THE BIG MOMENT2003
Ricky Skaggs picked up five Grammy nominations
Ricky Skaggs picked up five Grammy nominations. A few months later he and Kentucky Thunder won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "A Simple Life."
On This Day in Country Music: December 4
Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
What happened on December 4 in country music history?
On December 4, 2003, Ricky Skaggs picked up five Grammy nominations. In 2010, Merle Haggard received his Kennedy Center Honors medallion at a State Department dinner in Washington, D.C. The honor salutes a lifetime of work that shaped American culture. It’s also Chris Hillman’s birthday.
Country Stars Born on December 4
1944
Chris Hillman
Chris Hillman was born in Los Angeles. He played bass in the original Byrds, started the Flying Burrito Brothers with Gram Parsons, and later led the Desert Rose Band, which hit No. 1 with "He's Back and I'm Blue."
1984
Jason Bradley DeFord
Jason Bradley DeFord, known to fans as Jelly Roll, was born in Antioch, Tennessee. "Son of a Sinner" made him a star, and in 2023 he took home the CMA New Artist of the Year award and earned a Grammy nod for Best New Artist.
Big Awards Nights
2010
Merle Haggard received his Kennedy Center Honors medallion at a State Department dinner in Washington, D.C. The honor salutes a lifetime of work that shaped American culture.
Source: the-paulmccartney-project.comNew Music on This Date
1944
Eddy Arnold stepped into the WSM studio in Nashville for his first recording session. One song cut that day, "Each Minute Seems a Million Years," climbed to No. 5 in 1945 and became the first of his many hits.
2012
Johnny Cash fans got a big gift as Columbia and Legacy put out The Complete Columbia Album Collection. The box holds 63 CDs, with 59 of his Columbia albums plus bonus discs that reach back to his Sun Records days.
Concerts and Shows
1991
The Judds played the last show of their farewell tour at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Naomi stepped away because of hepatitis C, and Wynonna went on to a solo career.
On TV and the Big Screen
1982
B.J. Thomas was the guest on The Glen Campbell Music Show. He sang "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," and he and Glen teamed up on "Hang On Baby (Ease My Mind)" and "Amazing Grace."
Love, Family and Life Events
1971
George Strait married Norma Voss, his high school sweetheart, in Mexico. That same year he joined the U.S. Army and was later stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division.
More Moments to Remember
1956
Elvis Presley stopped by Sun Studio in Memphis while Carl Perkins was recording, and Jerry Lee Lewis sat in on piano. Johnny Cash was there too. A Memphis newspaper photo of the four gave the jam its famous name, the Million Dollar Quartet.
Remembering the Ones We Lost
2021
Grand Ole Opry star Stonewall Jackson died in Nashville at 89. He first broke through in 1958 with "Life to Go," a song penned by a young George Jones that went to No. 2.
Quick Answers
Which country singers were born on December 4?
Chris Hillman (1944) was born on this date.
This Week in Country Music History
December 12018: Luke Combs climbed back to No. 1 on the country albums chart with This One's for You.December 22009: Taylor Swift landed a stack of nominations for the 52nd Grammy Awards.December 32023: Garth Brooks surprised Scotty McCreery during the Opry Country Christmas Show by inviti…December 52010: Merle Haggard was saluted at the Kennedy Center Honors gala in Washington, D.C. Willie…December 61988: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band started recording Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two.December 72006: The Dixie Chicks earned five Grammy nominations, more than any other country act that y…
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