This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1986.

Events

* January 18 — " American Country Countdown" with Bob Kingsley expands from three to four hours. Several new features — including a chronological playback of songs reaching No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles chart and a calendar feature (highlighting a birthday, or anniversary of a notable song or event in country music) — are added. * June 25 — Jenifer Strait, the 13-year-old daughter of

George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, he was credited for ...

(who by now is one of country music's top performers) is killed in a car accident in

San Marcos, Texas San Marcos ( ) is a city and the county seat of Hays County, Texas, United States. The city's limits extend into Caldwell and Guadalupe Counties, as well. San Marcos is within the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan area and on the Interstate 35 ...

. Her father still refuses to talk about his daughter's death to this day. * July 19 —

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

drops

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

from the label's roster after 28 years.

No dates

*For the first time in its 42-year history, there is a new No. 1 song for each week of the year, according to Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles Chart. *1986 was a renaissance year in country music, with a host of "A New Traditionalist"-minded artists reinvigorating a genre that critics were saying had grown increasingly stagnant and pop-oriented. Among the most successful new artists: Holly Dunn, Judy Rodman, Ricky Van Shelton,

Randy Travis Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...

and Dwight Yoakam.

Keith Whitley Jackie Keith Whitley (July 1, 1954 – May 9, 1989) was an American country music singer and songwriter. During his career, Whitley released only two albums but charted 12 singles on the ''Billboard'' country charts, and 7 more after his death. ...

, another artist who had been around for a few years, has his first major hit early in the year. They – along with popular newcomers from earlier in the decade such as Alabama,

and

Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music singer and actress. Dubbed " the Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the 1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 single ...

, and longtime artists like George Jones, Merle Haggard and

Conway Twitty Harold Lloyd Jenkins (September 1, 1933 – June 5, 1993), better known by his stage name Conway Twitty, was an American singer and songwriter. Initially a part of the 1950s rockabilly scene, Twitty was best known as a country music performer. ...

– proved not only that country music was the music of the people, but also that the genre had real resiliency. *After 17 years of playing co-host to

Roy Clark Roy Linwood Clark (April 15, 1933 – November 15, 2018) was an American singer and musician. He is best known for having hosted ''Hee Haw'', a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969 to 1997. Clark was an important and influen ...

, Buck Owens announces his departure from the still-popular " Hee Haw." Clark would soldier on alone for the next six years, with rotating guest stars each week.

Top hits of the year

Singles released by American artists

Singles released by Canadian artists

Top new album releases

Other top albums

On television

Regular series

* '' Hee Haw'' (1969–1993, syndicated)

Specials

Births

* February 2 — Blaine Larsen, 2000's (decade) singer better known for his single " How Do You Get That Lonely". * March 23 — Brett Eldredge, singer of the 2010s best known for hits including " Don't Ya" and " Beat of the Music". * April 1 — Hillary Scott, member of Lady Antebellum and daughter of Linda Davis. * April 2 — Chris Janson, singer-songwriter known for his 2015 hit "

Buy Me a Boat ''Buy Me a Boat'' is the debut album of American country music singer Chris Janson. The album was released on October 30, 2015. It features the singles " Buy Me a Boat", " Power of Positive Drinkin'" and " Holdin' Her". Critical reception Stephe ...

". * June 18 — Jimmie Allen, singer-songwriter known for his late 2010s hits " Best Shot" and "

Make Me Want To "Make Me Want To" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Jimmie Allen. It is his second single overall, and the second from his 2018 debut album '' Mercury Lane''. Allen wrote the song with Paul Sikes and Jennifer Denma ...

". * June 28 — Kellie Pickler, sixth-place finalist on the fifth season of '' American Idol''. * August 16 — Ashton Shepherd, debuted in late 2007-early 2008 with her top 20 single "

Takin' Off This Pain "Takin' Off This Pain" is a debut song written and recorded by American country music artist Ashton Shepherd. It was released in September 2007 as the first single from her debut album ''Sounds So Good''. Critical reception Kevin John Coyne of ''C ...

". * September 10 — Ashley Monroe, singer-songwriter of the 2000s and 2010s and member of the Pistol Annies. * September 19 — Chase Rice, singer of the 2010s best known for the hit "

Ready Set Roll "Ready Set Roll" is a song recorded by American country music artist Chase Rice. It was released in November 2013 as his first single from his EP album, ''Ready Set Roll'', and later appeared on his first major-label studio album, ''Ignite the Nig ...

