This Day in Country History: May 3
Over the years, early May has brought many festivals, performances, and awards. Sadly, on May 3, Nashville and the surrounding area experienced a devastating flood that impacted musicians and the…
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 08: Dolly Parton performs onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Dolly Parton at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 8, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Photo by Rich Fury/Getty ImagesOver the years, early May has brought many festivals, performances, and awards. Sadly, on May 3, Nashville and the surrounding area experienced a devastating flood that impacted musicians and the wider community and caused damage to the iconic Grand Ole Opry.
Cultural Milestones
May 3 has seen country music artists recognized for their community spirit and others coming together to help support great causes:
- 2016: Multi-Grammy Award singer/songwriter Vince Gill received the E.W. “Bud” Wendell Award, the hospitality industry's top award, for his contributions to the success of the tourism and convention business in Nashville, Tennessee.
- 2017: In a star-studded event, country music artists came together to pay tribute to the legendary, Grammy-winning star, Jimmy Webb. The event benefited the Alzheimer's Association, in honor of Webb's dear friend, Glenn Campbell. Performing artists included Dwight Yoakam and the late Toby Keith.
- 2017: Country music queen Reba McEntire headlined a charity benefit for the Thistle Farms women's nonprofit organization at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Other stars at this concert included Jason Isbell and John Prine.
- 2019: Dolly Parton and the Dollywood Foundation received the Federal Bureau of Investigation Director's Community Leadership Award in recognition of generous fundraising efforts following the 2016 wildfires in the nearby Gatlinburg area.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Notable performances on May 3 over the years include:
- 2008: Mother/daughter country duo The Judds performed at the second annual Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California. Other performers at the country musical festival included Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and Dierks Bentley.
- 2009: Legendary folk singer Pete Seeger celebrated his 90th birthday with an all-star concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Cross-genre performers included country music star Emmylou Harris, folk singer Joan Baez, and pop artist Ben Harper.
- 2012: Lady Antebellum, now known as Lady A, performed at the prestigious Radio City Music Hall in New York with guest star country music artist Darius Rucker.
- 2014: Country music sensation Kacey Musgraves performed at the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City. This event raises awareness for the LGBTQ+ community.
- 2018: Chris Young performed at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, as part of his Losing Sleep 2018 World Tour. The tour featured special guests such as Cassadee Pope, Kelsea Ballerini, and Kane Brown.
Industry Changes and Challenges
After two days of intense rainfall, the Cumberland River crested on May 3, causing extensive damage to the Nashville area.
- 2010: Nashville, Tennessee, received a record amount of rain, causing severe flooding, and the Cumberland River that runs through Nashville rose to 52.55 feet, almost breaking the record. The Grand Ole Opry music venue was seriously damaged, and artists had to move to other venues until it was repaired.
- 2010: The flood soaked the SoundCheck storage facility in Nashville. Musicians Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Vince Gill, and Keith Urban had their musical gear damaged or destroyed by this devastating flood that killed several people.
It's always heartening to see people helping one another during challenging times, as country music artists so often do. As the country music industry evolves, you can look forward to hearing new music from up-and-coming artists.
