This Day in Country History: March 4
On March 4, 1983, George Jones married his fourth wife, Nancy Sepulveda and wed in Woodville, Texas, at Jones’ sister’s home. They were married until Jones died in 2013. Are you interested in other facts from this day in country music history? Continue reading to discover breakthrough hits, band milestones, cultural shifts, notable performances, and other country music events that happened on March 4.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These breakthrough hits and milestones helped shape the history of country music:
- 1967: Merle Haggard released I’m A Lonesome Fugitive, an album for which he wrote most songs. It rose to No. 3 on the Billboard Country Albums chart.
- 2000: “Amazed” by Lonestar topped the Billboard Hot 100 after hitting No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, where it stayed for eight weeks. This was the first time in 17 years that a country song reached No. 1 on both charts.
Cultural Milestones
Without these cultural milestones, country music wouldn’t be the same today:
- 1980: The movie A Coal Miner’s Daughter, about the life of Loretta Lynn, premiered in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Belle Meade Theater. It was a commercial success starring Sissy Spacek, who won a Best Actress Academy Award for her role as Loretta Lynn.
- 2010: Starring as themselves, Rascal Flatts and Jay DeMarcus appeared in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. During the episode, detectives had to decide whether DeMarcus’ death by guitar electrocution was an accident.
Notable Recordings and Performances
You may recall these March 4 recordings and performances that influenced the country music industry:
- 2008: Alan Jackson debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with his 15th studio album, Good Time. Three singles from the album hit No. 1: “Country Boy,” “Small Town Southern Man,” and “Good Time.”
- 2009: Charlie Pride performed for the Texas Rangers — a baseball team he later became a minority owner of. Pride had a long history with country music and a great love of baseball.
Industry Changes and Challenges
These industry changes and challenges happened on March 4, significantly affecting the country music genre:
- 1996: Known as the Queen of Country Comedy, Minnie Pearl died at 83. She had performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for over 50 years and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1975.
- 2020: Garth Brooks became the youngest person to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He was presented with the award at an event in Washington, D.C., where he gave the opening performance.
These important March 4 events had an overwhelming influence on country music. Appreciate how your favorite music has evolved into what it is today!
