This Day in Country History: October 29
The historic highlight of Oct. 29 came in 1983 when Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ “Islands in the Stream” topped the charts. Also on this day, the Grand Ole Opry…
The historic highlight of Oct. 29 came in 1983 when Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' "Islands in the Stream" topped the charts. Also on this day, the Grand Ole Opry welcomed a new member, and Zac Brown Band played their second night at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Luke Combs, Dolly Parton, and Kenny Rogers all pop up among the milestones on Oct. 29:
- 1983: Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's "Islands in the Stream" topped the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Song charts. The song was written by pop group The Bee Gees and was originally intended to be an R&B song recorded by Marvin Gaye, but Parton and Rogers ended up recording it as a duet, sending it to the top of the charts.
- 2016: Luke Combs made his Grand Ole Opry debut, performing his rendition of "Tennessee Whiskey" and his own hit song "Hurricane." The eight-time GRAMMY-nominated singer and Country Music Award-winner as 2022's Entertainer of the Year has three top-10 Billboard hits.
Cultural Milestones
Heartwarming benefit concerts on Oct. 29 included:
- 2011: A young Lauren Alaina performed at the T.J. Martell Foundation's second annual Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins Family Day. The event, held at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville, raised funds for cancer and AIDs research.
- 2014: Chris Young headlined the Nashville Basket Brigade's Fundraising Fright Night at the Tin Roof in Nashville. Proceeds from the fundraiser were used to buy and deliver Thanksgiving meals to families throughout the Nashville area.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Fans enjoyed these live performances on this day:
- 2017: For the second night in a row, Zac Brown Band played the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. The GRAMMY Award-winning band thrilled the audience with their favorite hit songs, including "My Old Man" and "Chicken Fried."
- 2019: Australian country music singer Morgan Evans, then married to Kelsea Ballerini, performed his first New Zealand show at the Tuning Fork in Auckland. Evans is known for songs such as "Day Drunk" and "Hey Little Mama."
Industry Changes and Challenges
From a record label signing to a new addition to the country music family, these were positive changes for the industry on this day:
- 2010: "Lookin' for a Cowgirl" singer Kristy Lee Cook signed a recording and publishing deal with Broken Bow Music and Magic Mustang Music. Cook appeared on the seventh season of American Idol and was a host on the TV show Outdoor's 10 Best.
- 2024: Taylor Dye Kerr from the duo Maddie & Tae and her husband, Josh Kerr, welcomed their baby son to the world. Joining big sister Leighton Grace Kerr, Chapel Shields Kerr brought this musical family to four.
Country music artists continually give their time and talent to raising money for important benefits and charities, just as we saw on this day with Lauren Alaina in 2011 and Chris Young in 2014. Elsewhere, fans from Down Under enjoyed seeing Morgan Evans play in Auckland, and the Kerrs welcomed a new baby on Oct. 29.
