Country Music News

TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY

(Thursday, March 6)

Bob Wills born in Limestone County, Texas, 1905.

Emmylou Harris's first No. 1 single, "Together Again," is charted, 1976.

"The Best Of Buck Owens" album goes gold, 1968.

The Country Music Television cable channel debuts, 1983.

Randy Travis's "Greatest Hits Volume I" and "Greatest Hits Volume II" go platinum, 1995

George Strait's "Round About Way" is No. 1 on Radio & Records country chart, 1998.

George Strait kicks off second annual Country Music Festival tour with Tim McGraw, the Dixie Chicks, Jo Dee Messina, Kenny Chesney, Mark Wills and Asleep at the Wheel, 1999.

George Jones is seriously injured in a car crash near Nashville, 1999.

MUSIC AND MORE

CHICKS' GRAMMY WINS JACK 'HOME' SALES

The Dixie Chicks' three Grammys wins has boosted sales of "Home" by 60 percent and kept the trio's album at No. 4 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and No. 1 on Billboard's country list.

Some 202,000 copies of the album sold in the week after the Grammy awards show, Billboard.com said, citing figures by Nielsen SoundScan.

KENNY AT SEA WHEN ACM NODS MAKE NEWS

Kenny Chesney says he didn't think life could get much better as he relaxed on a sailboat in the Atlantic Ocean Tuesday.

When he reached shore and saw 15 messages on his cell phone, he remembered it was the day the Academy of Country Music award nominations were being announced.

Chesney figured "Something's up," he said on his Web site, kennychesney.com.

He was right. Chesney had been nominated for five ACM awards -- Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Best Album for "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems," Song of the Year for "A Lot of Things Different" and Single of the Year for "The Good Stuff."

NEW BOOK HONORS PATSY CLINE

A new book about Patsy Cline was released this week to coincide with the 40th anniversary of her death in a plane crash. The book features a collection of photographs and tributes from country artists.

"Remembering Patsy," written by Nashville author Brian Mansfield, includes thoughts of music superstars like Reba McIntyre, Trisha Yearwood, Natalie Cole, Lee Ann Womack, Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn.