This Day in Country History: March 5
On March 5, 1963, Patsy Cline, along with Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and manager and pilot Randy Hughes, perished in a dense forest near Camden, Tennessee, when their plane crashed….
Photo by Mindy Small/Getty Images
On March 5, 1963, Patsy Cline, along with Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and manager and pilot Randy Hughes, perished in a dense forest near Camden, Tennessee, when their plane crashed. Today, there's a memorial at the crash site in remembrance of these legendary country musicians. That's one interesting fact about what happened on March 5 in country music history. Here, you'll find more interesting trivia about country music from this day in history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These breakthrough hits and milestones from March 5 have notably influenced the country music genre:
- 1976: "One Piece at a Time" by Johnny Cash was released as a single. The song is about a man who builds a car by taking one piece at a time from the factory where he works, and it became one of Cash's most iconic songs.
- 2012: Lionel Richie released his Tuskegee album, which was a compilation of his greatest hits reimagined as country duets. He worked with several popular country artists on the album, and it made it to No. 1 on the country charts within a couple of weeks of its release.
- 2020: The Chicks, formerly known as The Dixie Chicks, had a monumental day on March 5. They received numerous single and album certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Singles included "Travelin' Soldier" and "Landslide," which received a Platinum certification. Their album Fly had gotten an 11x Platinum certification.
- 2024: Zach Bryan performed at the United Center in Chicago. The audience got a thrill when Bryan brought special guest Kacey Musgraves on stage to sing his hit song,"I Remember Everything" with him.
Cultural Milestones
Your favorite country songs wouldn't be what they are if it weren't for these cultural milestones that occurred on March 5:
- 1983: Country Music Television, or CMT, was launched, positioning itself as a 24-hour country music video station. It was on air just two days before The Nashville Network, which focused more on the country lifestyle, went live.
- 2016: Hymns That Are Important to Us by Joey + Rory debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Album chart, making it their highest-charting album. It featured songs such as "He Touched Me," "Softly and Tenderly," and "How Great Thou Art."
- 2019: While Kelsea Ballerini was on stage at the Grand Ole Opry singing Little Big Town's "Girl Crush," the band surprised her by inviting her to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
- 2020: Dan + Shay donated $100,000 to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for tornado victims from the recent storms that ripped through the area. The duo made the donation one day before their show at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
- 2020: Craig Morgan's reality TV show, Craig's World, premiered on the Grand Ole Opry's Circle Network. This 10-episode show highlighted the life of the "Redneck Yacht Club" singer.
Notable Recordings and Performances
When country artists took part in these notable recordings and performances on March 5, it had a significant impact on the industry:
- 1986: Steve Earle released one of the strongest debut country albums of the 1980s, Guitar Town. This was also one of the first country albums to get digitally recorded, and Earle made it into the top 10 with the album's title track.
- 2009: On Season 9, Episode 16 of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Taylor Swift made her television debut. She played the part of Haley Jones, a troubled teen who gets stabbed by her mother.
- 2009: Blake Shelton got a Gold certification from the RIAA for his album Pure BS. Top songs from this album include "The More I Drink" and "Don't Make Me."
- 2013: Luke Bryan's new album, Spring Break ... Here to Party, was released. This was Bryan's fifth album with spring-break, warm-weather vibes.
- 2014: Brantley Gilbert's "You Don't Know Her Like I Do" received a Platinum certification from the RIAA. In addition, Cassadee Pope received a Platinum certification for her song "Wasting All These Tears.
- 2019: Luke Bryan earns a Gold certification from the RIAA for "Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset," Platinums for "Light It Up" and "Most People Are Good," and a 5x Platinum certification for "Drunk on You."
Industry Changes and Challenges
Without these changes and challenges in the country music industry, you couldn't enjoy the sounds of the country tunes you love today:
- 1982: Amanda Shires, who began playing the fiddle at age 10, was born. She's played for the Texas Playboys, The Highwomen, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and has several solo albums to her credit.
- 2010: Karen Fairchild from Little Big Town and her husband, Jimi Westbrook, welcomed a baby boy, Elijah Dylan Westbrook. Elijah is the couple's first child together.
- 2016: The neotraditional singer Mo Pitney, known for songs like "Boy & Girl Thing" and "Ain't Lookin' Back," and his fiancée, Emily Bankester, were married. The couple met when they were in their teens performing at a bluegrass festival.
- 2021: Lead singer of Lonestar, Richie McDonald, announced he would be leaving the band for the second time since rejoining the group in 2011. He then joined The Frontmen and later put out two independent albums and four solo singles.
- 2021: After Richie McDonald left Lonestar as the frontman, the band hired Drew Womack to replace him. Womack is an award-winning country music artist who was formerly with the band Sons of the Desert.
From tragedies to breakout TV performances, these important March 5 events and milestones have left their mark on the industry, no matter the type of country music you listen to.
Kristina HallWriter
