 7-7203" for Hawkshaw Hawkins. He also had duet hits with Goldie Hill.
Aaron Watson was born in Amarillo, Texas. In 2015 his album The Underdog opened at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, a first for an independent male artist who put out the record on his own.
Singer-songwriter Will Hoge was badly hurt in a traffic crash in East Nashville while heading home from a studio session. He spent months healing and later finished the album The Wreckage, released in 2009.
Capitol Records producer Lee Gillette died at 68. After World War II he signed and recorded many of the label's country stars, including Tex Ritter, Merle Travis, Jimmy Wakely and Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Justin Townes Earle, son of Steve Earle, died in Nashville at 38. He won Americana Music Awards for Emerging Artist in 2009 and Song of the Year in 2011 for "Harlem River Blues."
Tom T. Hall, known as "The Storyteller," died at his home in Franklin, Tennessee, at 85. He wrote 12 No. 1 songs, including "Harper Valley PTA" for Jeannie C. Riley, and was voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
Aaron Watson (1977) was 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.