The Birth of a Country Legend This Day in Country Music – March 7th (Video)

1971 - Gilley's nightclub opens in Pasadena, Texas. Named for part-owner Mickey Gilley, the home of the mechanical bull provides the inspiration for the 1980 movie "Urban Cowboy," which results in a short-term country trend.  Here is some of what made Gilley's famous.

2011 - Big Machine releases Taylor Swift's "Mean" to radio.

2010 - Songwriters Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett win the Oscar award for Best Original Song, recognizing "The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)," at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre.

2008 - Faith Hill's "Breathe" tops the list when CMT premieres "40 Sexiest Music Videos".

2001 - The Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts cite 365 Songs of the Century, including more than 50 country titles. Among them: Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance," featuring The Sons Of The Desert.

1998 - George Strait collects a #1 single in Billboard with "Round About Way".

1998 - Sara Evans makes her Grand Ole Opry debut, singing "Your Cheatin' Heart".

1995 - The "Honeymoon In Vegas" soundtrack goes platinum. The album features remakes of Elvis Presley songs by Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Travis Tritt, Ricky Van Shelton, Bono, Dwight Yoakam, Amy Grant and Vince Gill, among others.

1986 - Randy Travis makes his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. After an introduction from Little Jimmy Dickens, he performs "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry".

1944 - Singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt is born in Fort Worth, Texas. A vivid songwriter and wild personality, he authors a pair of 1980s hits: Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson cover "Pancho And Lefty"; Emmylou Harris & Don Williams do "If I Needed You".

Information provided by: RolandNote.com