This Day in Country History: June 28
Country music festivals have dominated on June 28. From Oklahoma to Missouri, fans have enjoyed live performances by their favorite artists. Carrie Underwood had a big performance in Las Vegas…
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 03: (L-R) David Foster and Katharine McPhee attend the 2020 Breakthrough Prize Red Carpet at NASA Ames Research Center on November 03, 2019 in Mountain View, California. (Photo by Ian Tuttle/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize )
Country music festivals have dominated on June 28. From Oklahoma to Missouri, fans have enjoyed live performances by their favorite artists. Carrie Underwood had a big performance in Las Vegas on this day, High Valley got a certification for one of their singles, and there were a couple of significant marriages on June 28.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
June 28 was a big day with several major milestones:
- 2018: The band High Valley got their first certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. They received Gold certification for their single "Make You Mine" under the Atlantic record label.
- 2023: Multi-GRAMMY Award-winning country music star Carrie Underwood performed at The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas, Nevada. Underwood got her start as the winner of the fourth season of the TV show American Idol, which helped launch her wildly successful career.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Fans had fun under the sun at these outdoor country music festivals:
- 2014: Country music artists Scotty McCreery, Lady Antebellum (now known as Lady A) and the Randy Rogers Band performed at the OKC Fest in Oklahoma City. Lucas Hoge and Kix Brooks also played at this inaugural country music festival.
- 2024: Country Thunder Bristol, held in Bristol, Tennessee, featured Cody Johnson, Trace Adkins and Shenandoah as headliners at this popular country music festival. Additional artists included Emily Ann Roberts and Jake Worthington.
- 2024: Country music fans headed to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, for the Rock the Country music festival. On day one of this two-day festival, Jason Aldean, Travis Tritt, and Uncle Kracker headlined. Gavin Adcock and Dee Jay Silver also played.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From marriages to a touching funeral service, these events happened on June 28:
- 2015: Country star Brantley Gilbert married Amber Cochran on June 28 at the singer's home in Georgia. The couple had known each other for years, having previously dated in high school.
- 2016: At the funeral of GRAMMY Award-winning bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley, country music legends Vince Gill, Ricky Scaggs, and Patty Loveless performed at Hills of Home Park cemetery in Clintwood, Virginia. Gill sang "Go Rest High Up on the Mountain," a touching song for a memorable funeral.
- 2019: The legendary record producer/songwriter David Foster married actress/singer Katharine McPhee at an intimate wedding at the Church of Saint Yeghiche in South Kensington, London. Foster has worked with country music stars such as Kenny Rogers and Canadian singer Anne Murray.
Fans enjoy going to music festivals in the summer, as they get to see several musical artists in one location while bonding with other country music fans. Bringing people together to listen to music, sing, and dance is a fabulous way to build community and bring smiles to people's faces, and music festivals are the ultimate events for fun and camaraderie.
