This is a list of notable events in

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

that took place in 2019.

Events

*January 21 - Carrie Underwood gives birth to second son, Jacob Fisher, with husband Mike Fisher. *February - Country music duo

Walker McGuire Walker McGuire was an American country music duo. Formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2012, the duo consisted of Jordan Walker and Johnny McGuire, both of whom were singers and songwriters. They released one single for BBR Music Group's Wheelhouse di ...

disbands. *February 10 – At the

61st Annual Grammy Awards The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys hosted. During her opening monologue, Keys brought out Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and ...

Kacey Musgraves Kacey Lee Musgraves (born August 21, 1988) is an American country singer. She has won six Grammy Awards, seven Country Music Association Awards, and three Academy of Country Music Awards. Musgraves self-released three solo albums and one as Texa ...

wins all 4 awards she was nominated for, including the all-genre Album of the Year for '' Golden Hour''. *March – "

Old Town Road "Old Town Road" is the debut single of American rapper Lil Nas X, first released independently in December 2018. After gaining popularity, the single was re-released by Columbia Records in March 2019. Lil Nas X also recorded a remix with America ...

," a song combining elements of

country rap Country rap (or country hip hop and sometimes hick hop) is a fusion genre of popular music, blending country music with hip hop–style singing or rapping. History Prototypes Early influences on the emergence of country rap as a distinct genre ...

, hip hop,

Southern hip hop Southern hip hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Memp ...

and

trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...

and performed by rap newcomer

Lil Nas X Montero Lamar Hill (born April 9, 1999), known by his stage name Lil Nas X ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to prominence with the release of his country rap single " Old Town Road", which first achieved viral popula ...

, debuts on the Hot Country Songs chart at No. 19; the song that charts is a remix, featuring vocals by

Billy Ray Cyrus Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, and is known for his hit single "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and ...

. However, the very next week, the song is removed from the chart, with the magazine disqualifying the song on the grounds that it did not fit the

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 ...

genre. There is speculation that had the song remained on the chart, it would have reached No. 1 as of the chart dated April 6, 2019. On July 29 it reaches its seventeenth week atop the

Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streamin ...

, the all-time record. Later in the year, hip-hop music producer

Blanco Brown Bennie Amey III (born March 24, 1985), known professionally as Blanco Brown, is an American country music artist, singer, songwriter, record producer, and rapper who has produced for Chris Brown and Pitbull. Brown's debut single " The Git Up" w ...

records and releases "

The Git Up "The Git Up" is a song by American artist Blanco Brown, released as his debut single on May 3, 2019. It has been described as the "sequel" to Lil Nas X's " Old Town Road" and the "next viral country rap song". Brown filmed himself performing a lin ...

," which is called a "sequel" and "next viral country rap song". The new style of music and its related controversies continue the long-standing discussion of what is country music, one that dates to the 1970s. *March 6 – Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires and Maren Morris officially announce that they are forming a supergroup known as the Highwomen. With the name paying homage to the

Highwaymen A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to fo ...

(which was composed of Johnny Cash,

Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music. Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...

and

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are " Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", " Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and " Help Me Make It Through the ...

), the trio revealed that their line-up would allow for various guests to join them, with

Chely Wright Chely Wright (born Richell Rene Wright; October 25, 1970) is an American activist, author and country music artist. She initially rose to fame as a commercial country recording artist with several charting singles, including the number one hit ...

Courtney Marie Andrews Courtney Marie Andrews (born November 7, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter originally from Phoenix, Arizona. She released her first widely distributed and breakthrough studio album, '' Honest Life'', in 2016. From 2010 to 2011, Andrews was a ...

Margo Price Margo Rae Price (born April 15, 1983) is an American country singer-songwriter and producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. ''The Fader'' has called her "country's next star." Her debut solo album '' Midwest Farmer's Daughter'' was released on T ...

, Sheryl Crow and

Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon� ...

all hinted as potential collaborators. The group reveal their fourth member will be

Natalie Hemby Natalie Nicole Hemby Wrucke (born March 24, 1977) is an American country music songwriter and singer. She has written songs for Lee Ann Womack, Eli Young Band, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Sunny Sweeney, Little Big Town, Jon Pardi, Kacey Musgra ...

and perform together for the first time at

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Ma ...

's 87th birthday concert by singing "

It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" is a 1952 country song written by J. D. "Jay" Miller, and originally recorded by Kitty Wells. It was an answer song to the Hank Thompson hit "The Wild Side of Life." The song — which blamed unfaith ...

