This Day in Country Music History, December 27
2016
Vince Gill, Bob Seger, Juanes and Kings of Leon pay tribute to The Eagles with “Life In The Fast Lane” as CBS airs “The Kennedy Center Honors.” Darius Rucker, Sheryl Crow and Garth Brooks collaborate on “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” while honoring James Taylor
2014
Carrie Underwood hits the top of the Billboard country albums chart with “Greatest Hits: Decade #1”
2009
Clay and Jessica Walker have a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Walker
2007
Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet and his wife, Rebecca, have a daughter, Penelopi Jane Sweet, at Nashville’s Baptist Hospital
1991
Shay Mooney is born in Natural Dam, Arkansas. He co-founds Dan + Shay, who pick up numerous Vocal Duo of the Year nominations. They nab Top 10 hits, starting in 2014, with “19 You + Me,” “Nothin’ Like You” and “From The Ground Up”
1986
Hank Williams Jr.’s remake of “Mind Your Own Business” tops the Billboard country chart, with help from Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire and Reverend Ike
1979
Singer/songwriter Walker Hayes is born in Mobile, Alabama. He employs clever word play and hip-hop influences as he earns his first country hit in 2017 with a song inspired by his music business experiences, “You Broke Up With Me”
1977
Dolly Parton earns the first gold album of her career, with “Here You Come Again”
1967
Songwriter Jim Beavers is born in Midland, Texas. He authors Tim McGraw’s “Felt Good On My Lips,” Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup,” Luke Bryan’s “Drink A Beer” and Josh Turner’s “Why Don’t We Just Dance”
1948
Les Taylor is born in Oneida, Kentucky. The vocalist/guitarist becomes a key member of Exile, whose harmonic mix of gospel, pop and country yields more than 10 hit singles from 1983 until his departure for a solo career in 1989. Taylor also co-writes Janie Fricke’s 1982 single “It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Easy”
