DECEMBER 20
1929: Songwriter Charlie Williams was born in TX. He wrote Bobby Bare’s hit “500 Miles Away From Home” and eventually ran Willie Nelson’s music publishing company.
1943: “I’m Praying For The Day That Peace Will Come” became the first Hank Williams title copyrighted by the U.S. government.
1944: Ignoring a recording ban by Canada’s musicians’ union, Hank Snow recorded the first of 18 songs over four days at Montreal’s Victor Studio. They included one of his biggest Canadian hits, “You Played Love On The Strings Of My Heart.”
1964: Johnny Cash recorded “Orange Blossom Special” in Nashville at the Columbia Recording Studios.
1975: Mickey Gilley’s local television show, “Gilley’s Place,” debuted in Houston. It ran 30 minutes every Saturday.
1977: Ronnie Milsap recorded “Back On My Mind Again” during an afternoon at Woodland Sound in Nashville.
1978: “Every Which Way But Loose” debuted, with Eddie Rabbitt, Mel Tillis and Charlie Rich contributing to the soundtrack. The Clint Eastwood picture included a cameo appearance by Phil Everly as a nightclub singer.
1986: Randy Travis joined the Grand Ole Opry, introduced by Ricky Skaggs. He performed “Diggin’ Up Bones.”
1989: Operation Just Cause began in Panama, as the U.S. overthrew dictator Manuel Noriega’s regime. Future country singer Craig Morgan participated as a member of the Army Airborne Division.
1990: Ricky Van Shelton recorded “I Am A Simple Man” and “Keep It Between The Lines.”
1991: Collin Raye’s “Love, Me” topped the country singles charts.
1998: Asleep At The Wheel recorded “New San Antonio Rose” with Dwight Yoakam at the Mad Dog Studio in Burbank, CA, for the Bob Wills tribute album “Ride With Bob.” The album picked up a Grammy nomination.
1999: Hank Snow died in Nashville. The Canadian-born singer, best known for his recording “I’m Moving On,” was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1979. He died just two weeks short of his 50th anniversary with the Grand Ole Opry.
2000: Eddy Arnold received a National Medal of Arts from president Bill Clinton in a ceremony at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Other recipients included poet Maya Angelou, pop singer Barbra Streisand and dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov.
2000: “Entertainment Weekly” magazine’s year-end special issue dubbed Lee Ann Womack’s album, “I Hope You Dance,” as the #1 choice on their annual “Best Country Albums” list.
2000: Tim McGraw was named Top Country Male Artist of the Year by “Billboard” magazine, while Toby Keith topped the country singles category with “How Do You Like Me Now?!” Phil Vassar, who charted the #1 song, “Just Another Day in Paradise,” was named Top New Country Artist.
2014: Little Jimmy Dickens performed “Out Behind The Barn” in what turned out to be his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.
2020: CBS aired “Garth & Trisha Live! A Holiday Concert Event.” The set list included “Silent Night,” “Feliz Navidad,” “Frosty The Snow Man” and “Hard Candy Christmas.”
