April 7th: On this day

1932
Born on this day in Gans, Oklahoma, was Cal Smith, country musician, most famous for his 1972 #1 hit "The Lord Knows I'm Drinking" and his 1974 hit "Country Bumpkin," which received the Song of the Year Award from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. Smith died on October 10, 2013.

1935
Born on this day, was Bobby Bare, who scored over 30 US Country hits including his only Country #1 hit in 1974, "Marie Laveau", (which was written by written by Shel Silverstein). In 1998, he formed the band, Old Dogs, with his friends Jerry Reed, Mel Tillis and Waylon Jennings.

1970
The single "Tennessee Bird Walk" by the country music husband-and-wife duo Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan was at #1 on the country chart. "Tennessee Bird Walk" is a novelty song theorizing on the effects of removing the wings, feathers, singing ability, and common sense from birds.

1990
Randy Travis' "Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart" broke the four-week barrier, on the US country singles chart, the first since Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson's 1978 hit "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys."

1990
The fourth Farm Aid benefit concert took place at the Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana. Held to raise money for family farmers in the US, the concerts were organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young. Artists who appeared included: Bonnie Raitt, Carl Perkins, Garth Brooks, John Denver, Bill Monroe, Alan Jackson, Asleep at the Wheel, Jackson Browne, Bruce Hornsby, Poco, Elton John, Lou Reed, Don Henley, Taj Mahal, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and Guns N' Roses.

2009
Rascal Flatts released their sixth studio album Unstoppable the band's fourth consecutive #1 debut on the US Country chart.

2012
Jake Owen proposed to his girlfriend model Lacey Buchanan on stage in front of a hometown crowd in Vero Beach, Florida, at his annual charity event. The couple married the following month on May 7, 2012.

2013
Winners at this years American Country Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada included; Top Female Vocalist - Miranda Lambert, Top Vocal Group - Little Big Town, Top Vocal Duo - Thompson Square, Top New Male Vocalist - Brantley Gilbert, Top New Female Vocalist - Jana Kramer, Top New Duo/Group - Florida Georgia Line, Album of the Year - Chief, Eric Church, Single Record of the Year and and Song of the Year was "Over You" by Miranda Lambert.

2018
Bobby Bare was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. He scored over 30 US Country hits including his only Country #1 hit in 1974, "Marie Laveau", (which was written by written by Shel Silverstein). In 1998, he formed the band, Old Dogs, with his friends Jerry Reed, Mel Tillis and Waylon Jennings.

2019
Winners at the Academy of Country Music Awards included Entertainer of the Year – Keith Urban, Male Vocalist of the Year – Thomas Rhett, Female Vocalist of the Year – Kacey Musgraves, Vocal Duo of the Year – Dan + Shay, Vocal Group of the Year – Old Dominion, Album of the Year – Golden Hour (Kacey Musgraves), Song of the Year – "Tequila" (Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds Dan Smyers) and Artist of the Decade went to Jason Aldean.

2020
US folk and country singer John Prine died aged 73 due to complications from Covid-19. 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.