October 8th: On this day

1882
Born on this day in Knoxville, Tennessee, was Haywire Mac, (Harry McClintock), an American singer and poet, best known for his song "Big Rock Candy Mountain", which was featured in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? The song reached #1 on Billboard's "Hillbilly Hits" chart in 1939. Having worked as a cowboy himself, McClintock was one of the few "country" singers who had an authentic background from which to draw. McClintock died on April 24, 1957.

1932
Born on this day was Nashville-based American record producer and pedal steel guitar player Pete Drake. He was one of the most sought-after backup musicians of the 1960s, Drake played with Dolly Parton and on such hits as Lynn Anderson's "Rose Garden", Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors", Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay", and Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man". He died on 29 July 1988.

1944
Born on this day in Eugene, Oregon, was Susan Raye, country music singer. She enjoyed great popularity during the early and mid 1970's and chalked up seven top 10 and nineteen top 40 country hits. Raye was a protegee of country music singer Buck Owens. Owens and Raye recorded a number of hit albums and singles together.

1969
Sonny James was at #1 on the Country charts with his version of "Since I Met You Baby", James' third cover song released during 1969, (the other two being "Only the Lonely" and "Running Bear"). Supposedly recorded live (the song's introduction and fade out features a cheering audience), the audience was added to the studio recording.

1979
Winners at this years CMA Awards included: Willie Nelson who won Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist went to Larry Gatlin, Crystal Gayle won Female Vocalist, Charlie Daniels Band won Band of the Year, Larry Gatlin won Album of the Year for Straight Ahead and Electric Horseman won Country Music Movie of the Year.

1984
Dolly Parton opened the 18th annual CMA Awards show with her current hit, "Tennessee Homesick Blues". Winners included: Anne Murray who won the Country Music Association's Album of the Year Award for A Little Good News (the first woman to ever be given that distinction). The Statlers Brothers won Vocal Group of the Year, songwriters Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley won the Song of the Year award for their ballad "Wind Beneath My Wings", Ricky Skaggs Band scored a second-in-a-row win for Instrumental Group of the Year, Lee Greenwood won Male Vocalist of the Year and Reba McEntire won Female Vocalist of the Year.

1990
The 24th Country Music Association Awards were held at the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee hosted by Reba McEntire and Randy Travis. Winners included: George Strait who won Entertainer of the Year, Kathy Mattea won Female Vocalist of the Year and Clint Black won Male Vocalist of the Year. Album of the Year went to Kentucky HeadHunters for Pickin' on Nashville, Single of the Year went to Vince Gill for "When I Call Your Name". The Dance by Garth Brooks won Music Video of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year went to "Til A Tear Becomes A Rose" Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan.

1995
Tim McGraw was at #1 on the Country charts with "I Like It, I Love It", released as the first single from the album All I Want. The song was McGraw's ninth single overall, and his third #1 hit.

2011
Rascal Flatts were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by American country music singer Little Jimmy Dickens, (famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11", and his rhinestone-studded outfits).

2017
Sam Hunt was at #1 on the Country singles chart with "Body Like a Back Road". The song was the longest running #1 since Leroy Van Dyke's "Walk On By" 55 years earlier. With 20 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart – this made Hunt the solo country artist with the second longest run at the top of the 59-year old Hot Country Songs chart. (Hank Snow's, "I'm Moving On" spent 21 weeks). The song broke records again in late July 2017, becoming the only song in the history of the Hot Country Songs chart to stay at #1 for more than 24 weeks, a record previously held since 2012 by Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise". The song spent a total of 34 weeks on top of the Hot Country Songs chart.

2023
Luke Combs was at #1 on the Country singles chart with his version of the Tracy Chapman song "Fast Car". This made Chapman the first black woman to score a country #1 with a solo composition. At the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards in November 2023, Chapman notably became the first Black woman or Black songwriter to ever win a CMA Award, winning Song of the Year. Combs' version uses most of Chapman's original lyrics, including the line "I work in the market as a checkout girl".