April 2nd: On this day

1938
Born on this day in Nashville, Tennessee, was singer-songwriter Warner Mack. Mack had many hits on the country charts from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, including the 1965 #1 hit "The Bridge Washed Out". Mack died on March 1, 2022, in Nashville, at the age of 86

1941
Born on this day was American country music songwriter Sonny Throckmorton. He has had more than 1,000 of his songs recorded by various country singers. He was named Songwriter of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International in 1978, 1979 and 1980.

1942
Born on this day in Lawton, Oklahoma, was Leon Russell, (Claude Russell Bridges), musician and songwriter. Russell played piano with "The Wrecking Crew" the top L.A. session musicians of the 1960s, as well as working with many other artists including Willie Nelson, The Byrds, and Bob Dylan.

1947
Born on this day in Birmingham, Alabama, was Emmylou Harris, singer-songwriter and musician. She has released many chart-topping albums and singles over the course of her career, winning 12 Grammy Awards. Her first Country #1 was in 1976 with her version of the Buck Owens song "Together Again."

1956
Johnny Cash recorded his classic song, "I Walk the Line", which became his first #1 Billboard country hit. Released in May of this year it remained on the charts for over 43 weeks, and sold over 2 million copies. The unique chord progression for the song was inspired by backwards playback of guitar runs on Cash's tape recorder while he was in the Air Force stationed in Germany.

1961
Born on this day in Lepanto, Arkansas, was Buddy Jewell who was the first winner on the USA Network talent show Nashville Star. His self-titled Country #1 album, produced the singles "Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacey's Song)" and "Sweet Southern Comfort".

1962
Born on this day in Quincy, Florida, was Billy Dean, Country singer, songwriter who first gained national attention after appearing on the television talent competition Star Search. He guested on the Kenny Rogers 2000 US #1 Country hit with Alison Krauss "Buy Me A Rose."

1973
Dolly Parton released her eleventh solo studio album My Tennessee Mountain Home. The house pictured on the album cover was the house in which the Parton family lived during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

1986
Born on this day in Perryville, Missouri was singer and songwriter Chris Janson. His Top 10 hits include "Buy Me a Boat", "Fix a Drink", "Drunk Girl", and "Good Vibes".

1995
Trisha Yearwood was at #1 on the Country singles chart with "Thinkin' About You", a song written by Tom Shapiro and Bob Regan. It was released as the second single and title track from her album Thinkin' About You. The song became Yearwood's third #1 country hit. Lee Roy Parnell plays slide guitar on the song.

1996
Born on this day in Oologah, Oklahoma Zach Bryan. American country singer-songwriter his major-label debut album American Heartbreak entered the US Billboard 200 at #5. In 2023, his self-titled album debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200, with the track "I Remember Everything" featuring Kacey Musgraves debuting at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

2002
Marty Stuart was arrested in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and charged with DUI. Hendersonville police said Stuart was picked up and charged with one count of DUI and one count of violation of the implied consent law. Police said a call came in to them reporting that Stuart had been seen intoxicated in a local retail store.

2014
Recordings by The Everly Brothers and Linda Ronstadt's album (Heart Like a Wheel), were among those newly selected for induction into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

2022
Cody Johnson was at #1 on the Country singles chart with "'Til You Can't". The lead single from his eighth studio album Human: The Double Album The song won the Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year and Video of the Year at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2022 and the Grammy Award for Best Country Song at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in 2023.

2024
American country music songwriter and record producer Jerry Bob Abbott died age 81. He was the father of heavy metal musicians Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell, both formerly of Pantera and Damageplan. He received songwriting credits for songs recorded by artists such as Emmylou Harris and Freddy Fender.