Where Were You Named Top Song Of 00's - Today In Country Music History

November 13, 2010

Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" ranks #1 as CMT debuts 40 Greatest Songs Of The Decade.

Jackson was scheduled to perform at the Country Music Association's annual awards ceremony on November 7, 2001. Originally, he planned to perform "Where I Come From", which at the time was the number 1 hit on the Billboard country charts. But mere days before the awards show, Jackson's manager, Nancy Russell, played a recording of "Where Were You" for four of the CMA's top executives. All four were crying by the time the song ended.

The day before the show, CMT had a brief note on its web site that Jackson would be introducing the new song during the awards telecast. The next night, after an introduction from the show's host, Vince Gill, Jackson performed "Where Were You" seated on a stool, with an orchestra and backing singers behind him. At the conclusion of the five-minute-long song, the audience gave him an immediate standing ovation. This performance, along with the Vince Gill introduction, is used as the song's music video.

"Where Were You" won both the ACM and CMA honors for Song of the Year and Single of the Year. In 2003, the song earned Jackson his first Grammy award, for Best Country Song. It was also nominated in the overall Song of the Year category, a rarity for a pure country song, but it lost to "Don't Know Why", written by Jesse Harris and a hit for Norah Jones. It was also ranked 28th on CMT's list of the "100 Greatest Country Songs".

When asked about the writing of the song, Jackson's reply was, "I think it was Hank Williams who said, 'God writes the songs, I just hold the pen.' That's the way I felt with this song."

Next: Alan Jackson With Another 'First'

2012
George Jones announced his final show would take place November 22, 2013 in Nashville. Jones died April 26, 2013, from hypoxic respiratory failure.
Jones' actual final concert was held at the Knoxville City Coliseum on April 6, 2013.
2006
George Strait’s Fresh Cut Christmas album, released through Hallmark stores, was certified platinum.
The Judds perform "Love Can Build A Bridge" at a groundbreaking ceremony for a Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, D.C. Also present: presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Maya Angelou, Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey
2001
Lonestar was honored with the Country Music Association’s Artist Achievement Award for taking country music outside the United States. Prior recipients included Reba McEntire and Shania Twain.
1999
Garth Brooks hosts NBC-TV's Saturday Night Live, with musical guest Chris Gaines.
1998
Hank Williams Jr.’s Greatest Hits was certified quadruple platinum. The album features hits released between 1979 and 1982 including “Family Tradition”, “A Country Boy Can Survive” and his cover of Hank Sr.’s “Kaw-Liga.” The compilation also featured one new song, “The American Dream” (#5). The album has since been certified 5x platinum by the RIAA.
1987
Patsy Cline’s Greatest Hits album was certified platinum. Released four years after the singer’s death in 1967, the album features from her career between 1957 and 1963. Songs included “Crazy”, “I Fall To Pieces” and “Leavin’ On Your Mind”.
The album would go on to sell more than 10 million copies, and until Shania Twain’s The Woman In Me passed it in December of 2000, was the greatest selling album by a female country artist.
Hank Williams Jr. has four hours of plastic and oral surgery at Nashville's Baptist Hospital to repair damages from a 500-foot fall in an August mountain accident.
#1 On This Date

SINGLES

2010 – Darius Rucker – “Come Back Song”

2004 – Phil Vassar – “In A Real Love”

1999 – Martina McBride – “I Love You”

1993 – Brooks & Dunn – “She Used To Be Mine”

1982 – Ricky Skaggs – “Heartbroke”

1976 – Loretta Lynn – “Somebody, Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missing Tonight)”

1971 – Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn – “Lead Me On”

1965 – Sonny James – “Behind The Tear”

1961 – Leroy Van Dyke – “Walk On By”

1954 – Webb Pierce – “More And More”

1948 – Eddy Arnold – “Bouquet of Roses”

ALBUMS
2010 – Taylor Swift – Speak Now
2004 – George Strait – 50 Number Ones
1999 – LeAnn Rimes – LeAnn Rimes
1993 – Common Thread: The Songs Of The Eagles
1982 – Willie Nelson – Always On My Mind
1976 – Marty Robbins – El Paso City
1971 – Freddie Hart – Easy Loving
1965 – Jimmy Dean – The First Thing Ev’ry Morning
Birthdays
Singer Jeannie Kendall (The Kendalls) is 60

Where Were You Named Top Song Of 00’s – Today In Country Music History [VIDEO]