This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1995.

Events

* February - Western Flyer releases "

Cherokee Highway "Cherokee Highway" is a song by American country music band Western Flyer. It was released in 1995 as the third single off the band's self-titled debut album. Lead singer Danny Myrick co-wrote the song with Tony Wood, and the band co-produced the ...

", a song against interracial violence. While the song does not chart, Martin Luther King Jr.'s widow Coretta Scott King invites the band to perform at his birthday celebration in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. * June -

Ty Herndon Boyd Tyrone Herndon (born May 2, 1962), known professionally as Ty Herndon, is an American country music singer and songwriter. His music career began in the 1980s as a member of the Tennessee River Boys, a predecessor to the country band Diamon ...

is arrested for

indecent exposure Indecent exposure is the deliberate public exposure by a person of a portion of their body in a manner contrary to local standards of appropriate behavior. Laws and social attitudes regarding indecent exposure vary significantly in different ...

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

, by an undercover police officer. * December 31:

Great American Country Great American Family is an American cable television network. Owned by Great American Media, it broadcasts family-oriented general entertainment programming, including television series and made-for-TV movies. It was originally established in ...

is launched by the Jones Radio Network. With a heavy emphasis on country

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

s, the network is the first major rival to CMT.

Top hits of the year

Singles released by American artists

Singles released by Canadian artists

Top new album releases

Other top albums

Births

* July 7 — Taylor Kerr, member of Maddie & Tae. * August 11 –

Priscilla Block Priscilla Block (born August 11, 1995) is an American country music singer–songwriter. Upon graduating high school, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in the country industry. In 2020, Block wrote and recorded a song that appe ...

, 2020s country singer-songwriter (" Just About Over You"). * September 18 — Maddie Font, member of Maddie & Tae.

Deaths

* May 25 –

Dick Curless Richard William Curless (March 17, 1932 – May 25, 1995) was an American country music singer. He usually wore a patch over his right eye. Biography Curless was born in Fort Fairfield, Maine, United States, and moved with his family to Ma ...

, 63, best known for his hit "

A Tombstone Every Mile "A Tombstone Every Mile" is a song written by Dan Fulkerson and recorded by American country music artist Dick Curless. It was released in January 1965 as the lead single from the album of the same name. The song stayed at number five for two weeks ...

" (stomach cancer) * July 25 —

Charlie Rich Charles Allan Rich (December 14, 1932July 25, 1995) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. His eclectic style of music was often difficult to classify, encompassing the rockabilly, jazz, blues, country music, country, sou ...

, 62,

Grammy Award 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 ...

winning singer and songwriter (" Behind Closed Doors", The Most Beautiful Girl") ( pulmonary embolism) * November 10 —

Curly Fox Arnim LeRoy Fox (November 9, 1910 – November 10, 1995), better known as Curly (or Curley) Fox, was an American old-time and country fiddler, singer and country musician. Biography Fox was born in Graysville, Tennessee, United States, as ...

, 85, fiddler and one half of country-comedy duo Curly Fox and Texas Ruby.

Hall of Fame inductees

Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees

Jimmy Martin James Henry Martin (August 10, 1927 – May 14, 2005) was an American bluegrass musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass". Early years Martin was born in Sneedville, Tennessee, United States, and was raised in the hard farming life of rural ...

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

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 ...

(1936–1992) *

Jo Walker-Meador Jo Walker-Meador (February 16, 1924 – August 16, 2017) was an American music executive who served as Executive Director of the Country Music Association (CMA) from 1962 to 1991. During her tenure, she created the first Country Music Hall of Fam ...

(born 1924)

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

* Gene MacLellan *

Stan Klees Stan Klees (born 29 April 1932 at Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian retired music industry businessman. He created the music recording companies Tamarac and Red Leaf Records in the 1960s. Klees was a presenter at CHUM radio in the late 1940s then ...

Major awards

Grammy Awards

*Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "

Baby, Now That I've Found You "Baby, Now That I've Found You" is a song written by Tony Macaulay and John MacLeod, and performed by the Foundations. Part of the song was written in the same bar of a Soho tavern where Karl Marx is supposed to have written ''Das Kapital''. The ...

Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed with ...

*Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "

Go Rest High on That Mountain "Go Rest High on That Mountain" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in August 1995 as the sixth single from his album ''When Love Finds You''. It is a eulogic ballad. Gill began writing the s ...

Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist b ...

*Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "

Here Comes the Rain "Here Comes the Rain" is a song written by Raul Malo and Kostas, and recorded by American country music group The Mavericks. It was released in August 1995 as the first single from the album ''Music for All Occasions''. The song reached number ...

