February 16th in Country Music History

1914: Actor and country Western music vocalist Jimmy Wakely is born is Howard County, Arkansas. Wakely was known as one of the last singing cowboys.

1950: American record producer and session guitarist Paul Worley is born in Nashville, Tennessee. Worley is known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, Worley has worked for Big & Rich, and is most widely known as the co- producer (with Victoria Shaw) of the self-titled debut album of Lady Antebellum (2008), as the co-writer (with Lady Antebellum) of their global hit, “Need You Now.” He also discovered the Dixie Chicks and, with Blake Chancey, co-produced their first two albums.

1967: American country music performer Smiley Burnette (Lester Alvin Burnett ), dies from leukemia aged 55.

1969: George Jones and Tammy Wynette marry in Ringgold, Georgia.

1971: Lynn Anderson sits at #1 on the country music album chart with Rose Garden. The title track went on to top the country charts, where it stayed at the #1 position for five weeks, and reached #3 on the pop charts in 1971.

2002: Hank Williams Jr. makes his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in more than 20 years, joining Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart to pay tribute to the late Waylon Jennings.

2006: John Michael Montgomery is arrested at an intersection in Lexington, Kentucky for driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance. Police also found two loaded handguns in Montgomery’s vehicle. Montgomery was charged with a count of a prescription drug not in its proper container, and two counts of carrying a concealed deadly weapon.