October 10th: On this day

1946
Born on this day was US folk and country singer John Prine. He released his debut album in 1971, and put out 19 studio albums in all. While wider mainstream success eluded him for years, he earned a sizeable following, including some of the 20th century’s greatest songwriters. Bob Dylan said in 2009: “Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mind trips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs.” He died aged 73 on April 7, 2020 due to complications from Covid-19.

1957
Born on this day, was Tony Arata, singer-songwriter, his songs have been recorded by Garth Brooks, ("The Dance"), Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Jim Glaser, Reba McEntir, Hal Ketchum, Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Travis and Emmylou Harris.

1958
Born on this day in Seminole, Texas, was Tanya Tucker, female country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13 and hit songs such as 1973's "What's Your Mama's Name?", "Blood Red and Goin' Down," 1975's "Lizzie and the Rainman," and 1988's "Strong Enough to Bend". Tucker starred in her own reality show, Tuckerville, on The Learning Channel in 2005. It ran for two seasons for a total of 18 episodes.

1970
Merle Haggard was at #1 on the country music album chart with The Fightin' Side of Me. The title track (like the song "Okie from Muskogee") became a success and gave Haggard a #1 hit single.

1977
Johnny Cash hosted the 11th annual CMA Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House. Winners included: Crystal Gayle won Female Vocalist of the Year, Kenny Rogers won Single of the Year for "Lucille" and Ronnie Milsap won Entertainer of the Year. Crystal Gayle, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty all performed live during the show.

1983
The 17th Country Music Association Awards, were held at the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee, hosted by Willie Nelson and Anne Murray. Alabama won Album of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. Janie Fricke won Female Vocalist of the Year, Lee Greenwood won Male Vocalist of the Year, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard won Vocal Duo of the Year and "Swingin'" by John Anderson won Single of The Year and Song of The Year went to Johnny Christopher, Wayne Carson, Mark James for "Always On My Mind".

1988
The 22nd Country Music Association Awards, Ceremony, was held at the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee, hosted by CMA Award Winner Dolly Parton. Hank Williams, Jr. won Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year for Born to Boogie. K. T. Oslin won Female Vocalist of the Year, Randy Travis won Male Vocalist of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year went to Highway 101, Kathy Mattea won Single of the Year for "Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses" and Song of the Year was won by K.T. Oslin with "80's Ladies".

2012
The American musical drama television series Nashville premiered on ABC, reaching 8.93 million viewers. The series featured Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, a legendary country music superstar, whose stardom begins fading, and Hayden Panettiere as rising teen star Juliette Barnes.

2013
Cal Smith died aged 81. Best known for his 1974 hit "Country Bumpkin", which received Song of the Year Awards from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

2014
Taylor Swift was named Billboard's Woman of the Year 2014, making her the first artist to receive the award twice. The award is given to the female artist who "has shaped and inspired the music industry with her success, leadership and innovation" over the last year.

2020
Carrie Underwood was at #1 on the US Country chart with her seventh studio album and first Christmas album My Gift. This made Underwood the first artist to place eight consecutive #1 albums on the Top Country Albums chart.

2022
Singer, arranger, composer, pianist, and music producer Anita Kerr died on October 10, 2022, in Carouge, Geneva, Switzerland, at the age of 94, just 3 days short of her 95th birthday. She worked on sessions as the Anita Kerr Singers with many artists as well as a producer working with artists including Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Red Foley, Hank Snow, Brenda Lee, Pat Boone, Rosemary Clooney, Roy Orbison, and Willie Nelson.