Your daily look at this day in country history, from classic Opry nights to the newest No. 1 hits.
On November 6, 2002, the 36th CMA Awards were held at the Grand Ole Opry House with Vince Gill as host. In 2006, the CMA Awards aired live on ABC for the first time. Guy Clark and J.T. Corenflos share this birthday.
The 36th CMA Awards were held at the Grand Ole Opry House with Vince Gill as host. Alan Jackson won four, including Entertainer of the Year and Single of the Year for "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)." Martina McBride was Female Vocalist of the Year.
Stonewall Jackson was born in Tabor City, North Carolina. A star of the honky-tonk years, he topped the country chart with "Waterloo" and "B.J. the D.J." He died in 2021 at 89.
Paul English, Willie Nelson's longtime drummer, was born in Vernon, Texas. He is the "Paul" in Willie's song and album Me and Paul, and he acted in Willie's 1986 movie Red Headed Stranger. He died in 2020 at 87.
Guy Clark was born in Monahans, Texas. Jerry Jeff Walker, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Rodney Crowell and many others recorded his songs. He won a Grammy for Best Folk Album in 2014 with My Favorite Picture of You and died in 2016 at 74.
J.T. Corenflos was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. The guitarist played behind Jean Shepard and Joe Stampley, helped form the band Palomino Road in 1992, then became a busy Nashville session player. He died in 2020 at 56.
The CMA Awards aired live on ABC for the first time. George Strait, Sonny James and Harold Bradley were welcomed into the Country Music Hall of Fame, with Kris Kristofferson presenting Strait. Carrie Underwood won Female Vocalist of the Year.
The 47th CMA Awards were held at Bridgestone Arena, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. Taylor Swift became the first woman to receive the Pinnacle Award. Blake Shelton won Male Vocalist and Album of the Year for Based on a True Story.
Little Jimmy Dickens joined the Grand Ole Opry. Just 4 feet 10 inches tall, he helped bring rhinestone suits to the country stage. He entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983 and was later the Opry's oldest living member.
Hank Williams cut a new version of his song "Honky Tonkin'" at Castle Studio in Nashville. He had first recorded it in February 1947. Waylon Jennings later sang it on his 1992 album Ol' Waylon Sings Ol' Hank.
Roger Miller was the guest on The Glen Campbell Music Show. He sang "King of the Road," and the two friends traded songs like "Southern Nights," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and a "Dang Me" medley.
Hank Thompson, the Texas-born country singer and songwriter, died at 82 after a fight with lung cancer. His career ran across seven decades.
Stonewall Jackson (1932), Guy Clark (1941) and J.T. Corenflos (1963) were all born on this date.
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.