Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On March 22, 1971, the 6th Academy of Country Music Awards were handed out at the Hollywood Palladium with Dick Clark as host. In 1976, Wanted! It’s also James House’s birthday.
The 6th Academy of Country Music Awards were handed out at the Hollywood Palladium with Dick Clark as host. Merle Haggard won Top Male Vocalist and Lynn Anderson won Top Female Vocalist. "For the Good Times," written by Kris Kristofferson and sung by Ray Price, took Song of the Year.
Charlie Poole, the banjo man who led the North Carolina Ramblers, was born near Franklinville, North Carolina. His string band made popular records from 1925 to 1930. He died in 1931 at 39.
James House was born in Sacramento, California. He co-wrote hits for Dwight Yoakam and Diamond Rio, and his own song "This Is Me Missing You" reached No. 6 on the country chart.
Wanted! The Outlaws, featuring Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, sat at No. 1 on Billboard's country albums chart. Later that year it became the first country album ever certified platinum.
Emmylou Harris held No. 1 on the country albums chart with Luxury Liner, her second chart-topping album in a row. Gram Parsons wrote the title song, and her take on Chuck Berry's "(You Never Can Tell) C'est la Vie" went to No. 6.
Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson topped the country singles chart with "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." The duet stayed at No. 1 for four weeks.
The Dixie Chicks were at No. 1 on the country albums chart with Home. That same week, their song "Travelin' Soldier" also sat on top of the country singles chart.
Tammy Wynette recorded "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" at Columbia Studio B in Nashville. Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman wrote it, and it went to No. 1 on the country chart that June.
Tim McGraw released Not a Moment Too Soon, his second album. It spent 26 weeks in a row at No. 1 on the country albums chart and won Album of the Year from the Academy of Country Music.
Eric Weissberg, the banjo player heard on "Dueling Banjos" from the 1972 movie Deliverance, died at 80 near Detroit, Michigan. The tune climbed to No. 2 in the U.S. in 1973.
James House (1955) was born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1976, Wanted! In 1978, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson topped the country singles 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.