April 8 – This Day in Country Music

1960
Born on this day in Mount Kisco, New York, was John Schneider III, actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman. Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a country singer in the 1980s, releasing nine studio albums which gave him hits such as: “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know”, “Country Girls”, “What’s a Memory Like You (Doing in a Love Like This)” and “You’re the Last Thing I Needed Tonight”, all of which reached the top of the Billboard country singles charts.

1979
Anne Murray was spending her third week atop of the country charts with “I Just Fall in Love Again”. Written by Larry Herbstritt, with co-writers Steve Dorff, Harry Lloyd, and Gloria Sklerov. The song was originally recorded by The Carpenters and later covered by Dusty Springfield, whose version inspired Anne Murray to record her own cover.

1980
Kenny Rogers as The Gambler premiered on CBS. It was loosely based on the Grammy-winning Kenny Rogers song of the same name, and stars the singer as Brady Hawks, a gambler trying to reunite with a son he never knew, played by Ronnie Scribner. It was a critical and commercial success, receiving an Eddie Award and two Emmy nominations, and resulting in four sequels.

1982
The Oak Ridge Boys were at #1 on the Country singles chart with “Bobbie Sue”, the title track of their seventh album became the Oaks’ sixth #1 single.

2007
Tim McGraw was at #1 on the US album chart with Let It Go his fourth #1 album. The album produced seven Top 20 US country hits. The first single from the album, “Last Dollar (Fly Away)” (written by Big Kenny of Big & Rich), reached the top of the country charts in early 2007, giving McGraw his first #1 hit since “Back When” in late 2004.

2008
Carrie Underwood released “Last Name” the third single from Underwood’s second studio album, Carnival Ride. At the 51st Grammy Awards, the song won Underwood her third consecutive Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. The song became her seventh straight #1 country single, and her eighth #1 Billboard single overall.