This Day in Country History: January 14
Jan. 14 has been an important day in country music history. Several albums from superstars received certifications, benefit shows took place, and Brandi Carlile had a short residency at the…
Jan. 14 has been an important day in country music history. Several albums from superstars received certifications, benefit shows took place, and Brandi Carlile had a short residency at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Continue reading to learn more about this day in country music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
From a Grand Ole Opry debut to the opening of a new honky-tonk bar and restaurant, these cultural milestones occurred on Jan. 14:
- 2017: Tucker Beathard, singer of "Rock On," made his Grand Ole Opry debut, taking to the stage with his guitar and singing his new song, "Momma and Jesus." This young star is the son of songwriter Casey Beathard, who wrote Kenny Chesney's "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems."
- 2018: Dierks Bentley opened his new bar and restaurant, Whiskey Row, in Nashville. Lauren Alaina, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, and Maren Morris also helped with the grand opening by entertaining the audience.
Cultural Milestones
A few benefit shows took place on Jan. 14:
- 2019: Lady A, Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, and Jon Pardi joined Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots for the 4th Annual Million Dollar Show at the Ryman Auditorium. This concert benefited the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Nashville and also featured Maggie Rose and Bailey Bryan.
- 2020: The Tennessee Riverkeeper's 10th anniversary celebration hosted keynote speakers, country music artists, and an acoustic performance by Chris Janson, who sang "Drunk Girl" and "Buy Me a Boat." The Tennessee Riverkeeper and Waterkeeper organizations raise funds to ensure clean drinking water for communities.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These notable events happened on Jan. 14:
- 2011: Carrie Underwood's album Play On received a 2x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Additionally, the RIAA gave Jason Aldean's album My Kinda Party a Platinum certification and Tim McGraw's album Number One Hits a Gold certification.
- 2020: Brandi Carlile was joined by Tanya Tucker for a duet during her six-night residency at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Carlile thrilled fans with hits, such as "The Joke," as well as covers of popular songs, including "A Case of You" by Joni Mitchell and "Like a Prayer" by Madonna.
Industry Changes and Challenges
These two deaths on Jan. 14 changed the music industry:
- 2020: Songwriter Dallas Frazier died at the age of 82. Frazier was known for writing many hit songs, such as "Elvira," performed by the Oak Ridge Boys, "Beneath Still Waters," recorded by Emmylou Harris, and "If My Heart Had Windows" by George Jones.
- 2021: Record executive Larry Willoughby died at the age of 70. Willoughby was vice president of A&R at Capitol Records Nashville, where he launched the careers of Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, and Dierks Bentley.
Jan. 14 was a sad day for the music industry with the loss of Larry Willoughby and Dallas Frazier. However, fans were grateful for the records produced and the songs written by these two music powerhouses. Jan. 14 has truly impacted the history of country music.
