This Day in Country History: October 22
What a busy day Oct. 22 was for inductions at various organizations, including the Musicians Hall of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame. Fans had fun at Country…
What a busy day Oct. 22 was for inductions at various organizations, including the Musicians Hall of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame. Fans had fun at Country Thunder Florida, and in a surprise twist, a rapper, Lil Nas X, received a Diamond certification for his song "Old Town Road."
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
There were new inductees into the Musicians Hall of Fame on Oct. 22, and Lil Nas X had a surprise:
- 2019: The band Alabama, record producer Owen Bradley, and co-founder of Taylor Guitars, Bob Taylor, were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville. Performers welcoming the new inductees included Garth Brooks, Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris, and Vince Gill.
- 2022: Rapper Lil Nas X's country song, "Old Town Road" featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, broke records with the Recording Industry Association of America. It started the day with a 4x Platinum certification, went up to a 9x Platinum, and by the end of the day, the RIAA gave this single a Diamond certification, the highest recognition this organization gives. It was the fastest song to achieve Diamond certification.
- 2022: Several musical artists were inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame on October 22, including Clint Black and Lady Antebellum (now known as Lady A). The late Chet Atkins and DeFord Bailey also received stars on this day.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From a country music festival to a surprise appearance, these were notable performances for this day:
- 2022: Jo Dee Messina surprised guests at a Bobby Bones stand-up comedy show at the CMA Theater in Nashville. Messina delighted fans with acoustic versions of her songs "Lesson in Leavin'" and "Heads Carolina, Tails California."
- 2022: On the second day of Country Thunder Florida in Kissimmee, Florida, Morgan Wallen, Chase Rice, and Tracy Lawrence were the headliners. Fans also enjoyed seeing James Barker Band, Maggie Rose, and Nolan Sotillo.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A hospitalization and a death impacted the music industry on this date:
- 2011: The legendary Loretta Lynn was hospitalized due to complications from pneumonia. This illness forced her to cancel a couple of her upcoming shows, including ones in Ashland, Kentucky, and Durham, North Carolina.
- 2020: Margi Bowes Wilborn, wife of the Grand Ole Opry star Doyle Wilburn, died on October 22. Margi was known for her singing style, and in 1959, she had a couple of hit songs, including "Poor Old Heartsick Me" and “My Love and Little Me."
Country music artists work hard to craft hit songs, and it's an honor for the artists to receive recognition, as we saw with the numerous inductions into the various Walks and Halls of Fame on Oct. 22. The world said goodbye to a legendary country music artist, and fans wished Loretta Lynn a speedy recovery on this day in country music history.
