Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On February 9, 1980, the Oak Ridge Boys hit No. 1 on the Billboard country chart with "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight." In 1959, George Jones put out "White Lightning" on Mercury Records. Wayne Moss and Travis Tritt share this birthday.
The Oak Ridge Boys hit No. 1 on the Billboard country chart with "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight." Rodney Crowell co-wrote the song, and Emmylou Harris first cut it on her 1978 album Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town.
Ernest Tubb, the Texas Troubadour, was born near Crisp, Texas. His best-known song is the 1941 hit "Walking the Floor Over You." He died in 1984.
Stompin' Tom Connors was born in Saint John, New Brunswick. The Canadian country and folk favorite wrote more than 300 songs and put out about four dozen albums. He died at 77 in 2013.
Wayne Moss was born in South Charleston, West Virginia. The Nashville session guitarist and bassist played on records by Lefty Frizzell, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride and many more.
Barry Mann was born in Brooklyn, New York. With his wife and writing partner Cynthia Weil, he wrote "Here You Come Again," which Dolly Parton turned into a big hit in 1977.
Songwriter Red Lane was born in Zona, Louisiana. His songs include "'Til I Get It Right" for Tammy Wynette, "My Own Kind of Hat" for Merle Haggard and "Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa" for George Strait. He died in Nashville in 2015 at 76.
Travis Tritt was born in Marietta, Georgia. He scored five No. 1 country hits, from "Help Me Hold On" to "Best of Intentions," and won two Grammys with his buddy Marty Stuart, including one for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'."
Marcel Chagnon, known simply as Marcel, was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He released his debut album You, Me and the Windshield in 2003 and wrote songs for Josh Gracin, Trace Adkins and his wife, Jessica Andrews.
Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It went on to become the longest-running Hot 100 No. 1 by a female country artist ever.
George Jones put out "White Lightning" on Mercury Records. That April it became his first No. 1 country hit. The session reportedly ran about 80 takes, but the first take was the one released.
Bill McElhiney died at 86. The Nashville arranger and trumpet player helped create the famous horn part on Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." He also arranged for Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and Dolly Parton.
Richie Albright, the longtime drummer for Waylon Jennings, died at 81. He played with Waylon for decades and helped shape the driving outlaw sound fans still love. Later he backed Shooter Jennings.
Source: savingcountrymusic.comStompin' Tom Connors (1936), Wayne Moss (1938), Barry Mann (1939) and Travis Tritt (1963) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1980, The Oak Ridge Boys hit No. 1 on the Billboard country chart with "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight." In 2026, Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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