". *March 27 –

Wanda Jackson Wanda LaVonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. Since the 1950s, she has recorded and released music in the genres of rock, country and gospel. She was among the first women to have a career in rock and roll, ...

announces her retirement from performing due to health and safety concerns via a statement on her Facebook page. *April 1 –

celebrates her 87th birthday (which is actually April 14) with an all-star concert held at Nashville's

Bridgestone Arena Bridgestone Arena (originally Nashville Arena, and formerly Gaylord Entertainment Center and Sommet Center) is a multi-purpose venue in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Completed in 1996, it is the home of the Nashville Predators o ...

. Performers include: Garth Brooks,

Trisha Yearwood Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964) is an American singer, actress, author and television personality. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single " She's in Love with the Boy," which became a number one hit on the ''Billboard'' c ...

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 reloc ...

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 ...

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 ...

Little Big Town Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group from Homewood, Alabama. Founded in 1998, the group has comprised the same four members since its founding: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman (née Roads), Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbr ...

Brandy Clark Brandy Lynn Clark (born October 9, 1975) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Her songs have been recorded by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, the Band Perry, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Billy Currington, Darius Rucker, and Kace ...

Cam Calmodulin (CaM) (an abbreviation for calcium-modulated protein) is a multifunctional intermediate calcium-binding messenger protein expressed in all eukaryotic cells. It is an intracellular target of the secondary messenger Ca2+, and the bin ...

Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...

, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires,

, Holly Williams,

Miranda Lambert Miranda Leigh Lambert (born November 10, 1983) is an American country singer and guitarist. Born in Longview, Texas, she started out in early 2001 when she released her self-titled debut album independently. In 2003, she finished in third place o ...

Pistol Annies Pistol Annies are an American country music group composed of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley. The trio gave its debut performance on April 4, 2011, on the CBS special Academy of Country Music's ''Girls' Night Out: Supersta ...

Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...

Randy Houser Shawn Randolph Houser (born December 18, 1975) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Universal South Records in 2008, he charted the single "Anything Goes". It was a top 20 hit on the ''Billboard'' country singles chart a ...

Darius Rucker Darius Carlos Rucker (born May 13, 1966) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, which he founded in 1986 at the University of South Ca ...

Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...

, Crystal Gayle,

Peggy Sue "Peggy Sue" is a rock and roll song written by Jerry Allison and Norman Petty, and recorded and released as a single by Buddy Holly on September 20, 1957. The Crickets are not mentioned on label of the single (Coral 9-61885), but band members Joe ...

John Carter Cash John Carter Cash (born March 3, 1970) is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. He is the only child of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, and the grandson of Maybelle Carter. Biography For several years after his birth, his fathe ...

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 ...

and George Strait. Lynn herself sings live for the first time since 2017, performing her signature song " Coal Miner's Daughter" with the ensemble. * April 14 –

Hal Ketchum Hal Michael Ketchum (April 9, 1953November 23, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. He released eleven studio albums from 1986 to 2014, including nine for divisions of Curb Records. Ketchum's 1991 album ''Past the Point of ...

's wife announces via his

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

page that he will be retiring due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. *April 16 –

Kelsea Ballerini Kelsea Nicole Ballerini (born September 12, 1993) is an American country pop singer. She began songwriting as a child and signed with Black River Entertainment in 2014, releasing her debut studio album the following year, '' The First Time''. H ...

is inducted as the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry, with Carrie Underwood officiating the induction. *May 14 ** Randy Travis releases his first memoir, titled ''Forever and Ever, Amen: A Memoir of Music, Faith, and Braving the Storms of Life.'' **

Rodney Atkins Rodney Allan Atkins (born March 28, 1969) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Curb Records in 1996, he charted his first single on the ''Billboard'' country chart in 1997, but did not release an album until 2003's '' ...

' " Caught Up in the Country" charts for a 57th week on Country Airplay, beating by one week the previous record for the longest continuous run on that chart. *June 6 –

Granger Smith Granger Kelly Smith (born September 4, 1979), also known by his alter ego, Earl Dibbles Jr., is an American country music singer-songwriter and radio host. He has released eleven studio albums, one live album, and two EPs. He scored his first n ...

