Country Music Timeline: Dwight Yoakam Goes Platinum With Buck Owens

March 22--

Happy Birthday goes out to William Shatner and Wolf Blitzer who share birthdays today.  Plus in country music history, Hank Williams Jr. makes his first stage debut, Sheryl Crow plays the Grand Ole Opry for the first time, Dwight Yoakam scores big on his third consecutive #1 album and more....

1931 – William Shatner is born.  He will go on to give us a better appreciation for people who really CAN sing.  He’s also in a handful of Brad Paisley videos including “Celebrity” and “Online.”  He turns 80 today.

1948 – Broadcast journalist and Buffalo native Wolf Blitzer turns 63. (Wikipedia)

1958 – Hank Williams Jr. makes his first public appearance on stage at The Nancy Auditorium in Swainsboro, Georgia.  He was only 8!  But he was already whiskey bent and hell bound.

1995 --  People begin to know him and to like him as Dwight Yoakam lands a platinum album.  His “Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room” goes platinum and contains his first 2 #1 hits (“Streets Of Bakersfield” with the late Buck Owens and “ I Sang Dixie”)     (Wikipedia)

1999 – Diamond Rio parties like it’s 1999 as they score a gold album for “Unbelievable.”  Not so unbelievable now huh?

1999 – While Diamond Rio is celebrating, Sheryl Crow is playing the Grand Ole Opry for the first time.

2003 – “Travielin Soldier” from the Dixie Chicks makes its way to the top of the Country Billboard Charts. 

2007 – Jason Aldean’s “Johnny Cash” video premiers on CMT.

For more Country Music History, check out  CMT.com