The first benefit concert was held before a crowd of 80,000 people at the Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. Organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, the event had been spurred on by Bob Dylan’s comments at earlier in that year that he hoped some of the money would help American farmers. The star studded line-up of country stars included: Alabama, Hoyt Axton, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels Band, John Denver, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Roger Miller, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Rogers.
On this day September 22, 1985
Sep 21, 2024 | 8:09 PM
This Day in Country Music
On this day May 22, 2011
Reba McEntire was inducted into the at a Medallion Ceremony that took place at the in Nashville, Tennessee. She was inducted by one of her musical idols, Dolly Parton.
3h ago
On this day May 22, 2003
At the awards ceremony in Las Vegas, there were boos when the Dixie Chicks' nomination for Entertainer of the Year award was announced, (after Natalie Maines' comment about George Bush), however, the broadcast's host, Vince Gill, reminded the audience...
3h ago
On this day May 21, 1994
Trisha Yearwood married Robert "Bobby" Reynolds, the bass player for the country music group The Mavericks. The couple divorced in 1999, (she married her current husband Garth Brooks in 2005).
May 21, 2025
On this day May 20, 1968
Charley Pride was at #1 on the Country album charts with Pride went on to score thirty-nine #1 hits on the Hot Country Songs charts. His greatest success came in the early-to mid-1970s, when he became the best-selling performer for RCA Records since ...
May 20, 2025
On this day May 20, 1990
Clint Black was at #1 on the country chart with his debut album The album with the success of its first four singles, ("A Better Man", "Walking Away", "Nobody's Home", and "Killin' Time"), was a huge hit upon release, and established Black as one of ...
May 20, 2025
On this day May 18, 2003
The funeral for June Carter Cash was held at the First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. A wheelchair-bound Johnny Cash sat in the front row, along with Hank Williams Jr., Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson, Rodney Crowell, Marty Stuart, Connie...
May 18, 2025
On this day May 18, 2015
American country music artist Elbert West died aged 47. Initially a session songwriter in Nashville, West saw his first chart success in the 1990s as a co-writer on singles for country singer Tracy Lawrence, including the #1's "Sticks and Stones" and "...
May 18, 2025
On this day May 17, 1993
Johnny Cash started four days of recording in producer Rick Rubin's living room in Los Angeles, backed only by his own guitar. This was the start of sessions for his forthcoming album.
May 17, 2025