December 2 – This Day in Country Music History

Harmonica player Herman Crook is born in Tennessee. The Crook Brothers Band becomes an early Grand Ole Opry fixture, and Crook performs on the show for 62 years.

Source: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

John Wesley Ryles is born in Bastrop, Louisiana. He earns a Top 10 country hit with “Kay” in 1968 and returns to the Top 10 with “Once in a Lifetime Thing” in 1977.

Source: AllMusic.

Country songwriter Casey Beathard is born. His co-writing credits include Kenny Chesney’s “Don’t Blink” and George Strait’s “The Breath You Take.”

Source: Country Thang Daily.

Jana Kramer is born in Michigan. After working in television, she reaches the country charts with “Why Ya Wanna.”

Source: Country Thang Daily.

Country singer Lonnie Irving dies at age 28, months after earning a country hit with “Pinball Machine.”

Source: Hillbilly-Music.com.

The RIAA certifies Don Williams’ MCA album I Believe in You gold.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Liberty’s Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits both gold and platinum on the same day.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Ricky Van Shelton’s Columbia album Loving Proof gold.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies the Capitol compilation Glen Campbell’s Greatest Hits platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Billy Dean’s self-titled Liberty album gold.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies LeAnn Rimes’ You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs triple platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Alabama’s two-disc compilation For the Record: 41 Number One Hits double platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Fly, released under the name Dixie Chicks, triple platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Billy Swan’s Monument single “I Can Help” gold.

Source: RIAA.

Hank Snow returns to Victor’s Montreal studio for the final round of Canadian sessions before his recording career shifts to the United States. “Within This Broken Heart of Mine” and “Somewhere Along Life’s Highway” come from the session.

Source: The History of Music Recording.

Pee Wee King and His Golden West Cowboys record “Tennessee Waltz” in Chicago. King wrote the song with the band’s vocalist, Redd Stewart.

Source: Country Music Magazine.

Decca releases Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” backed with “Captain Santa Claus (And His Reindeer Space Patrol).”

Source: Apple Music / Decca.

Decca releases Conway Twitty’s “Darling, You Know I Wouldn’t Lie.” The single gives Conway another Top 10 country hit.

Source: RolandNote.

Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton record “Tomorrow Is Forever” at RCA Studio B in Nashville. The duet appears on Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca.

Source: The Dolly Parton Discography.

Brenda Lee records “Nobody Wins,” written by Kris Kristofferson, at Bradley’s Barn in Mount Juliet, Tennessee.

Source: Praguefrank’s Country Discography.

Charley Pride records “Roll On Mississippi.” The song later becomes the title track of his 1981 RCA album.

Source: Praguefrank’s Country Discography.

Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” moves from No. 2 to No. 1 on Billboard’s national Country & Western Best Sellers in Stores chart.

Source: Billboard.

Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Just Want to Love You” rises from No. 2 to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart.

Source: Billboard.

Randy Travis takes “It’s Just a Matter of Time” from No. 2 to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart in its eleventh chart week.

Source: Billboard.

Brad Paisley’s “We Danced” reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the first time. It is his second country chart-topper.

Source: Billboard.

Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette star in Western Jamboree, a musical Western in which a gang tries to steal helium from a pipeline.

Source: The Muenster Enterprise.

Leroy Van Dyke sings “The Auctioneer” and “Walk On By” on ABC’s Shindig!.

Source: TheTVDB.

Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens appear on ABC’s The Johnny Cash Show. Anne Murray, Homer & Jethro, and the Statler Brothers also appear on the broadcast.

Source: TheTVDB.

CBS airs Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember, a television special featuring songs from their album Once Upon a Christmas.

Source: Dolly Parton Official Website.

k.d. lang and The Reclines are the musical guests on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. John Goodman hosts the episode.

Source: TheTVDB.

Jimmy Dean, Mickey Gilley, and Sheb Wooley guest on “Ballad for a Blue Lady,” a Nashville-set episode of CBS’s Murder, She Wrote.

Source: IMDb.

Garth Brooks takes part in the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in New York City.

Source: Bridgeman Images.

The video for Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much” is released. The desert-set clip features her in a leopard-print outfit.

Source: Shania Twain Videography.