Electric Willie - Today In Country Music History

Willie Nelson @ John Varvatos 11th Annual Stuart House Benefit — Photo by Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images for John Varvatos

December 21st, 1979

Willie Nelson makes his film debut with the opening of "The Electric Horseman," also starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. The soundtrack would include several Nelson's contributions: "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys", "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys", "So You Think You're a Cowboy", "Hands on the Wheel" and "Midnight Rider".

The film is about a former rodeo champion who is hired by a cereal company to become its spokesperson, and then runs away on a $12 million electric-lit horse and costume he is given to promote it in Las Vegas. Nelson plays Wendell Hickson, a veteran rodeo rider.

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2001
Josh Turner makes his Grand Ole Opry debut, performing "Long Black Train"
#1 On This Date
SINGLES
2013 – Parmalee – “Carolina”
2002 – Toby Keith – “Whose Your Daddy”
1996 – Alan Jackson – “Little Bitty”
1991 – Brooks & Dunn – “My Next Broken Heart”
1985 – George Strait – “The Chair”
1974 – Billy Swan – “I Can Help”
1968 – Glen Campbell – “Wichita Lineman”
1963 – Buck Owens – “Love’s Gonna Live Here”
1959 – Marty Robbins – “El Paso”
1946 – Merle Travis – “Divorce Me C.O.D.”

ALBUMS
2013 – Garth Brooks – Blame It All On My Roots: Five Decades Of Influences
2002 – Shania Twain – Up!
1996 – LeAnn Rimes – Blue
1991 – Garth Brooks – Ropin’ The Wind
1985 – Gary Morris – Anything Goes
1974 – John Denver – Back Home Again
1968 – Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
Birthdays
Singer Freddie Hart is 88
Singer-slide guitarist Lee Roy Parnell is 58
Songwriter/guitarist Brad Warren (The Warren Brothers) is 46
Singer/songwriter Eric Gunderson (Love And Theft) is 30

Electric Willie – Today In Country Music History [VIDEO]