Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On February 28, 1976, Willie Nelson won a Grammy for "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," and Linda Ronstadt won for "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)." In 1996, Vince Gill won a Grammy for "Go Rest High on That Mountain," his moving song of loss. It’s also Jason Aldean’s birthday.
Willie Nelson won a Grammy for "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," and Linda Ronstadt won for "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)." Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge also won for "Lover Please."
Audrey Williams, wife of Hank Williams, was born in Pike County, Alabama. She met Hank in 1943, and the two were married in December 1944 near Andalusia. She died in 1975 at 52.
Don Helms, steel guitar player for Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys, was born in New Brockton, Alabama. He played on more than 100 of Hank's songs and later on hits like Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight." He died in 2008.
Songwriter and guitarist Joe South was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He wrote "Rose Garden," a big hit for Lynn Anderson, and scored his own hit with "Games People Play" in 1969. He died in 2012 at 72.
Jason Aldean was born in Macon, Georgia. He went on to become one of country's biggest hitmakers with songs like "Big Green Tractor" and "Dirt Road Anthem."
Eddie Rabbitt's "I Love a Rainy Night" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, after also topping the country chart. Rabbitt had earlier written "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley.
Garth Brooks was No. 1 on the country chart with "What She's Doing Now," which he wrote with Pat Alger. The third single from Ropin' the Wind stayed on top for four weeks.
Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally were No. 1 with "Down the Road." McAnally first cut the song in 1990, and his duet with Chesney gave him his first No. 1 country hit.
Lee Greenwood won a Grammy for "I.O.U." at the ceremony in Los Angeles. Anne Murray took the female country award for "A Little Good News."
Vince Gill won a Grammy for "Go Rest High on That Mountain," his moving song of loss. Alison Krauss won the female country award for "Baby, Now That I've Found You."
Patsy Cline made her last TV appearance on The Glenn Reeves Show, singing "San Antonio Rose" and "I Fall to Pieces." She was killed in a plane crash just five days later.
Source: lpm.orgJason Aldean (1977) was born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1992, Garth Brooks was No. 1 on the country chart with "What She's Doing Now," which he wrote with Pat Alger. In 2009, Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally were No. 1 with "Down the Road."
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.