Ray Turner’s Day in Country Music History
October 3rd: On this day
1950
Hank Snow was at #1 on the Country music singles charts with “I’m Moving On”. The song, stayed at the top of the charts for 21 weeks and was the first of seven #1Billboard country hits Snow scored throughout his career.
1966
Merle Haggard released the album Swinging Doors which went on to peak at #1 on the Country charts. The album is sometimes called Swinging Doors and The Bottle Let Me Down, although the second half of this title is actually an advertisement for the other big single on the album
1967
Woody Guthrie died in Queens New York after a 15-year struggle with Huntington’s disease. The folk singer/songwriter influenced the social content of several 20th-century genres, including country. In 1988 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2000 he was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
1969
Johnny Cash was at #1 on the US Country music album chart with At San Quentinwhich was a live concert given to the inmates of San Quentin State Prison, the follow-up to Cash’s previous live album, the critically acclaimed At Folsom Prison. The album was nominated for a number of Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and won Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “A Boy Named Sue”.
1998
The Farm Aid 98′ benefit concert took place at the Tweeter Center, Tinley Park, Illinois. Held to raise money for family farmers in the US, the concerts were organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young. Artists who appeared included: Willie Nelson, Phish, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Steve Earle, Del McCoury Band and Wilco.
2005
Arista Records released “Jesus, Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood. Written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson, it was the second single from her debut album, Some Hearts.The track won two major awards, Breakthrough Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year at the CMT Awards.
2006
George Strait marked his 30th year in the music industry with the release of a new album titled It Just Comes Natural which featured fifteen new songs.
CMT