Old Country Gets New Recognition This Day In Country Music – December 7th

2008 – George Jones is celebrated during the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., along with Barbra Streisand, Morgan Freeman and two members of The Who.

2007 – An installment of “CMT Crossroads” pairing LeAnn Rimes and Joss Stone has its first showing on TV. The two singers join voices on “Nothin’ Better To Do”.

2006 – The Dixie Chicks register five Grammy nominations, leading all country acts. Alan Jackson nets three and Carrie Underwood collects two, including one for Best New Artist.

2004 – Loretta Lynn nets five Grammy nominations in recognition of her album “Van Lear Rose.” Gretchen Wilson claims four nominations, including best new artist, while “Live Like You Were Dying” is a finalist for all-genre song of the year.

2003 – Loretta Lynn is recognized during the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., by president George W. Bush. Celebrated with her: Carol Burnett, James Brown, Itzhak Perlman and movie director Mike Nichols.

1998 – BNA releases Kenny Chesney’s “How Forever Feels”.

1992 – Columbia releases Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Passionate Kisses”.

1991 – Reba McEntire’s “For My Broken Heart” tops the Billboard country singles chart.

1983 – Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton earn a platinum single for “Islands In The Stream”.

1948 – Gary Morris born in Fort Worth, Texas. A considerably talented singer, he introduces himself to country music in 1980, but his career becomes more eclectic, branching into night-time soaps and opera, ostensibly ending his commercial run in country.

1931 – Bobby Osborne born in Hyden, Kentucky. With younger sibling Sonny, The Osborne Brothers become a major bluegrass duo, joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1964 and developing their signature song “Rocky Top”.