This Day in Country History: May 22
The 37th annual Academy of Country Music Awards were held in Los Angeles, California, on May 22, 2002, with big-name winners such as Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, and Martina…
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 24: (L-R) Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn perform during the 15th Annual Academy Of Country Music Honors at Ryman Auditorium on August 24, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images for ACM)
The 37th annual Academy of Country Music Awards were held in Los Angeles, California, on May 22, 2002, with big-name winners such as Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, and Martina McBride. There were inductees into hallowed country music organizations, deaths, and marriages on this day in country music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Winners at the ACM Awards on May 22 included:
- 2002: Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," a tribute to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack in New York, won Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
- 2002: Brooks & Dunn won their third Entertainer of the Year award and Video of the Year for "Only in America." Martina McBride was named Top Female Vocalist of the Year, Trick Pony won Top New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year, and Carolyn Dawn Johnson took home the Top New Female Vocalist award.
- 2002: Performers at the ACM Awards included Lee Ann Womack and Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, and Travis Tritt. Reba McEntire hosted the show.
Cultural Milestones
Mega stars such as Reba McEntire and Luke Bryan have made a huge impact on the country music scene and influenced many new country music artists:
- 2011: Reba McEntire, widely referred to as the Queen of Country music, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on May 22. Dolly Parton presented her prestigious medallion. McEntire has won the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year award four times and released dozens of chart-topping songs.
- 2015: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened the Luke Bryan: Dirt Road Diary exhibit on May 22. It featured some of Bryan's stage attire, photos, and artifacts from his tours.
- 2021: The late actor, comedian, and hymn singer Leslie Jordan made his Grand Ole Opry debut on May 22. Country singers Vince Gill, Charlie Worsham, and TJ Osborne joined Jordan to sing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."
Industry Changes and Challenges
Changes and challenges that occurred in the country music industry on May 22 include:
- 2012: The Pistol Annie's Angaleena Presley married Miranda Lambert's tour manager on May 22 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The country music trio, composed of Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Presley, rose to fame with their album and song "Hell on Heels."
- 2019: Dan Mitchell, a prolific country music songwriter and winner of the Legendary Performer Songwriter Artist Award from the North American Country Music Association, died at his home in Nashville on May 22. One of his biggest hits was "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)" released by the band Alabama, which he co-wrote with Murry Kellum.
- 2021: Veteran country music songwriter Glenn Douglas Tubb died in Nashville on May 22. He wrote songs for George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Webb Pierce, and Marty Stuart.
The country music industry continues to honor its artists and performers with awards and inductions into prestigious organizations. Aspiring performers are inspired by the country music legends they admire and strive for greatness as a result.
