Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On February 3, 2009, Darius Rucker earned a gold certification from the RIAA for "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," his first country single. In 1972, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs was the No. 1 country album. It’s also Jessica Harp’s birthday.
Darius Rucker earned a gold certification from the RIAA for "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," his first country single. The song had already made history by reaching No. 1, making him the first Black solo artist to top the country chart since Charley Pride in 1983.
Songwriter and singer Matraca Berg was born in Nashville, Tennessee. She has penned hits for Trisha Yearwood, Deana Carter and Patty Loveless, and she entered the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008.
Jessica Harp was born in Kansas City, Missouri. As half of The Wreckers with Michelle Branch, she took "Leave the Pieces" to No. 1 in 2006, and the song earned a Grammy nomination.
Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs was the No. 1 country album. Featuring "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'," it ruled the chart for 16 weeks and won Charley the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male.
Clint Black logged a third straight week at No. 1 with "Nobody's Home." Billboard later named it the top country song of 1990.
The Dixie Chicks led the country albums chart with Fly. The album sent eight singles to radio, including "Cowboy Take Me Away," and won the Grammy for Best Country Album.
Cody Johnson held the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart with Ain't Nothin' to It. The record was his seventh studio album and his first with Warner Music Nashville, and it opened at the top in its first week.
Dolly Parton released her third studio album, In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad). The title song was its only single and peaked at No. 25 on the country chart.
Garth Brooks released "Papa Loved Mama" on Liberty Records. Taken from his album Ropin' the Wind, it climbed to No. 3 on the country chart.
TJ Osborne of Brothers Osborne told the world he is gay, making him the first openly gay artist on a major country label. He later sang "Younger Me," a song born from that journey, which won the duo a Grammy.
J.P. Richardson, known as the Big Bopper, died in a plane crash in Iowa with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. Best known for "Chantilly Lace," he also wrote "White Lightning," George Jones' first No. 1 country hit.
Songwriter Jim Weatherly died at 77 at his home in Brentwood, Tennessee. The Mississippi native wrote "Midnight Train to Georgia," a No. 1 hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips, and had his own hit with "The Need to Be."
Jessica Harp (1982) was born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1972, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs was the No. 1 country album. In 1990, Clint Black logged a third straight week at No. 1 with "Nobody's Home."
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.