This Day in Country History: January 7
On this day in country history, Jan. 7, Carrie Underwood had repeat wins at The People’s Choice Awards in 2009 and 2015. Little Jimmy Dickens had a star-studded visitation service,…
On this day in country history, Jan. 7, Carrie Underwood had repeat wins at The People's Choice Awards in 2009 and 2015. Little Jimmy Dickens had a star-studded visitation service, and Charlie Pride performed at the Grand Ole Opry on this day in 1967. Here you'll find more country events that occurred on Jan. 7.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The People's Choice Awards had big moments on Jan. 7:
- 2009: At the People's Choice Awards, Carrie Underwood won Favorite Female Singer, and her song "Last Name" won Favorite Country Song. Rascal Flatts won Favorite Group.
- 2015: There were big country winners at The People's Choice Awards. Hunter Hayes won Favorite Male Country Artist, Carrie Underwood won Favorite Female Country Artist, and the Favorite Country Group award went to Lady Antebellum.
Cultural Milestones
From Charlie Pride to Jimmy Dickens, these were cultural milestones for Jan. 7:
- 1967: Charlie Pride was the first Black country music artist at the Grand Ole Opry in a decade. The record-breaking Pride was also the first performer ever to win the Country Music Association's Male Vocalist of the Year two years in a row and had 29 No. 1 hits.
- 2015: The country music industry said goodbye to the legendary Jimmy Dickens with a visitation service on Jan. 7 at the Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home in Nashville and the funeral the next day. Dickens was a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, a cast member of the Grand Ole Opry, and a well-known singer with hits such as "(I Got) A Hole In My Pocket" and "Hillbilly Fever."
Notable Recordings and Performances
Keith Urban had notable performances on Jan. 7:
- 2018: Keith Urban paired with pop star Kelly Clarkson to present the award for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The duo surprised the audience by singing the line, "and the Golden Globe Award goes to," as they presented "This Is Me" from the movie The Greatest Showman.
- 2019: Keith Urban headlined the pregame Allstate Championship Tailgate show and performed at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From a tour announcement that eventually had to be cancelled to the death of a movie director, these were industry changes for Jan. 7:
- 2020: Rascal Flatts announced on Jan. 7 that they were hitting the road for their Rascal Flatts Farewell: Life is a Highway Tour. This tour was to mark the band's 20th anniversary. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, they had to cancel the tour completely.
- 2021: Movie director Michael Apted died on Jan. 7. Apted was known for directing The Coal Miner's Daughter. This movie was a biopic of Loretta Lynn, and Sissy Spacek won an Oscar award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Lynn.
Rascal Flatts eventually had to cancel their farewell tour after announcing the multi-city dates on Jan. 7, 2020. Keith Urban made appearances on this day in 2018 and 2019, and the director of The Coal Miner's Daughter sadly passed away in 2021.
