Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On March 17, 1969, Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman album was No. 1 on the country album chart. In 2022, Morgan Wallen's Dangerous: The Double Album was No. 1 on the country album chart. Paul Overstreet and Dick Curless share this birthday.
Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman album was No. 1 on the country album chart. Jimmy Webb wrote the title song after seeing a lone lineman up a pole on a long Oklahoma drive.
Dick Curless was born in Fort Fairfield, Maine. Known for his eye patch and his trucking songs, he hit the country Top 5 in 1965 with "A Tombstone Every Mile." He died in 1995 at 63.
Jim Weatherly was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. He wrote "Midnight Train to Georgia" for Gladys Knight & the Pips and had his own hit with "The Need to Be." He died in 2021 at 77.
Susie Allanson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The country singer reached No. 2 in 1978 with "We Belong Together."
Paul Overstreet was born in Vancleave, Mississippi. Besides his own No. 1 hits, he wrote chart-toppers like "Forever and Ever, Amen" for Randy Travis, "When You Say Nothing at All" for Keith Whitley and "Some Beach" for Blake Shelton.
Eric Weissberg's Dueling Banjos album reached No. 1 on the country album chart. The title tune got famous thanks to the 1972 movie Deliverance.
Taylor Swift's Fearless was No. 1 on the country album chart. The album later won the Grammy for Album of the Year, along with Best Country Album.
Morgan Wallen's Dangerous: The Double Album was No. 1 on the country album chart. It went on to spend 97 weeks at No. 1, the most ever for one album.
Source: guinnessworldrecords.comFerlin Husky died at 85 in Westmoreland, Tennessee. His hit "Gone" crossed over to No. 4 on the pop chart, and "Wings of a Dove" was another big one.
Dick Curless (1932), Jim Weatherly (1943), Susie Allanson (1952) and Paul Overstreet (1955) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1969, Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman album was No. 1 on the country album chart. In 2022, Morgan Wallen's Dangerous: The Double Album was No. 1 on the country album 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.