This Day in Country History: January 19
On Jan. 19, the country music industry saw a variety of milestones. Charlie Daniels was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on Jan. 19, 2008. In 2009, Willie Nelson played…
On Jan. 19, the country music industry saw a variety of milestones. Charlie Daniels was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on Jan. 19, 2008. In 2009, Willie Nelson played a legendary psychedelic rock venue. We also saw Reba McEntire make her movie debut in the film Tremors, Zac Brown partner with a Napa County winery to create a line of wines, and several artists receive Gold and Platinum record certifications.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
From a debut headline concert to a movie debut, these were milestones for Jan. 19:
- 1990: The movie Tremors, starring Kevin Bacon, was released in theaters. What made this movie most interesting was that Reba McEntire appeared in it as part of her acting debut. The "Does He Love You" singer went on to be featured in the movies Buffalo Girls and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
- 2012: Eric Church had his first headline concert held at the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 19. This was a stop for Church's The Blood, Sweat, & Beers Tour with special guests Kip Moore and Justin Moore.
Cultural Milestones
Charlie Daniels and Willie Nelson had cultural milestones on Jan. 19.
- 2008: Charlie Daniels was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Marty Stuart, a longtime member of the Opry, invited the "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" singer to become a member after decades of performing and recording country/bluegrass music.
- 2009: Willie Nelson played his final night at the famous venue in San Francisco, California, The Fillmore. This iconic venue was built in 1912 and was known for hosting eclectic jazz and psychedelic rock bands, and Willie Nelson stood out as a country music artist.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Record and album certifications for Jan. 19 included:
- 2010: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gave Tim McGraw's album, Southern Voice, a Gold certification. The single "Southern Voice" included in this album also got a Gold certification on September 13, 2012, and LeAnn Rimes' single "I Need You" also received a Gold certification on this date.
- 2018: Dustin Lynch's "Small Town Boy" received a Platinum certification from the RIAA. In addition, Brett Eldredge's "Wanna Be That Song" also received a Platinum certification on this same date.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Zac Brown and Madeline Merlo had industry changes on Jan. 19.
- 2016: Frontman of the Zac Brown Band, Zac Brown, announced that he was partnering with Delicato Family Vineyards in the Napa Valley of California for a line of wines called Z. Alexander Brown Wines. The logo and packaging of these wines are called Uncaged.
- 2021: The BBR Music Group signed recording artist Madeline Merlo to their label. Merlo is also a songwriter known for penning Lady A's "Champagne Night." She appeared on the songwriter's show Songland, and "Champagne Night" was the winner of the show.
On Jan. 19, we saw that Madeline Merlo was excited to be signed to a prestigious record label. Eric Church fans were also thrilled to see him headline for the first time on this day in 2012. It's always good to see the record industry giving singles and albums certifications.
