This Day in Country History: June 25
The world became topsy-turvy in early 2020 with lockdowns, quarantines, and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shows and performances were canceled or postponed, and venues closed. It was a…
The world became topsy-turvy in early 2020 with lockdowns, quarantines, and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shows and performances were canceled or postponed, and venues closed. It was a time to celebrate when restrictions began to lighten, and country music fans could again enjoy the energy of a live show, such as the one at the Brooklyn Bowl Nashville with the Old Crow Medicine Show performance.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Live performances after a hiatus and songwriters getting inducted were milestones on June 25:
- 2021: The Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, in Germantown, Tennessee, held its first show with a live audience since the COVID-19 restrictions with a performance by the Old Crow Medicine Show. This venue was scheduled for its grand opening in March 2020 but was delayed.
- 2021: Country singers Naomi Judd and Mary Chapin Carpenter were inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. The event was hosted at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., with additional inductees including Roberta Flack and Veryl Howard.
Cultural Milestones
Country music stars were honored, and the legendary Ryman Auditorium became a National Historic Landmark on June 25:
- 2001: The National Park Service designated the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville as a National Historic Landmark. This venue was the home to the Grand Ole Opry between 1943 and 1974, which helped earn Ryman Auditorium its historic landmark designation.
- 2016: The National Music Council honored Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris with the American Eagle Award. This award is presented to an individual, group, or organization that has contributed to America's musical culture and heritage, with past recipients including Kris Kristofferson, Roy Clark, and the Oak Ridge Boys.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From a music festival to a country star singing the national anthem, these were notable events for June 25:
- 2021: Big names headlined the Country Jam Colorado music festival in Loma, Colorado. Fans enjoyed seeing performances by Toby Keith, HARDY, and the legendary Tanya Tucker. Additional country music artists included Lainey Wilson, Alex Hall, and Craig Morgan.
- 2021: The Chicago home stadium of the White Sox's baseball team had a reopening night with its first live audience since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. The two-time Academy of Country Music Awards nominee Caylee Hammack, known for her songs such as "Small Town Hypocrite" and "The Hill," performed "The Star-Spangled Banner".
Industry Changes and Challenges
A major wedding and name change for a band dominated the country music scene on June 25:
- 2006: Australian/U.S. country music star Keith Urban married actress Nicole Kidman. The couple met in 2005, got engaged in May 2006, and wed on June 25, 2006. They are still married and have two children.
- 2020: The country music group the Dixie Chicks changed their name to The Chicks. This all-girl trio, who are known for their work on humanitarian issues, changed their name because the word Dixie has connections to slavery and the Confederate era, and the group is opposed to those ideologies.
Honors, inductees, and awards validate country music stars' significant impact on society and culture. June 25 did not disappoint for major events in the country music industry.
