Nashville Keep the Music Original Country (That Old Country Swing)

Jose Cuervo Little Shooters What Did I Do Last Night (Shelly West)

LIVE

Classic Gold Country

Country with something different sound

Hank Snow was at #1 on the Country music singles charts with "I'm Moving On". The song, stayed at the top of the charts for 21 weeks and was the first of seven #1 Billboard country hits Snow scored throughout his career.

King, Kansas City Star, Supermarket Parking Lot (Roger Miller)

Bubba Shoots the Jukebox (Mark Chestnut )

The 1970s was a seminal decade for country music, marked by a blend of traditional sounds and innovative styles. This era saw a cultural transformation, with artists breaking new ground and reaching broader audiences. From the Outlaw movement to crossover hits, the '70s carved a distinct path in the music world. Let's explore some of the most influential aspects and figures that defined country music during this vibrant decade.

Cowboy's Bonaparte's Retreat the Dance

Ah, celebrating Billy Grammer’s birthday with a deep dive into “Bonaparte’s Retreat”—now that’s a tribute worthy of a true country archivist like you, Tom.

The Story Behind “Bonaparte’s Retreat” The song has roots that stretch far beyond Grammer’s 1959 rendition. It began as a traditional American fiddle tune, dating back to at least the late 1800s, and possibly earlier. The title refers to Napoleon Bonaparte’s disastrous retreat from Russia in 1812—a moment that inspired British folk songs celebrating his downfall.

But the version Grammer recorded was shaped by a pivotal transformation:

In 1950, Pee Wee King added lyrics to the old fiddle tune, turning it into a country hit.
Grammer’s take followed nearly a decade later, bringing a smoother vocal style and a more romantic interpretation to the melody. His version leaned into the lyrical theme of longing and dance, rather than military defeat.

Why It Resonated Grammer’s “Bonaparte’s Retreat” isn’t about Napoleon—it’s about a man watching his lover dance, captivated by her grace. The retreat becomes metaphorical: a surrender to love, not war. That emotional pivot, paired with Grammer’s warm delivery, made it a perfect fit for the golden age of country crooners.

If you’re building a birthday segment, you could riff on the contrast between the historical roots and Grammer’s romantic reimagining. Maybe even pair it with archival fiddle cuts or a spoken-word bridge that traces its journey from battlefield to ballroom.

Want help crafting a segment banner or intro script for it? I’d love to riff with you.

Sunrise Radio and Classic Gold Country our Mission Statement

🌅 Sunrise, Classic Gold Country Radio Mission Statement

Welcome to the beginning of something special. At Sunrise Radio and Classic Gold Country we invite you to discover who we are, what we do, and why quality and service are at the heart of everything we offer. We’re building more than a station—we’re growing a community, one story and one song at a time. Thanks for joining us on this journey. We’re proud to have you as part of our story.

Happy Birthday Kitty Wells

The First Lady of Country Music Kitty Wells: The Voice That Broke the Silence

“Before Loretta sang of coal miners’ daughters, Kitty sang for every honky tonk angel left behind.”
“She didn’t just open doors—she sang through them, guitar in hand, voice unwavering.”
“From the hush of Nashville studios to the roar of jukeboxes in roadside diners, Kitty Wells gave country music its first female anthem.”

August 30th on this day Country News

1919
Born on this day in Nashville, Tennessee was Ellen Muriel Deason who became known as Kitty Wells. Her 1952 hit "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", made her the first female country singer to top the US country charts, and turned her into the first female country star. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame; as of 2011 - at the age of 92 - is its oldest living member. Wells' accomplishments earned her the moniker, 'The Queen of Country Music.'

1945
Born on this day songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fred Tackett best known as a member of the band Little Feat. Tackett has recorded with various Country stars including: Kenny Rogers, Bonnie Raitt, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton.

1949
Hank Williams went into Herzog Studio in Cincinnati to record "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Williams wrote the song originally intending that the words be spoken, rather than sung. The song about loneliness was largely inspired by his troubled relationship with wife Audrey Sheppard and was released as the B side to "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" which was a #2 hit in 1949.

1950
Hank Snow was at #1 on the Country music singles charts with "I'm Moving On". The song, stayed at the top of the charts for 21 weeks and was the first of seven #1 Billboard country hits Snow scored throughout his career.

1956
Born on this day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was Dan Truman, piano and keyboards with Diamond Rio. Their 1991 single "Meet in the Middle", made them the first band ever to send a debut single to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The band charted 32 more singles between then and 2006, including four more that reached #1: "How Your Love Makes Me Feel" (1997), "One More Day" (2001), "Beautiful Mess" (2002), and "I Believe" (2003).

1969
Roger Miller was the special guest on this week's Johnny Cash ABC television music variety show. Roger performed "Me And Bobby Magee" and a short comedy version of "I Walk The Line".

1971
Lynn Anderson was at #1 on the country music album chart with You're My Man, Anderson's fourth studio album. The record was a #1 hit on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for seven weeks, Anderson's third (and to date, last) #1 on the chart. Produced by Anderson's husband Glenn Sutton, the title song was Anderson's second #1 record.

1989
Born on this day in Brooklyn, New York was American singer and songwriter Bebe Rexha. She had the 2017 country crossover single "Meant to Be" with Florida Georgia Line which set the record for the longest running #1 hit on the Country chart with 50 weeks.

1989
Born on this day, American singer and songwriter Bleta Rexha. The 2017 single 'Meant to Be' (featuring Florida Georgia Line), had wide success as a country crossover single, peaking at No.2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent a record-breaking 50 weeks at the top of the US country chart.

1991
Dottie West was en route to the Grand Ole Opry in a car that Kenny Rogers had given her during her financial hardships. When the car stalled, an Opry member called her neighbor, George Thackton, who came to her aid. However, as he was speeding to get West to the venue on time, Thackton lost control of his vehicle, crashing into the central divider of the road as he was exiting the freeway. Although West originally did not seem injured, she suffered both a ruptured spleen and a lacerated liver, and she died several days later, during her third operation, after receiving 30 units of blood in an attempt to save her life.

1993
Alabama released "Reckless" the first single from their album Cheap Seats. which went to #1 on the Country chart. It became the groups thirty-second #1 Country hit.

2004
Kris Kristofferson and former record executive Jim Foglesong were named the 2004 inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

2005
Brooks & Dunn released their the ninth studio album Hillbilly Deluxe which went to #1 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums, their fifth chart topper. The first single from the album "Play Something Country" became a #1 Country hit.

2007
Reba McEntire received two CMA nominations: Female Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year. With those two nominations plus another in 2008 and two more in 2009, McEntire became the female artist with the most nominations (forty-eight) in the forty-three year history of the CMA Awards, surpassing Dolly Parton, who has forty-three

2009
Shania Twain was a special guest judge on this week's American Idol TV show, filmed in Chicago. Twain returned to American Idol the following year as a guest mentor for a week where the top 6 contestants showcased her songs.

2011
Jake Owen released his third album Barefoot Blue Jean Night. The album's title track and first single, became his first #1 Country hit and the album also hit #1.

2011
Ghost on the Canvas the sixty-first album by Glen Campbell was released. It was intended to be Campbell's farewell studio recording following him being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The album peaked at #6 on the US Country chart.

2016
Fiddle player, multi-instrumentalist, and country music and bluegrass artist Hoot Hester died age 65. Hester had played backup for a number of country music artists, among them Alabama, Hank Williams Jr., Conway Twitty, Randy Travis, Bill Monroe, Vern Gosdin, and Ricky Van Shelton as well as a longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry's staff band.