Deaths

* February 10 — Arthur E. Satherley, 96, music executive. * May 30 — "Papa Joe" Brown, 60, founding member of Canadian country group Family Brown. * June 20 — Whitey Ford, 85, beloved

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...

comedian and storyteller. * June 25 — Jenifer Strait, 13, daughter of

( car accident). * June 27 — Joe Maphis, 65, prolific guitarist and fiddler, prominently featured on the theme to "

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

" (cancer). * December 5 — Carmol Taylor, 53, songwriter.

Hall of Fame inductees

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

Duke of Paducah Benjamin Francis Ford (May 12, 1901 – June 20, 1986), known professionally as The Duke of Paducah, was an American country comedian, radio host and banjo player popular from the 1940s to the 1960s. Ford was born in De Soto, Missouri, a ...

(1901–1986) * Wesley Rose (1918–1990)

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

* Papa Joe Brown

Major awards

Grammy Awards

*Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "

Whoever's in New England ''Whoever's in New England'' is the tenth studio album of American country music artist Reba McEntire released on February 10, 1986, through MCA Nashville. It is her first #1 album on the Billboard country albums chart, producing two singles th ...

*Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "

Lost in the Fifties Tonight ''Lost in the Fifties Tonight'' is the seventeenth studio album by American country music artist Ronnie Milsap, released in 1986. The album produced four singles, all of which claimed the top spot on the Billboard country singles chart, includin ...

Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap (born Ronald Lee Millsaps; January 16, 1943) is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country music's most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s. Nearly completely blind from birth, ...

*Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — " Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)". The Judds *Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Raisin' the Dickins", Ricky Skaggs *Best Country Song — "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)", Jamie O'Hara (Performer: The Judds)

Juno Awards

*Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Murray McLauchlan *Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Anne Murray *Country Group or Duo of the Year — Prairie Oyster

Academy of Country Music

*Entertainer of the Year — Hank Williams, Jr. *Song of the Year — " On the Other Hand",

Paul Overstreet Paul Lester Overstreet (born March 17, 1955) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He recorded 10 studio albums between 1982 and 2005, and charted 16 singles on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' country charts, including two ...

and Don Schlitz (Performer:

) *Single of the Year — "On the Other Hand", Randy Travis *Album of the Year — '' Storms of Life'', Randy Travis *Top Male Vocalist — Randy Travis *Top Female Vocalist —

*Top Vocal Duo — The Judds *Top Vocal Group — The Forester Sisters *Top New Male Vocalist — Dwight Yoakam *Top New Female Vocalist — Holly Dunn *Video of the Year — "

", Reba McEntire (Directors: Jeff Schock and Jon Small)

Canadian Country Music Association

*Entertainer(s) of the Year — Family Brown *Male Artist of the Year —

Terry Carisse Terrance Victor Carisse (July 11, 1942 – May 22, 2005) known as Terry Carisse, was one of Canadian Country Music's most awarded, decorated and popular singer-songwriters. His awards include the Canadian Country Music Association's Male Vocalis ...

*Female Artist of the Year — Anita Perras *Group of the Year — Family Brown *SOCAN Song of the Year — "Now and Forever", David Foster, Jim Vallance, Charles Randolph Goodrum (Performer: Anne Murray) *Single of the Year — "Now and Forever," Anne Murray *Album of the Year — '' Feel the Fire'', Family Brown *Top Selling Album — ''Hymns of Gold'', Carroll Baker *Vista Rising Star Award — J. K. Gulley *Duo of the Year — Anita Perras and Tim Taylor

Country Music Association

*Entertainer of the Year —

*Song of the Year — " On the Other Hand",

and Don Schlitz (Performer:

) *Single of the Year — " Bop", Dan Seals *Album of the Year — ''

'',

*Male Vocalist of the Year —

*Female Vocalist of the Year — Reba McEntire *Vocal Duo of the Year — Marie Osmond and Dan Seals *Vocal Group of the Year — The Judds *Horizon Award — Randy Travis *Music Video of the Year — "

Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes? ''Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes'' is the 45th studio album by American country music artist George Jones, released in 1985 on the Epic Records label. The album is best known for the title track and its classic video, which would go on to win the ...

", George Jones (Director: Marc Ball) *Instrumentalist of the Year — Johnny Gimble *Instrumental Group of the Year — The Oak Ridge Boys

References

External links

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

Events

No dates

Top hits of the year

Singles released by American artists

Singles released by Canadian artists

Top new album releases

Other top albums

On television

Regular series

Specials

Births

Deaths

Hall of Fame inductees

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

Major awards

Grammy Awards

Juno Awards

Academy of Country Music

Canadian Country Music Association

Country Music Association

Further reading

Other links

References

External links