Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On May 26, 2004, Toby Keith took home four trophies at the 39th Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, including Entertainer of the Year. In 1953, Meridian, Mississippi, held its first festival honoring Jimmie Rodgers, set on the 20th anniversary of his death. Keith Gattis and Hank Williams Jr. share this birthday.
Toby Keith took home four trophies at the 39th Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, including Entertainer of the Year. Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett won Vocal Event for "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."
Hank Williams Jr. was born Randall Hank Williams in Shreveport, Louisiana. He followed his father, country legend Hank Williams, into music and became a star in his own right.
Songwriter Richard Leigh was born in Washington, D.C. He wrote Crystal Gayle's "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue," which earned him the 1978 Grammy for Best Country Song. He also penned Gayle's "I'll Get Over You" and Kathy Mattea's "Come From the Heart."
Keith Gattis was born in Georgetown, Texas. The singer and songwriter co-wrote George Strait's "I Got a Car" and Kenny Chesney's "When I See This Bar," and produced records for other Texas artists.
Bill Anderson held the top spot on the Billboard country singles chart with "My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)." The song spent two weeks at No. 1 that spring.
Willie Nelson's Always on My Mind sat at No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart. It spent 22 weeks on top in all and ended up as the year's best-selling country album.
George Jones put out the album White Lightning and Other Favorites. Its title song, written by J.P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, gave Jones his first No. 1 country hit.
Willie Nelson released Red Headed Stranger, an album his label had doubts about. It became his first No. 1 country album, and his take on "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" became his first No. 1 single.
Source: editorial.americansongwriter.comMeridian, Mississippi, held its first festival honoring Jimmie Rodgers, set on the 20th anniversary of his death. Grand Ole Opry stars like Ernest Tubb and Hank Snow came to pay tribute, and a monument to the Singing Brakeman was unveiled.
Source: mscountrymusictrail.orgJimmie Rodgers, the Father of Country Music, died in New York City at 35 after a long fight with tuberculosis. Known as the Singing Brakeman, he was part of the Country Music Hall of Fame's first class in 1961.
Hank Williams Jr. (1949) and Keith Gattis (1970) were all born on this date.
It depends on the year. In 1969, Bill Anderson held the top spot on the Billboard country singles chart with "My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)." In 1982, Willie Nelson's Always on My Mind sat at No. 1 on the Billboard country albums 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.