December 16th: On this day

1937
Born on this day in Spalding, Nebraska, was Jim Glaser, country music artist who charted several singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including the #1 hit "You're Gettin' to Me Again". He died on April 6th 2019 age 81.

1963
Born on this day in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was Jeff Carson, country music artist who was originally a session musician in Branson, Missouri and later a demo singer. He has charted fourteen singles on the Billboard country charts, including the #1 hit "Not on Your Love." He retired from music in 2009 and became a police officer. Carson died from a heart attack at a hospital in Franklin, Tennessee, on March 26, 2022, at the age of 58.

1976
Born on this day was songwriter Andrew Dorff. He wrote the hits included Kenny Chesney's "Save It for a Rainy Day" and Hunter Hayes "Somebody's Heartbreak." Dorff's other major cuts were Martina McBride's "Ride," Blake Shelton's "My Eyes" and "Neon Light," Ronnie Dunn's "Bleed Red," Old Dominion's "Shut Me Up," Gary Allan's "Kiss Me When I'm Down" and William Michael Morgan's "Missing." Dorff died on December 19, 2016.

1978
American country music singer-songwriter Jenny Lou Carson died aged 63. She was the first woman to write a #1 country music hit ("You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often"), and from 1945 to 1955 she was one of the most prolific songwriters in country music. She became an expert sharpshooter and learned to spin a rope and manipulate a bullwhip. She toured the state of Texas putting on her cowgirl show and singing with her partner Texas Tommy.

1982
Born on this day was American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist Frankie Ballard. His third single, "Helluva Life", became his first Top 20 hit in December 2013.

2003
Singer songwriter Gary Stewart died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Stewart's friends later told reporters that he was extremely despondent after the death of his wife the previous month. Stewart had scored the 1975 US #1 Country hit "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)."

2010
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood played the first two of nine concerts at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, the shows raised over $3.5 million for flood relief.

2013
Country singer Ray Price died of pancreatic cancer at age 87. Some of his well-known recordings include "Release Me", "Crazy Arms", "Heartaches by the Number", "For the Good Times", "Night Life", and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996.

2017
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line went to #1 on the Country singles chart with "Meant to Be". Rexha became the first female artist to ever debut atop the chart and in August 2018, the song broke the record previously held by 2017's "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt for the most weeks at #1 on the US Hot Country Songs chart after spending 50 weeks at the top.

2017
Singer-songwriter Richard Dobson died of cancer aged 75. He was part of the outlaw country movement and spent time in the 1970s with Townes Van Zandt, Mickey White, Rex "Wrecks" Bell, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, and "Skinny" Dennis Sanchez.

2021
Taylor Swift was at #1 on the Country chart with Red (Taylor's Version), the second re-recorded album by Swift. It was part of Swift's countermeasure against the purchase of the masters of her back catalogue. The album is the re-recording of Swift's fourth studio album, Red (2012), Red (Taylor's Version).

2023
"I Remember Everything" by Zach Bryan featuring country music artist Kacey Musgraves was at #1 on the country charts. At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards the song was nominated for Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance, winning the latter. Commercially the song debuted at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming both Bryan's and Musgraves's first #1 song. It became the first song to top the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts simultaneously.