This Day in Country History: April 14

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April 14 was a notable day in country music history. There were big winners at the Academy of Country Music Awards, including Randy Travis and Reba McEntire. The legendary Loretta Lynn was born on April 14, and Rusty Young, one of the great country music keyboardists, died on this day.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

On April 14, 1986, the ACM Awards had big winners, including:

1986: George Strait won Top Male Vocalist and Album of the Year for Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind. Randy Travis won Top New Male Vocalist, and country music band Alabama won Entertainer of the Year.
1986: Reba McEntire won Top Female Vocalist, Judy Rodman won for Top New Female Vocalist, and The Judds won Top Vocal Duo.
1986: Other winners included Kitty Wells for the Pioneer Award, The Highwaymen for Single Record of the Year for "Highwayman," and George Jones for Country Music Video of the Year with "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes."
2008: At the CMT Awards, Rascal Flatts won Best Group Video for their "Take Me There." Kellie Pickler took home Breakthrough Video for "I Wonder," and Taylor Swift won Female Video of the Year and Video of the Year for "Our Song."
2023: Eric Church, Cole Swindell, and Brett Young headlined the Tortuga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Other big names included Wiz Khalifa, Lauren Alaina, The Red Clay Strays, and Deana Carter.

Cultural Milestones

Loretta Lynn, one of the greatest female country music stars we've ever seen, was born on April 14:

1932: Country music queen Loretta Lynn, with hits including "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "After the Fire Is Gone," was born on April 14, 1932, in Kentucky. Lynn was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988, and in 2004, she won a GRAMMY for Best Country Album for Van Lear Rose.
2004: Country icon Dolly Parton received the Living Legend Medal from the Library of Congress. This prestigious award is given to people who have made contributions to America's cultural, scientific, and social heritage.
2017: Darius Rucker announced that tickets would be available for his annual Darius and Friends benefit concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This benefit concert helps support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
2017: Loretta Lynn celebrated her 85th birthday at a sold-out show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Lynn performed for 90 minutes, with guests including her sister, Crystal Gayle, Peggy Sue, and singer/songwriter Shawn Camp.
2023: Garth Brooks performed at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at his alma mater, Oklahoma State University. This benefit concert helped raise funds for scholarships and improve access to education for select students.

Notable Recordings and Performances

April 14 saw these three notable performances:

2010: Carrie Underwood played the Jack Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing, Michigan, as a stop on her Play On Tour.
2012: Country legend Ray Price performed at the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts for the Northeast Texas Community College Foundation. Proceeds from this show went toward revitalizing the Whatley Center.
2012: Blake Shelton performed at Canyon Moon Ranch in Florence, Arizona, as a stop on his Well Lit and Amplified Tour. He entertained his fans with songs like "Some Beach," Honey Bee," and "All About Tonight."
2017: Keith Urban's albums Fuse and Greatest Hits-18 Kids received Platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Brett Eldridge's "Wanna Be That Song" and Brett Young's "In Case You Didn't Know" both received Gold certifications.
2020: Tyler Rich's single, "The Difference," received a Gold certification from the RIAA. In addition, Brett Young's "Catch" received a Gold certification on the same date.
2023: Country group Little Big Town played the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Georgia. This was a stop for their Friends of Mine Tour.
2023: "Dance With You," By Brett Young, was released to radio by Big Machine Label Group.
2025: Brett Young performed at the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for his Back to Basics World Tour. Key songs he played were his newly released "Dance With You" and "You Ain't Here to Kiss Me."

Industry Changes and Challenges

From losing a great star, to country musicians delving into cooking shows and restaurants, April 14 has seen some interesting changes and challenges, including:

2012: Singer Trisha Yearwood premiered her cooking show Trisha's Southern Kitchen on the Food Network.
2015: While Eric Church is a major country music star, he also introduced his line of home furniture, Highway to Home, through a partnership with Pulaski Furniture. His collection featured Western and Southern styles that range from modern to traditional.
2019: Hal Ketchum's wife announced that Hal had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and was no longer going to be touring. Ketchum, best known for songs like "Small Town Saturday Night" and "Hearts Are Gonna' Roll," died in 2020 at the age of 67.
2021: Keyboard player extraordinaire and founding member of the country-rock band Poco, Rusty Young, died of a heart attack. Poco was known for songs such as "Crazy Love" and "Heart of the Night."

The ACM awards are always a bright spot for country music artists, and it's exciting to see so many big names win awards. Female country legends such as Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton continue to inspire up-and-coming artists with their dedication to their craft.

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Kristina HallWriter