What Was MTV’s First Country Video?

It's been 36 years since MTV first launched with the music video for "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles. Since then, we've had major booms and musical revolutions in rock, pop, hip-hop, even country. And while their first day was filled with Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart and The Who, it was another five years before MTV aired its first country video (three years after CMT launched, even though recordings of country concerts had aired in MTV's early days).

What was the first crossover video to grace MTV's airwaves, way way back in 1986? None other than Dwight Yoakam's debut single, a cover of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man." It almost makes sense that he was the first to breakthrough on MTV. He got his start out in California opening for punk bands down in LA. I can just imagine Dwight in his cowboy hat, boots and jeans, honky-tonkin' for a bunch of punks in neon mohawks and safety-pin adorned leather jackets.