Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On January 27, 1937, Buddy Emmons was born in Mishawaka, Indiana. In 2004, Two songs Alison Krauss sang in the film Cold Mountain earned Oscar nominations. Buddy Emmons and Bailey Zimmerman share this birthday.
Buddy Emmons was born in Mishawaka, Indiana. Many called him the finest pedal steel player of his time. He backed stars from Ernest Tubb and Ray Price to Linda Ronstadt and George Strait, and he joined the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981.
Songwriter Tom Douglas was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He wrote Tim McGraw's "Grown Men Don't Cry" and "Southern Voice," Lady Antebellum's "I Run to You" and Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me."
Richard Young, guitarist and singer for The Kentucky Headhunters, was born. The band's 1989 debut, Pickin' on Nashville, earned them a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1990.
Cheryl White of the family group The Whites was born. The Whites joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1984. Many fans know them from "Keep on the Sunny Side" on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.
Tracy Lawrence was born in Atlanta, Texas. His 1991 debut album, Sticks and Stones, gave him his first No. 1 with the title song in early 1992.
Deric Ruttan was born in Bracebridge, Ontario. He co-wrote Dierks Bentley's "What Was I Thinkin'," his first No. 1 as a writer, and won his first Canadian Country Music Association songwriter award in 2007.
Kevin Denney was born. The singer's self-titled debut album came out on Lyric Street Records in 2002, led by the single "That's Just Jessie."
Bailey Zimmerman was born in Louisville, Illinois. His early singles "Fall in Love" and "Rock and a Hard Place" both reached No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart, and his debut album, Religiously. The Album., came out in 2023.
Garth Brooks held No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart with Man Against Machine, his comeback album. It came out in November 2014 and opened at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
Two songs Alison Krauss sang in the film Cold Mountain earned Oscar nominations. Sting wrote "You Will Be My Ain True Love," and T Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello wrote "Scarlet Tide."
Loretta Lynn put out "Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone)." The single climbed to No. 1 on Billboard's country chart, her third trip to the top.
The Dixie Chicks released Wide Open Spaces on Monument Records, their first album with Natalie Maines singing lead. It later won Grammys for Best Country Album and for the song "There's Your Trouble."
Kris Kristofferson made it official that he had retired from performing. The Country Music Hall of Fame member was 84 and had quietly stepped away the year before.
Source: savingcountrymusic.comShirley Collie Nelson, a singer, yodeler and songwriter, died at 78 in Springfield, Missouri. She was married to Willie Nelson from 1963 to 1971 and wrote his singles "I Hope So" and "Once More With Feeling."
Buddy Emmons (1937), Tracy Lawrence (1968), Deric Ruttan (1972), Kevin Denney (1978) and Bailey Zimmerman (2000) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 2015, Garth Brooks held No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart with Man Against Machine, his comeback album.
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.