Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On February 4, 1943, Jimmy Johnson, the session guitarist and producer, was born in Sheffield, Alabama. In 1974, Dolly Parton released Jolene, her 13th solo studio album. It’s also Clint Black’s birthday.
Jimmy Johnson, the session guitarist and producer, was born in Sheffield, Alabama. A key player in the Muscle Shoals sound, he backed artists like the Oak Ridge Boys, Ronnie Milsap and Willie Nelson. He died in 2019 at 76.
Clint Black was born in Long Branch, New Jersey. His first album, Killin' Time, launched him with a string of No. 1 hits. He also tried acting, with a small part in the 1994 movie Maverick.
Randy Travis sat at No. 1 on the country album chart with Old 8x10. It held the top spot for eight straight weeks. Three of its singles, "Honky Tonk Moon," "Deeper Than the Holler" and "Is It Still Over," went to No. 1.
Shania Twain's Greatest Hits was the No. 1 album on Billboard's country chart. The collection pulled songs from The Woman in Me, Come On Over and Up!
Taylor Swift held No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart with Red. It was the album's last week on top before Gary Allan's Set You Free took over.
LANCO reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart with its first album, Hallelujah Nights. The record carried the hits "Long Live Tonight," "Greatest Love Story" and "Born to Love You."
Source: billboard.comPorter Wagoner put out his first studio album, Satisfied Mind, on RCA Victor. It gathered his earlier singles, including "A Satisfied Mind," which went all the way to No. 1 on the country chart in 1955.
Patsy Cline began what turned out to be her final recording sessions. Over four days she cut 12 songs. The first day included "Faded Love" and "Love Letters in the Sand."
Source: adp.library.ucsb.eduDolly Parton released Jolene, her 13th solo studio album. The title song became her second solo No. 1 country hit. The album also held "I Will Always Love You," which she wrote as she parted ways with Porter Wagoner's show.
Alabama released "Down Home" as the fourth single from Pass It On Down. The song climbed to No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart that April.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill said they would hit the road again that summer with Soul2Soul 2007. The married couple planned to reach cities they missed in 2006 and kept the dates mostly in summer for their school-age kids.
Source: countrystandardtime.comKenneth "Jethro" Burns died at 68 at his home in Evanston, Illinois. A gifted mandolin player, he spent decades making folks laugh as half of Homer and Jethro with partner Henry Haynes.
Kerry Chater died at 76 in Nashville. The Canadian bassist played with Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. He later co-wrote "I.O.U." with Austin Roberts, a Lee Greenwood hit that earned a Grammy nod for Best Country Song.
Clint Black (1962) was born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1989, Randy Travis sat at No. 1 on the country album chart with Old 8x10. In 2005, Shania Twain's Greatest Hits was the No. 1 album on Billboard's country 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.