This Day in Country History: November 22
Fall is the time of year for awards ceremonies, and fans saw big winners at the 2009 and 2020 American Music Awards held on Nov. 22. Vince Gill held an…
Fall is the time of year for awards ceremonies, and fans saw big winners at the 2009 and 2020 American Music Awards held on Nov. 22. Vince Gill held an annual benefit concert on this day, and several names in country music were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Nov. 22 hosted the AMAs in 2009 and 2020, and both events saw some big country artists take home awards:
- 2009: Winners at the AMAs included Taylor Swift for Favorite Female Country Artist, Keith Urban for Favorite Male Country Artist, and Rascal Flatts for Favorite Country Group or Duo. Favorite Country Album also went to Taylor Swift for Fearless.
- 2020: Country music artists who took home awards at the AMAs included Kane Brown for Favorite Male Country Artist, Maren Morris for Favorite Female Country Artist, and Dan + Shay for Favorite Country Duo or Group. Blake Shelton's album Fully Loaded: God's Country"won Favorite Country Album, and Dan + Shay's "10,000 Hours" with Justin Bieber won Favorite Country Song.
Cultural Milestones
From a benefit concert to inductions into the Musicians Hall of Fame, these were cultural milestones for Nov. 22:
- 2013: Vince Gill & Friends held the Chair-ish The Night benefit for Students Taking A Right Stand. The benefit was held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville and included a cocktail reception, art auction, and performances by Vince Gill and others.
- 2022: Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Vince Gill, Ray Stevens, and Don McLean were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville. Performers at this induction ceremony included Rodney Crowell, Steve Miller, and Mike Farris.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Nov. 22 has seen some standout country performances:
- 2012: During the 86th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Trace Adkins sang "Just Fishin'" and Cody Simpson sang "Wish U Were Here." Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, and Al Roker hosted this popular and beloved Thanksgiving event.
- 2019: George Strait was the first performer to play at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on this day. The new venue only holds 14,000 people, making for an intimate evening with Strait and his opening band, Asleep at the Wheel.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A wedding and a birth were wonderful industry changes for Nov. 22:
- 2019: Maddie Marlow from the group Maddie & Tae married her sweetheart Jonah Font in an intimate ceremony near Nashville. The couple invited only 150 guests to the ceremony, and afterward, they honeymooned in the Exuma Islands in the Bahamas.
- 2020: John Jeffers from the band Whiskey Myers and his wife Hope welcomed a baby boy on this day. Jag Wilder Jeffers was the couple's first child, making them a family of three.
Congratulations to Maddie Marlow on her wedding and to John Jeffers and Hope for welcoming their baby on Nov. 22. George Strait thrilled fans at the first concert at the Dickies Arena, the AMAs produced popular winners in the country music category, and Vince Gill once again raised money for those in need.
