Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On July 1, 1979, Waylon Jennings sat at No. 1 on the country chart with "Amanda." In 2023, Luke Combs hit No. 1 on Country Airplay with his cover of "Fast Car." Melissa Peterman and Keith Whitley share this birthday.
Waylon Jennings sat at No. 1 on the country chart with "Amanda." Bob McDill wrote it, and Waylon first cut it in 1974. It became his eighth solo No. 1 and held the top spot for three weeks.
Keith Whitley was born in Ashland, Kentucky. The smooth-voiced singer earned five straight No. 1 hits, including "Don't Close Your Eyes" and "When You Say Nothing at All." He died in 1989.
Melissa Peterman was born on this day. The actress and comedian won over country fans playing Barbra Jean on the TV comedy Reba.
Claude King held the No. 1 spot on the country chart with "Wolverton Mountain." The song stayed on top for weeks that summer.
Luke Combs hit No. 1 on Country Airplay with his cover of "Fast Car." That made Tracy Chapman, who wrote it alone, the first Black woman to have a country No. 1 as the only writer.
Source: holler.countryCharles Carr died in Alabama. As a young man, he was the driver on Hank Williams' final trip toward a New Year's show in Canton, Ohio, in 1953. Hank died along the way.
Source: bostonglobe.comSongwriter Red Lane died at 76 in Nashville. His songs were cut by greats like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and George Strait, including "My Own Kind of Hat" and "Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa."
Keith Whitley (1954) and Melissa Peterman (1971) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1979, Waylon Jennings sat at No. 1 on the country chart with "Amanda." In 2023, Luke Combs hit No. 1 on Country Airplay with his cover of "Fast Car."
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