Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On February 13, 2011, Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" won Record and Song of the Year at the 53rd Grammy Awards. In 2012, Mel Tillis received the National Medal of Arts for his work in country music. Jim McReynolds and Tennessee Ernie Ford share this birthday.
Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" won Record and Song of the Year at the 53rd Grammy Awards. Miranda Lambert won her first Grammy that night, for "The House That Built Me."
Tennessee Ernie Ford was born in the Bristol, Tennessee, area. His 1955 version of Merle Travis' "Sixteen Tons" became a classic, and he joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990.
Boudleaux Bryant was born in Shellman, Georgia. With his wife, Felice, he wrote Everly Brothers hits like "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up Little Susie." He wrote "All I Have to Do Is Dream" on his own.
Source: countrymusichalloffame.orgJim McReynolds was born in Carfax, Virginia. He and his brother Jesse played bluegrass as Jim & Jesse and joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1964. Their 1967 single "Diesel on My Tail" reached No. 18 on the country chart.
Ian Fitchuk was born in Chicago, Illinois. The songwriter and producer helped make Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour, which won Album of the Year at both the CMA Awards and the Grammys.
Lynn Anderson's Rose Garden album reached No. 1 on Billboard's country album chart. It stayed on top for 12 straight weeks, a record for a female singer until Reba McEntire's Sweet Sixteen in 1989.
Earl Scruggs received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That same year, CMT ranked the banjo great and his partner Lester Flatt No. 24 on its 40 Greatest Men of Country Music.
Gretchen Wilson won Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Redneck Woman" at the 47th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Mel Tillis received the National Medal of Arts for his work in country music. The Florida-born singer had No. 1 hits like "I Ain't Never," "Good Woman Blues" and "Coca-Cola Cowboy."
Hank Williams cut "My Love for You (Has Turned to Hate)" in Nashville, with Fred Rose producing. Sterling Records put it out as a single that April.
Alabama released "If I Had You," the second single from Southern Star. It climbed to No. 1 on the country chart and became the band's 25th chart-topper.
Waylon Jennings died in his sleep at his home in Chandler, Arizona, at 64, after a long fight with diabetes. He once played bass for Buddy Holly, narrated The Dukes of Hazzard and sang with The Highwaymen.
Tennessee Ernie Ford (1919), Boudleaux Bryant (1920), Jim McReynolds (1927) and Ian Fitchuk (1982) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1971, Lynn Anderson's Rose Garden album reached No. 1 on Billboard's country album chart.
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.