Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On December 18, 1978, Waylon Jennings held the top spot on the country albums chart with I've Always Been Crazy. In 1982, Jerry Reed dropped by The Glen Campbell Music Show. Randy Houser and James Carter share this birthday.
Waylon Jennings held the top spot on the country albums chart with I've Always Been Crazy. The album stayed at No. 1 for the last eight weeks of 1978, and its title song was a hit too.
James Carter was born in Mississippi. Folk collector Alan Lomax recorded him singing "Po' Lazarus" in 1959, and that old recording opened the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack decades later. Carter died in 2003 at 77.
Hugh Wright, drummer and co-founder of Boy Howdy, was born in Des Moines, Iowa. The band put seven singles on the country charts in the 1990s. Wright died in 2015 at 63.
Cledus T. Judd, the funny man of country music, was born in Cartersville, Georgia. He made his name spoofing country hits. His best chart showing was "I Love NASCAR," a take on Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar" that reached No. 48.
Cowboy Troy was born in Victoria, Texas. He blended country and rap and ran with the MuzikMafia crowd led by John Rich of Big & Rich. His 2005 album Loco Motive reached No. 2 on the country albums chart.
Randy Houser was born in Lake, Mississippi. He scored two No. 1 hits in 2013 with "How Country Feels" and "Runnin' Outta Moonlight." He also helped write Trace Adkins' "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" and Justin Moore's "Back That Thing Up."
Jerry Reed dropped by The Glen Campbell Music Show. The two guitar pickers played "Amos Moses" and "Mule Skinner Blues" together, and Reed also did "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)."
Reba McEntire earned a Golden Globe nomination for best actress in a TV comedy or musical for her sitcom Reba. She was up against Sarah Jessica Parker and Debra Messing, and Parker took home the award.
Songwriter Larry Henley died in Nashville at 77. He co-wrote "Wind Beneath My Wings" and gave country fans No. 1 hits like Tammy Wynette's "'Til I Get It Right" and Randy Travis' "Is It Still Over?"
Gordie Tapp, the Canadian funny man fans knew from Hee Haw, died at 94. He played characters like Cousin Clem and also wrote for the show. He entered the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990.
James Carter (1925), Cowboy Troy (1970) and Randy Houser (1975) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1978, Waylon Jennings held the top spot on the country albums chart with I've Always Been Crazy.
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.