This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1966.

Events

* March 15 —

Roger Miller Roger Dean Miller Sr. (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known for his honky-tonk-influenced novelty songs and his chart-topping Country music, country and pop hits "King of the Road (song), Ki ...

wins six

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

, five of them related to his hit " King of the Road".

The Statler Brothers The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers fo ...

take two awards for "

Flowers on the Wall "Flowers on the Wall" is a song made famous by American country music group The Statler Brothers. Written and composed by Lew DeWitt, the group's original tenor vocalist, the song peaked in popularity in January 1966, spending four weeks at number ...

". * April — One of the last broadcasts of '' The Jimmy Dean Show'' features the first-ever

Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...

awards. Big winners include Male Vocalist of the Year Buck Owens, Female Vocalist

Bonnie Owens Bonnie Owens (October 1, 1929 – April 24, 2006), born Bonnie Campbell, was an American country music singer who was married to Buck Owens and later Merle Haggard. Biography She was born Bonnie Campbell in Blanchard, Oklahoma, United Stat ...

, and New Male Vocalist Merle Haggard; Haggard also shared the Vocal Duet/Group award with

. Taped for later broadcast that year, the ACM Awards would in time become among the most anticipated events of the year by country fans. * September – Buck Owens' first nationally syndicated program, ''Buck Owens Ranch Show'', debuts in syndication, running primarily in the rural South. The show eventually lasts six years, the final three years overlapping with Owens' stint as co-host of '' Hee Haw''. * October 15 — ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' increases the length of its Hot Country Singles chart to 75 positions, up from 50. * October 22 — At age 48, Eddy Arnold becomes the youngest (to that time) living inductee into the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...

No dates

* The single "The Snakes Crawl at Night", by a then-unknown singer named "Country" Charley Pride, is released in the spring but does not chart. After the follow-up single "Before I Met You" also does not chart, a third single, "Just Between You and Me" is released in December and early in 1967 becomes the singer's first major hit, and the first top 10 country hit by an African-American singer in more than 20 years. Pride, who will later drop the "Country" moniker from his name (although disc jockeys will continue using it to this day), goes on to become the most successful black singer in country music history.

Top hits of the year

Number-one hits

United States

''(as certified by

)'' ;Notes *1 ^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by ''

''. *2 ^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot. *A ^ First ''Billboard'' No. 1 hit for that artist.

Canada

''(as certified by

RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...

)'' ;Notes *2 ^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot. *A ^ First ''

'' No. 1 hit for that artist. *B ^ Last ''RPM'' No. 1 hit for that artist. *C ^ Only ''RPM'' No. 1 hit for that artist.

Other major hits

Singles released by American artists

Singles released by Canadian artists

Births

* January 4 —

Deana Carter Deana Kay Carter (born January 4, 1966) is an American country music singer-songwriter who broke through in 1996 with the release of her debut album ''Did I Shave My Legs for This?'', which was certified 5× Multi-Platinum in the United States ...

, singer-songwriter who enjoyed a string of hits in the mid-to-late 1990s. * May 13 — Darius Rucker,

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

singer and Hootie & the Blowfish lead vocalist who became a rising country star in the late 2000s (decade). * July 29 —

Martina McBride Martina Mariea McBride (née Schiff, born July 29, 1966) is an American country music singer-songwriter and record producer. She is known for her soprano singing range and her country pop material. McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas, and relocat ...

, crossover-styled female vocalist who rose to fame in the 1990s. * August 19 —

Lee Ann Womack Lee Ann Womack Liddell (; born August 19, 1966) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Her 2000 single, "I Hope You Dance" was a major crossover music hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart and the Top 15 ...

, new traditionalist-styled singer of the 1990s and 2000s (decade) most famous for her crossover hit " I Hope You Dance." * October 6 - Tim Rushlow, lead singer of Little Texas from 1988 to 1997. * December 17 — Tracy Byrd, male honky tonk-styled vocalist since the 1990s.

Deaths

*July 1 — Slim Willet, 46, disc jockey and singer-songwriter (heart attack).

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

* Eddy Arnold (1918–2008) * James R. Denny (1911–1963) * George D. Hay (1895–1968) * Uncle Dave Macon (1870–1952)

Major awards

Grammy Awards

*Best Country and Western Vocal Performance, Female — "

Don't Touch Me "Don't Touch Me" is a song written by Hank Cochran. It was originally written for and recorded by American country artist Jeannie Seely. The song was released as a single on Monument Records in March 1966 and became a major ''Billboard'' country ...

", Jeannie Seely *Best Country and Western Vocal Performance, Male — " Almost Persuaded", David Houston *Best Country and Western Recording — "Almost Persuaded", David Houston *Best Country and Western Song — "Almost Persuaded",

Billy Sherrill Billy Norris Sherrill (November 5, 1936 – August 4, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter, and arranger best known for his association with country artists, notably Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Sherrill and business partner Gle ...

and Glenn Sutton (Performer: David Houston)

Academy of Country Music

*Top Male Vocalist — Merle Haggard *Top Female Vocalist — Bonnie Guitar *Top New Male Vocalist —

Billy Mize William Robert Mize (April 29, 1929 – October 29, 2017) was an American steel guitarist, band leader, vocalist, songwriter, and TV show host. Biography Mize was born in Arkansas City, Kansas, United States, but raised in the San Joaquin Valley ...

*Top New Female Vocalist —

Cathie Taylor Cathie Taylor (born July 26, 1944) is a Canadian-born actress and singer of country music and later gospel who had some success in the 1960s. Biography Cathie Taylor was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and while a child moved with her family to Mor ...

External links

Country Music Hall of Fame
{{List of years in country music

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

Country music by year