Country Music News

TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY

(Friday, May 16)

Rick Trevino born in Austin, Texas, 1961.

Ernest Tubb records "Deep Purple Blues," 1958.

Merle Haggard records No. 1 single "Workin' Man Blues," 1969.

Alabama releases their first RCA single, "Tennessee River," 1980.

George Strait debuts on the charts with "Unwound," 1981.

Reba McEntire's "Greatest Hits" album goes platinum, 1989.

Tanya Tucker's "Soon" album is certified gold, 1994.

(Saturday, May 17)

Red Smiley born in Asheville, N.C., 1925.

Penny DeHaven born in Winchester, Va., 1948.

Merle Haggard and Clint Eastwood's No. 1 single "Bar Room Buddies" is charted, 1980.

Merle Haggard and George Jones record the No. 1 single "Yesterday's Wine," 1982.

Diamond Rio's debut single "Meet in the Middle" is charted, 1991.

(Sunday, May 18)

Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys born in Philadelphia, 1948.

George Strait born in Pearsal, Texas, 1952.

B.J. Thomas's "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" hits No. 1, 1975.

MUSIC AND MORE

GOSPEL SONG DETHRONES WORLEY SINGLE

Darryl Worley's single, "Have You Forgotten?" spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Singles and Tracks chart, but has been knocked out of the top spot by a gospel song.

Randy Travis' "Three Wooden Crosses" took over No. 1, sending Worley's patriotic song to No. 3, while "She's My Kind Of Rain" by Tim McGraw held onto the second spot.

Diamond Rio's "I Believe" rose a notch to No. 4, Keith Urban's "Raining On Sunday" is up to No. 5 and "What A Beautiful Day" by Chris Cagle took over the sixth position.

"Love You Out Loud" by Rascal Flatts rose to No. 7 while "Beer For My Horses," the duet by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson, advanced two spots to No. 8.

'UNLEASHED' SHOWS STAYING POWER

After 42 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Albums chart, Toby Keith's "Unleashed" rose from No. 3 to No. 2, swapping places with the Dixie Chicks' "Home."

"Have You Forgotten?" held onto the No. 1 position on the country album chart and dropped to No. 22 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Keith's album jumped from the 35th position to No. 29 on the Billboard 200.

URBAN, WORLEY PERFORM AT ACM AWARDS

Add Keith Urban and Darryl Worley to the list of artists performing at next week's Academy of Country Music Awards show in Las Vegas.

The academy also announced Vince Gill will present the Entertainer of the Year award.

Urban, nominated for Single Record of the Year and the Reigning New Male Vocalist, will sing "Raining on Sunday." Worley, up for Top New Male Artist, will perform "Have You Forgotten?"

Wednesday night's awards show, hosted by Reba McIntyre, will be carried on CBS.