1932
Born on this day in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, was Loretta Lynn, country singer, who became the first woman to be named Country Music Artist Entertainer Of The Year.Since her first #1 “Fist City”, in 1967 she has scored another 15 chart toppers. Her best-selling 1976 autobiography was made into an Academy Award winning film, Coal Miner’s Daughter, starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones in 1980.

1980
George Jones released “He Stopped Loving Her Today”, the lead single from his album I Am What I Am. The song, which was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman has been named in several surveys as the greatest country song of all time. Jones didn’t want to record the song, and when he cut it, he said, “Nobody will buy that morbid S.O.B.”

 

1986
Alabama won Entertainer of the Year for a record fifth straight time during the 21st annual Academy of Country Music awards, broadcast by NBC from Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. Other winners included: Top Female Vocalist of the Year – Reba McEntire, Top Male Vocalist of the Year – George Strait and Single Record of the Year went to Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings for “Highwayman.”