Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On February 24, 1982, Dolly Parton won two Grammys for "9 to 5" at the 24th Grammy Awards, for best female country vocal and best country song. In 1987, Reba McEntire took home a Grammy for "Whoever's in New England" at the 29th Grammy Awards. Chris Austin and Larry Willoughby share this birthday.
Dolly Parton won two Grammys for "9 to 5" at the 24th Grammy Awards, for best female country vocal and best country song. Ronnie Milsap won the male award for "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me," and The Oak Ridge Boys won for "Elvira."
Larry Willoughby was born in Sherman, Texas. A singer who later became a Capitol Records executive, he cut "Building Bridges," which Brooks & Dunn took to No. 4 in 2006. He died in 2021 at 70.
Sammy Kershaw was born in Kaplan, Louisiana. The Cajun country singer put more than 25 songs in the country Top 40, and "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" became his only No. 1 in 1993.
Chris Austin was born in Boone, North Carolina. He played guitar and fiddle on the road for Ricky Skaggs and later Reba McEntire. He was one of eight members of Reba's team lost in a 1991 plane crash near San Diego. He was 27.
The 12th Academy of Country Music Awards were handed out with Pat Boone, Patti Page and Jerry Reed as hosts. Crystal Gayle and Mickey Gilley took the top vocalist awards. Billie Jo Spears and Moe Bandy were named most promising newcomers.
Reba McEntire took home a Grammy for "Whoever's in New England" at the 29th Grammy Awards. Songwriter Jamie O'Hara also won best country song for "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)," the hit by The Judds.
Mary Chapin Carpenter won a Grammy for "I Feel Lucky" at the 35th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Vince Gill took the male country vocal award for "I Still Believe in You."
Shania Twain won a Grammy for "You're Still the One" at the 41st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Vince Gill won again for "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind." The Dixie Chicks took two awards, including best country album for Wide Open Spaces.
Johnny Cash taped a live show for the inmates at San Quentin State Prison. The album that came from it, At San Quentin, gave fans "A Boy Named Sue." The crowd loved his song "San Quentin" so much that he sang it twice.
Glen Campbell's "Galveston" came out on Capitol Records. Jimmy Webb wrote the song, and it climbed to No. 1 on the country chart and No. 4 on the pop chart. CMT later named it one of the 10 greatest country songs.
Brooks & Dunn put out "Neon Moon," the third single from their debut album Brand New Man. It went all the way to No. 1, giving the duo three chart-toppers in a row.
John Denver made a guest appearance on the TV series McCloud, starring Dennis Weaver. The episode, called "The Colorado Cattle Caper," also featured Claude Akins and Farrah Fawcett.
Webb Pierce died in Nashville at 69 after a long fight with cancer. No country singer had more No. 1 hits in the 1950s. His "In the Jailhouse Now" spent 21 weeks at the top in 1955.
Goldie Hill died in Nashville at 72 after a battle with cancer. Her song "I Let the Stars Get in My Eyes" went to No. 1, making her one of the first women to top the country chart.
Don Markham died at 85. The horn man played sax and trumpet in Merle Haggard's band, The Strangers, for about 40 years. Haggard counted him among his closest friends, and he was a part of the Bakersfield music scene for decades.
Source: savingcountrymusic.comMac Wiseman died in Nashville at 93. The bluegrass singer played with Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe, made many records for Dot, and helped start the Country Music Association. He entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
Larry Willoughby (1950), Sammy Kershaw (1958) and Chris Austin (1964) were all 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.