Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On December 7, 2006, the Dixie Chicks earned five Grammy nominations, more than any other country act that year. In 2008, George Jones received the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., one of the nation's top awards for a lifetime in the arts. Bobby Osborne and Gary Morris share this birthday.
The Dixie Chicks earned five Grammy nominations, more than any other country act that year. Alan Jackson was nominated in three categories, and newcomer Carrie Underwood was up for Best New Artist.
Bobby Osborne was born in Thousandsticks, Kentucky. He and his brother Sonny formed the Osborne Brothers, whose "Rocky Top" became a Tennessee state song. The bluegrass great joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1964 and died in 2023 at 91.
Gary Morris was born in Fort Worth, Texas. The big-voiced singer recorded "The Wind Beneath My Wings" in 1983 and went on to earn five No. 1 country hits.
Ron Hynes was born in St. John's, Newfoundland. The Canadian songwriter is best remembered for "Sonny's Dream." He died in 2015 at 64.
Session drummer Carlos Vega was born in Cuba and raised in Los Angeles. He played on records by Vince Gill, Kenny Rogers, Olivia Newton-John and Linda Ronstadt, and toured and recorded with James Taylor for 13 years.
Singer Dawn Sears was born on this day. She sang harmony in Vince Gill's band for years and made four solo albums of her own. She died in 2014 at 53.
Sunny Sweeney was born in Longview, Texas. Her song "From a Table Away" became her first single to make the Billboard country chart in 2010.
Reba McEntire hit No. 1 on the Billboard country singles chart with "For My Broken Heart." The title song of her album stayed on top for two weeks. It was first planned as a duet with Clint Black.
Shania Twain's album Up! entered Billboard's Top Country Albums chart at No. 1. It also opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after selling 874,000 copies in its first week.
George Jones received the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., one of the nation's top awards for a lifetime in the arts. He was honored alongside Barbra Streisand, Morgan Freeman and The Who.
Source: georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.govThe Dixie Chicks released "You Were Mine" as the fourth single from Wide Open Spaces. It went on to spend two weeks at No. 1 on the country chart in March 1999.
Patsy Cline sang "Got a Lot of Rhythm in My Soul" and "Lovesick Blues" on ABC's Jubilee USA, the show first called Ozark Jubilee. She also sang duets with Ferlin Husky and host Red Foley.
Songwriter Don Pfrimmer died at 78. He wrote more than 450 songs, including Diamond Rio's "Meet in the Middle" and Ronnie Milsap's "She Keeps the Home Fires Burning."
Source: savingcountrymusic.comBobby Osborne (1931), Gary Morris (1948), Ron Hynes (1950) and Sunny Sweeney (1976) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1991, Reba McEntire hit No. 1 on the Billboard country singles chart with "For My Broken Heart." In 2002, Shania Twain's album Up! entered Billboard's Top Country Albums chart at No. 1.
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