The Mavericks The Mavericks are an American country music band from Miami, Florida. The band consists of Raul Malo (lead vocals, guitar), Paul Deakin (drums), Eddie Perez (lead guitar), and Jerry Dale McFadden (keyboards). Malo and Deakin founded the band in ...

*Best Country Collaboration with Vocals — "

Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart "Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart" is a song written by Bill LaBounty and Rick Chudacoff, and recorded by American country music band Shenandoah with a guest vocal from bluegrass singer Alison Krauss. It was released in November 1994 as th ...

", Shenandoah and Alison Krauss *Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Hightower,"

Asleep at the Wheel Asleep at the Wheel is an American Western swing group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and is based in Austin, Texas. The band has won nine Grammy Awards since their 1970 inception, released over twenty albums, and has charted more t ...

, Béla Fleck and Johnny Gimble *Best Country Song — "Go Rest High on That Mountain", Vince Gill *Best Country Album — '' The Woman in Me'',

Shania Twain Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain ( , ; née Edwards; born August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history and one of the best-s ...

(Producer:

Robert John "Mutt" Lange Robert John "Mutt" Lange (born 11 November 1948) is a South African record producer and songwriter, mainly known for his work in rock music as well as his previous marriage to Canadian singer Shania Twain, for whom he wrote and produced several ...

) *Best Bluegrass Album — ''

Unleashed Unleashed may refer to: Art and entertainment Film and television * ''Unleashed'' (2001 film), a film featuring Jeff Anderson * ''Unleashed'' (2005 film), a 2005 martial arts film starring Jet Li * ''Unleashed'' (2016 film), a film starring ...

'',

The Nashville Bluegrass Band The Nashville Bluegrass Band is an American bluegrass music ensemble founded in 1984. The group's members first played together in 1984 as a backing band for Vernon Oxford and Minnie Pearl; each of the members was an established musician from t ...

Juno Awards

*Country Male Vocalist of the Year —

Charlie Major Charles Bernard Major (born December 31, 1954) is a Canadian country music artist. He has recorded seven studio albums and released more than twenty singles. In 2019 he was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Musical career Bo ...

*Country Female Vocalist of the Year —

*Country Group or Duo of the Year —

Prairie Oyster Prairie Oyster was a Canadian country music group from Toronto, Ontario. They were named Country Group or Duo of the year six times by both the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) and the Juno Awards. The band also won the Bud Country Fan ...

Academy of Country Music

*Entertainer of the Year —

Brooks & Dunn Brooks & Dunn are an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. The duo was founded in 1990 through the suggestion of Tim DuBois. Before their formation, both members were solo ...

*Song of the Year — "

The Keeper of the Stars "The Keeper of the Stars" is a song written by Dickey Lee, Danny Mayo and Karen Staley, and recorded by American country music artist Tracy Byrd. It was released in February 1995 as the fourth and last single from his album ''No Ordinary Man'', it ...

", Dickey Lee,

Karen Staley Karen Staley (born in Weirton, West Virginia) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Staley was raised in Georgetown, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and was inspired to write songs after reading through the hymnals at her local church. Sh ...

Danny Mayo Daniel Mayo (October 2, 1950 – October 2, 1999) was an American songwriter, primarily known for writing country hits for artists such as Alabama, Tracy Byrd, Pirates of the Mississippi and Confederate Railroad. Byrd's "The Keeper of the Stars", ...

(Performer: Tracy Byrd) *Single of the Year — "

Check Yes or No "Check Yes or No" is a song written by Danny Wells and Dana Hunt Black, and recorded by American country music singer George Strait. It was released in September 1995 as the lead single from his box set ''Strait Out of the Box''. It peaked at num ...

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 ...

*Album of the Year — '' The Woman in Me'' (

) *Top Male Vocalist —

Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for blending traditional honky-tonk and mainstream country pop sounds (for a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country"), as well as penning many o ...

*Top Female Vocalist — Patty Loveless *Top Vocal Duo —

*Top Vocal Group —

*Top New Male Vocalist — Bryan White *Top New Female Vocalist —

*Top New Vocal Duo or Group —

Lonestar Lonestar (formerly known as Texassee) is an American country music group from Nashville, Tennessee. The group consists of Drew Womack (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Michael Britt (lead guitar, background vocals), Dean Sams (keyboards, acousti ...

*Video of the Year — " The Car" –

Jeff Carson Jeffrey Lee Herndon (December 16, 1963 – March 26, 2022), known professionally as Jeff Carson, was an American country music artist. Originally a session musician in Branson, Missouri, and later a demo singer, he was signed to Curb Records in ...

