This Day in Country History: August 17
On Aug. 17, the country music industry saw many fundraising events, notable shows, prestigious awards, and impressive certifications. Continue reading to learn more about these influential moments from this day…
On Aug. 17, the country music industry saw many fundraising events, notable shows, prestigious awards, and impressive certifications. Continue reading to learn more about these influential moments from this day in country music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These breakthrough hits and milestones occurred on Aug. 17:
- 2019: George Strait, Blake Shelton, Cody Johnson, and Caitlyn Smith performed at the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Strait sang several of his songs, such as "All My Ex's Live in Texas," and he covered Rodney Crowell's "Stars on the Water" and Terry Stafford's "Amarillo by Morning."
- 2022: Tim McGraw achieved multiple certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America. His single "Everywhere" was certified Gold, and he received Platinum certifications for "Indian Outlaw," "If You're Reading This," "My Little Girl," and "Just to See You Smile."
Cultural Milestones
Several impressive concerts were held on Aug. 17, including:
- 2013: Vince Gill and Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers performed at the Johnny Cash Music Festival at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. This event raised money to renovate Cash's childhood home in nearby Dyess, Arkansas.
- 2016: Kelsea Ballerini had a pop-up performance at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville for her In The Round with Kelsea Ballerini & Friends show. Event proceeds went to the Music Makes Us initiative, which aids music education programs in Nashville's public schools.
- 2021: The generous Darius Rucker hosted his annual fundraiser concert, Darius & Friends, at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This sold-out benefit concert raised over $410,000 for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Nashville.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Aug. 17 witnessed these notable performances:
- 2016: The Dixie Chicks, now known as The Chicks, delighted their fans by performing at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
- 2024: Fans in Canada enjoyed the Country Thunder Alberta festival and saw exciting performances by HARDY, Elle King, ERNEST, and Lonestar.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Many industry challenges happened on Aug. 17, including:
- 2016: At a show in Virginia Beach, a storm with 75 mph winds threatened an Old Dominion show. Even though there was a power outage and some gear was destroyed, the group did not want to disappoint fans, so they performed an acoustic show.
- 2018: The Turnpike Troubadours frontman, Evan Felker, finalized his divorce from Staci Nelson. Felker had been dating Miranda Lambert before the divorce was finalized, but the couple soon broke up.
August 17 had several noteworthy events, such as Old Dominion performing through a storm, the Country Thunder Alberta music festival, various charitable concerts, Tim McGraw's certifications, and Evan Felker's divorce. All those happenings prove that this day contributed to the country music industry.
