This Day in Country History: May 30
From music festivals to Memorial Day events, debuts at the Grand Ole Opry, and the ending of the TV show Hee Haw, May 30 was a significant day in country…
From music festivals to Memorial Day events, debuts at the Grand Ole Opry, and the ending of the TV show Hee Haw, May 30 was a significant day in country music history. One of the highlights of this day was Dolly Parton and Carl Dean's wedding in 1966.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
This day hosted the first Bayou Country Superfest with major country stars and a Grand Ole Opry debut performance:
- 2010: Taylor Swift, who was still a young country star at the time, was joined by Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and Brooks & Dunn at the Bayou Country Superfest on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Jason Aldean, Jake Owen, and Justin Moore were also at this inaugural event.
- 2015: GRAMMY Award winner Carly Pearce had her Grand Ole Opry debut on May 30. Pearce was born in Kentucky and had a brief stint working in Dollywood before embracing her country music career with songs such as "I Hope You're Happy Now" and "Never Wanted To Be That Girl."
Cultural Milestones
From parades to the ending of a long-running TV show, May 30 had some cultural milestones, including:
- 1992: The long-running TV show Hee Haw signed off the air on May 30 after running for nearly 23 years. Hosts Roy Clark and Buck Owens were naturals for this beloved show, depicting life in the South with comedic sketches and country music.
- 2016: John Michael Montgomery and Phil Vassar performed at the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., in honor of the United States Armed Forces. This is the biggest Memorial Day parade in the United States.
Notable Recordings and Performances
There were some fun performances on May 30:
- 2009: While not a country music star, comedian Steve Martin is an accomplished banjo player and made his Grand Ole Opry debut on May 30. He played songs from his album The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo.
- 2024: At the Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, Florida, headliners were Parker McCollum, Flatland Calvary, Corey Kent, and Midnight South.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Dolly Parton was married on this day, and the National Memorial Day Concert was held virtually instead of live because there were no public gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic:
- 1966: Queen of Country Dolly Parton married her husband Carl Dean on May 30, two years after meeting each other outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville. Despite being reclusive, Dean supported his wife's career and stardom for the nearly 60 years they were married before he died on March 3, 2025.
- 2021: Vince Gill sang "Go Rest High on That Mountain" at the historic Ryman Theater in Nashville as part of the PBS show National Memorial Day Concert: A Night of Remembrance. This concert is normally held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, but COVID-19 restrictions meant the live event was canceled, and the artists taped the show in small or isolated venues that were streamed on the PBS television network.
As we near the end of May, and Memorial Day celebrations and honors, it's a time to reflect on the goodwill of people, the bonds they share through music and culture, and how the country music industry has a lasting impact on their lives.