(Director:

Michael Salomon Michael Salomon (born in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, United States) is an American music video/film director, who has directed many music videos, including many of Toby Keith's music videos. He directed the video for Metallica's " One", which was no ...

)

ARIA Awards

''(presented in Sydney on October 20, 1995)'' * Best Country Album - ''

Beyond the Dancing ''Beyond the Dancing'' is the debut studio album by Australian country singer Troy Cassar-Daley. The album was released in January 1995. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 the album won Best Country Album. At the 1996 Country Music Awards of Aus ...

'' ( Troy Cassar-Daley)

Canadian Country Music Association

*Bud Country Fans' Choice Award — Michelle Wright *Male Artist of the Year —

*Female Artist of the Year —

*Group or Duo of the Year —

*SOCAN Song of the Year — "

Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" is a song by Canadian country music singer Shania Twain. It was issued to radio January 2, 1995, in the US, as the first single released from her second studio album '' The Woman in Me'' (1995). The song was ...

", Shania Twain *Single of the Year — "

Any Man of Mine "Any Man of Mine" is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music singer Shania Twain. It was issued to US radio in April 1995 as the second single from her second studio album '' The Woman in Me'' (1995). Twain wrote the song with Rob ...

", Shania Twain *Album of the Year — '' The Woman in Me'', Shania Twain *Top Selling Album — '' The Hits'',

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the co ...

*Video of the Year — "Any Man of Mine", Shania Twain *Vista Rising Star Award —

Farmer's Daughter A farmer's daughter is a stock character who is a desirable and naive young woman. The Farmer's Daughter or Farmer's Daughter may also refer to: Movies * ''The Farmer's Daughter'' (1928 film), by scriptwriter Frederica Sagor Maas * ''The Farm ...

*Vocal Collaboration of the Year —

Jim Witter Jim Witter (born November 2, 1964) is a Canadian award-winning country music and Christian music singer/songwriter. Ten of Witter's songs reached the top 10 on Canadian country radio. Biography Jim Witter grew up playing music. In 1982, he perf ...

and

Cassandra Vasik Cassandra Vasik is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter from Blenheim, Ontario. Signed to Epic Records, she released two albums and 11 singles for the label between 1991 and 1994. In 1992, she won the Rising Star award at the Canadian Count ...

Country Music Association

*Entertainer of the Year —

*Song of the Year — "

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

", Gretchen Peters (Performer:

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 ...

) *Single of the Year — " When You Say Nothing at All",

Alison Krauss & Union Station Alison Krauss & Union Station is an American bluegrass and country band associated with singer Alison Krauss. It was initially composed of Krauss, Jeff White, Mike Harman and John Pennell. Later additions included Tim Stafford, Ron Block, Adam ...

*Album of the Year — ''

When Fallen Angels Fly ''When Fallen Angels Fly'' is the seventh studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless, released on August 23, 1994. It reached #8 on the Top Country Albums charts and was certified Platinum for shipments of over 1,000,000 copies ...

'', Patty Loveless *Male Vocalist of the Year —

*Female Vocalist of the Year — Alison Krauss *Vocal Duo of the Year —

*Vocal Group of the Year —

*Horizon Award — Alison Krauss *Music Video of the Year — "

Baby Likes to Rock It "Baby Likes to Rock It" is a song written by Steve Ripley and Walt Richmond, and recorded by American country music group The Tractors. It was released in August 1994 as the first single from their self-titled album. The song reached number 11 on ...

The Tractors The Tractors were an American country rock band composed of a loosely associated group of musicians headed by guitarist Steve Ripley. The original lineup consisted of Steve Ripley (lead vocals, guitar), Ron Getman (guitar, Dobro, mandolin, tenor ...

(Director: Michael Salomon) *Vocal Event of the Year — "

", Shenandoah and Alison Krauss *Musician of the Year — Mark O'Connor

RPM Big Country Awards

*Canadian Country Artist of the Year —

*Best Country Album — ''Only One Moon'',

*Best Country Single — "

Such a Lonely One "Such a Lonely One" is a single by Canadian country music group Prairie Oyster. Released in 1994, it was the first single from their album '' Only One Moon''. The song reached #1 on the ''RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/ ...

", Prairie Oyster *Male Artist of the Year — Charlie Major *Female Artist of the Year — Michelle Wright *Group of the Year — Prairie Oyster *Outstanding New Artist —

*Top Country Composer(s) —

and Johnny Douglas

References

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