Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On March 20, 2018, Chris Janson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, with Garth Brooks handing him his award. In 1978, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson topped the country chart with "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." It’s also Jerry Reed’s birthday.
Chris Janson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, with Garth Brooks handing him his award. Keith Urban had surprised him with the invitation a month before. His hits include "Buy Me a Boat" and "Good Vibes."
Jerry Reed was born in Atlanta, Georgia. The guitar picker gave us "When You're Hot, You're Hot" and "East Bound and Down," and he played Cledus "Snowman" Snow in Smokey and the Bandit. He died in 2008 at 71.
Tommy Hunter, known as "Canada's Country Gentleman," was born in London, Ontario. He went into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984 and was named to the Order of Canada in 1986.
Douglas B. Green, better known as Ranger Doug of Riders in the Sky, was born in North Chicago, Illinois. He once played with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys and is a Grand Ole Opry member.
Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" reached No. 1 on the pop chart and stayed two weeks. Kris Kristofferson wrote the song with Fred Foster. Joplin had died the October before, just days after recording it.
Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson topped the country chart with "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." Ed Bruce and his wife Patsy wrote it, and the duo won a Grammy for it in 1979.
Ricky Van Shelton was No. 1 on the country chart with his take on "From a Jack to a King." It was his fifth No. 1 in a row. Ned Miller first put the song out in 1957.
Hank Williams cut "Wedding Bells" at Castle Studio in Nashville. The Claude Boone song climbed to No. 2 on Billboard's country chart later that year.
Steel guitar great Ralph Mooney died at 82 after a fight with cancer. He played in Merle Haggard's Strangers and Waylon Jennings' Waylors, and he co-wrote "Crazy Arms" with Chuck Seals.
Kenny Rogers died at 81 at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The Houston native gave us "The Gambler" and "Lucille" and sold more than 100 million records.
Jerry Reed (1937) was born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1971, Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" reached No. 1 on the pop chart and stayed two weeks. In 1978, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson topped the country chart with "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys."
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.