This Day in Country History: March 13

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Several country music events occurred on March 13 over the years, such as Trisha Yearwood's induction into the Grand Ole Opry and Blake Shelton's performance at the grand opening of his restaurant. Country music fans in the U.K. and Ireland have enjoyed the C2C: Country to Country music festival, with Miranda Lambert as a headliner.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

March 13 has witnessed award shows and music festivals, including:

1988: Kenny Rogers presented Dolly Parton with the award for Favorite All-Around Female Entertainer at the People's Choice Awards.
2020: Former Gloriana singer Rachel Reinert released her first solo album, Into the Blue. One of the hits from this album included "Dark Star." Even though the band Gloriana was a huge success, Reinert wanted to pursue her solo career.
2022: Miranda Lambert headlined C2C: Country to Country at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Additional country music stars at this event included Kip Moore and Russell Dickerson.

Cultural Milestones

From making bold statements through music videos to gathering donations for music education, country music artists have made cultural milestones on March 13, such as:

1999: Legendary country music singer and producer Porter Wagoner inducted Trisha Yearwood into the Grand Ole Opry. Wagoner said Yearwood was one of the best vocalists he had ever heard. Yearwood also won Female Vocalist of the Year in 1997 from the Country Music Association.
2015: Sam Hunt released the music video for his song "Take Your Time." In contrast to the song's lyrics about a man wanting to talk to a woman at a bar, the video depicted the disturbing nature of domestic violence.
2019: Blake Shelton performed at the grand opening of his restaurant, Ole Red Gatlinburg, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Part of the proceeds for this event went to the Gatlinburg-Pittman High School music education program.
2020: Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, closed due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Many country music artists canceled tours and performances during the height of the pandemic.
2020: The 2020 Charity Concert Series ended with performances by TG Sheppard and Kelly Lang. This benefit concert, held at Victoria College's Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts in Victoria, Texas, raised funds for several local charities and organizations.

Notable Recordings and Performances

March 13 has witnessed some interesting and notable performances in country music, including:

2012: Country music artists Ty Herndon, Bucky Covington, Bo Bice, Carter's Chord, and Mockingbird Sun performed at a benefit concert called Autism Sings! at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Nashville, Tennessee.
2013: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gave Tim McGraw's "One of Those Nights" a Gold certification.
2018: Luke Bryan released the music video for his song "Most People Are Good." This was the second single from his album What Makes You Country.
2018: Thomas Rhett's "Marry Me" received a Platinum certification from the RIAA. In addition, Florida Georgia Line's "H.O.L.Y." received a 4x Platinum certification, and the Eli Young Band's "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" received a 2x Platinum on this same date.
2018: The RIAA was generous on March 13, with more certifications, including a Gold certification for Rascal Flatts' "Yours If You Want It" and a 7x Platinum certification for the Band Perry's "If I Die Young." In addition, Justin Moore scored with Platinum for "Lettin' the Night Roll," and a Gold certification for "You Look Like I Need a Drink."
2023: At the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Carrie Underwood invited Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose on stage to perform the song "Welcome to the Jungle." This show was part of Underwood's Denim & Rhinestones Tour.

Industry Changes and Challenges

March 13, 2020, had its share of changes and challenges, including:

2020: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous artists cancelled their shows around the nation and globally, including Dwight Yoakam, Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, and Sturgill Simpson.
2020: The "That Ain't My Truck" singer Rhett Atkins and his wife, Sonya, welcomed a baby boy, Brody James Atkins. Not only is Atkins a well-known country music artist, but he is also the father of the award-winning singer Thomas Rhett.
2020: Jim Gordon, a studio drummer who played with numerous artists, including Glen Campbell, died at the age of 77. You can hear his drumming on Campbell's "Gentle On My Mind."

Country music continues to make a lasting impact on the music industry and society in positive and heartwarming ways. Many artists feel strongly about community involvement and giving back, which endears fans to them.

Carrie Underwood Luke Bryan This Day In History Thomas Rhett

Kristina HallWriter