This Day in Country History: February 16
February 16 saw nominations, a Grand Ole Opry debut, and a new record label signing. Keith Urban, Maren Morris, and Miranda Lambert received multiple nominations from the Academy of Country…
February 16 saw nominations, a Grand Ole Opry debut, and a new record label signing. Keith Urban, Maren Morris, and Miranda Lambert received multiple nominations from the Academy of Country Music Awards on February 16, and country music legend George Strait introduced rockers Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band before their performance on this day.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Keith Urban and Mitchell Tenpenny had big milestones on February 16, including:
- 2017: The Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced nominations for the 52nd ACM Awards. Keith Urban received seven nominations, and Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert received six nominations each. Tim McGraw and Florida Georgia Line each received five nominations.
- 2019: The "We Got History" singer Mitchell Tenpenny had his Grand Ole Opry debut. Tenpenny sang his hit song "Drunk Me" for his debut. This song received a 4x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 26, 2025.
Cultural Milestones
People coming together to help others were cultural milestones for this day.
- 2012: Stars like Rodney Crowell, Pat McLaughlin, Danny Flowers, and John Cowan held a benefit at 3rd & Lindsley Bar and Grill in Nashville. This benefit was titled A Little Help From My Friends: A Benefit for Elliott Stockard, a prominent philanthropic Nashville citizen.
- 2017: The Brothers Osborne headlined a benefit concert at The Basement East in Nashville. This show was to raise funds for musician Matt Lovell, who was shot earlier in the year.
Notable Recordings and Performances
The Brothers Osborne and George Strait had notable events on February 16.
- 2019: During the third night of the Brothers Osborne's sold-out show at the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the band surprised the audience by bringing out Lee Ann Womack. She performed "Loving Me Back" with the band.
- 2023: The legendary George Strait makes a surprise appearance at a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert at the Moody Center stage in Austin, Texas. Strait did not perform that night, but he did introduce "The Boss" and the band.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From a fire on a tour bus to a country singer choosing a new genre, these were industry changes and challenges for February 16:
- 2011: The "This Is My Dirt" singer Justin Moore's tour bus caught on fire on February 16. Moore and the band were sleeping on the bus when the engine caught fire as they were traveling in the Detroit, Michigan, area. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and they ended up making the scheduled performance the next day in Flint.
- 2018: Country singer Danny Gokey announced he was shifting his singing career to gospel music and was signing with Capitol Christian Music Group. Gokey has three GRAMMY nominations, including one for his gospel song, "Haven't Seen It Yet," which was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.
What an exciting day February 16 was in country music history. From nominations to benefit concerts, surprise appearances at a rock show, and Mitchell Tenpenny's Grand Ole Opry debut in 2019, February 19 was significant.
