December 3 – This Day in Country Music History

Rabon Delmore is born in Alabama. He and his older brother Alton become the Delmore Brothers, an influential harmony duo whose recordings blend country, blues, and gospel.

Source: Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Country music executive Hubert Long is born in Poteet, Texas. He helps guide the careers of artists including Webb Pierce and Faron Young.

Source: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Ferlin Husky is born in Missouri. His recordings of “Gone” and “Wings of a Dove,” along with “A Dear John Letter” with Jean Shepard, become country classics.

Source: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Roger Bowling is born. He co-writes Kenny Rogers’ “Lucille” and “Coward of the County,” and writes Billie Jo Spears’ “Blanket on the Ground.”

Source: SecondHandSongs.

Paul Gregg is born. As bassist and a vocalist in Restless Heart, he helps define the group’s harmony-driven sound.

Source: Raizor’s Edge.

Western singer and guitarist Dick Reinhart dies at age 41. His recordings span country blues and Western swing, and he performed with Jimmy Wakely.

Source: British Archive of Country Music.

Lew Childre dies at age 60. The singer, musician, and comedian worked in radio and on the Grand Ole Opry.

Source: Hillbilly-Music.com.

Western swing bandleader Jimmy Heap dies in a boating accident. His Melody Masters had a 1954 hit with “Release Me.”

Source: Texas State Historical Association.

Connie Smith’s Born to Sing reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Albums chart for the first time.

Source: Billboard.

The RIAA certifies Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s holiday album Once Upon a Christmas both gold and platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Kenny Rogers’ RCA album What About Me? platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies the live Capitol album Okie from Muskogee platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies the Capitol compilation The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Alan Jackson’s A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ’Bout Love) platinum.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s compilation 20 Years of Dirt gold.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies The Bodyguard soundtrack 16× platinum. Its lead single is Whitney Houston’s recording of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Jim Brickman’s holiday album The Gift gold. Country singers Collin Raye and Susan Ashton perform the title song.

Source: RIAA.

The RIAA certifies Shania Twain’s Mercury Nashville album The Woman in Me 11× platinum.

Source: RIAA.

Bing Crosby records Cindy Walker’s “Lone Star Trail” with John Scott Trotter and his orchestra. The recording appears on Crosby’s Under Western Skies.

Source: Under Western Skies Discography.

Webb Pierce records Jimmie Rodgers’ “In the Jailhouse Now” at Castle Studio in Nashville’s Tulane Hotel.

Source: Praguefrank’s Country Discography.

Don Gibson records “Oh Lonesome Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” at RCA Studio B in Nashville. RCA Victor pairs the two Gibson originals on the same single.

Source: National Park Service.

Jim Ed, Maxine, and Bonnie Brown record “The Old Lamplighter” in Nashville. Chet Atkins suggested the song, which had been a pop hit in 1946.

Source: RolandNote.

At Capitol’s Hollywood studio, Buck Owens records “Foolin’ Around” and “Nobody’s Fool but Yours.”

Source: Praguefrank’s Country Discography.

Columbia releases “Restless,” a single written and recorded by Carl Perkins.

Source: Hung Medien Discography.

Waylon Jennings records his version of Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man.”

Source: MusicBrainz.

Bob Wills joins the Texas Playboys for his final session at Sumet-Burnet Studios in Dallas. The sessions produce the album For the Last Time.

Source: Bob Wills Official Site.

Dolly Parton records her version of Jackie Wilson’s hit “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher” in Nashville for New Harvest…First Gathering.

Source: The Dolly Parton Discography.

Musicians add overdubs to Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton’s 1968 recording of “Making Plans” at Nashville’s Fireside Studio.

Source: The Dolly Parton Discography.

Charley Pride records “Night Games” at Music City Music Hall in Nashville, with Norro Wilson producing.

Source: Praguefrank’s Country Discography.

Johnny Cash performs at the Viper Room in West Hollywood. His live versions of “Tennessee Stud” and “The Man Who Couldn’t Cry” appear on American Recordings.

Source: Johnny Cash Session Discography.

Dolly Parton’s “Here You Come Again” rises from No. 3 to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart.

Source: Billboard.

Anne Murray’s “A Little Good News” reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart for the first time.

Source: Billboard.

Reba McEntire’s “I Know How He Feels” rises from No. 3 to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart.

Source: Billboard.

George Strait’s “The Big One” jumps from No. 4 to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

Source: Billboard.

Don Gibson performs “Sea of Heartbreak” on The Jimmy Dean Show, broadcast on ABC from Carnegie Hall in New York.

Source: Don Gibson Discography.

NBC broadcasts Singer Presents Elvis, the television special that brings Elvis Presley back to performing for a live audience.

Source: Elvis Presley Official Site.

Chuck Berry is honored at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. His songs crossed into country through recordings by artists including Waylon Jennings.

Source: William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.