's youngest son, River Kelly, unexpectedly dies at the age of 3 after what he refers to as a "serious accident", later revealed to be caused by drowning in the family pool. River had previously been featured as a cameo in Smith's " Happens Like That" video 2 years prior. *June 30 - Music executive and manager

Scooter Braun Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun (born June 18, 1981) is an American entrepreneur, investor, and entertainment executive. Known as the manager for artists such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, The Kid Laroi and other artists ...

buys

Big Machine Label Group Big Machine Records is an American independent record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Specializing in country and pop artists, Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by ...

, which includes the masters to

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

's first 6 studio albums. Swift is angry, claiming that she tried to buy the masters herself for years, but Braun sells them to Ithaca Holdings for $300 million in November 2020. As a result, Swift began re-recording her albums that she originally recorded on the label in November 2020. The first of these, '' Fearless (Taylor's Version)'', was released in April 2021. *August 19 – Carrie Underwood is announced as host of the CMA Awards, her first year without Brad Paisley as a co-host;

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

and Reba McEntire will co-host the show. *September 9 -

Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music singer and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". The lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" spent five weeks at ...

creates a Twitter campaign for

Craig Morgan Craig Morgan Greer (born July 17, 1964) is an American country music artist. A veteran of the United States Army as a forward observer, Morgan began his musical career in 2000 on Atlantic Records, releasing his self-titled debut album for th ...

's current single, "The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost", written in memory of his 19-year-old son, Jerry Greer, who died in July 2016, to be No. 1 on iTunes' all-genre chart. Celebrities ranging from

Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...

Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She starred in the sitcom ''Ellen'' from 1994 to 1998, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for " The Puppy Episode". Sh ...

Travis Tritt James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 20 ...

respond, and the song reaches No. 1 on Sept. 12, 2019. *September 15–25 – ''

Country Music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

'', a 16.5 hour documentary series by Ken Burns airs on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

. The series took eight years to film and research, and features interviews with over 100 artists and key members of the country music community, including several who were interviewed prior to their untimely deaths within the decade. *September 19 – One of

Josh Turner Joshua Otis Turner (born November 20, 1977) is an American country and gospel singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to MCA Nashville Records. That same year, his debut album's title track, "Long Black Train", was his breakthrough single ...

's tour buses crashes off a cliff in California, killing one and injuring seven. Turner himself was not on the bus at the time. *October 5 - ''American Idol'' finalists

Gabby Barrett Gabby Barrett Foehner (born March 5, 2000) is an American country music singer. She finished third on the 16th season of ''American Idol''. Her debut single " I Hope" was the first top 10 Hot Country Songs debut by an unaccompanied woman sinc ...

and

Cade Foehner The sixteenth season of ''American Idol'' premiered on March 11, 2018, on the ABC television network. It is the show's first season to air on ABC, and after 15 years on Fox, Ryan Seacrest continued his role as the show's host, while Katy Perry ...

are married in Texas. * October 9 – Radio host

Bob Kingsley Robert Gibson Kingsley (March 19, 1939 – October 17, 2019) was an American country music radio personality and a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame. He was best known as the host of two nationally syndicated radio programs: ''American Cou ...

, host of ''

Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 ''Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 with Fitz'' (sometimes abbreviated as CT40) is an American country music radio countdown show created by former ''American Country Countdown'' host Bob Kingsley, who hosted the show from its January 2006 debut until ...

'' (and earlier the longtime host of ''

American Country Countdown ''American Country Countdown'', also known as ''ACC'', is a weekly internationally syndicated radio program which counts down the top 40 country songs of the previous week, from No. 40 to No. 1, according to the ''Billboard'' Country Airplay ch ...

''), announces that he is taking a leave from the show due to a diagnosis of bladder cancer. Eight days later, Kingsley died from his illness."Bob Kingsley Dies At Age 80,"
All Access Music Group, October 17, 2019. Accessed 10-17-19. * October 13 – Kenny Dixon, the drummer in

Kane Brown Kane Allen Brown (born October 21, 1993) is an American singer. Brown first came to the attention of the public through social media. He released his first EP, titled '' Closer'', in June 2015, and followed it with a new single, "Used to Love Y ...

's band, is killed in a car accident. * October 19 – The Lifetime network premieres the television film '' Patsy & Loretta'', which showcases the friendship between

Patsy Cline Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat" (such as Cleopatra, Patience, Patrice, or Patricia). Among I ...

and

Megan Hilty Megan Kathleen Hilty (born March 29, 1981) is an American actress and singer. She rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including her performance as Glinda the Good Witch in '' Wicked'', Doralee Rhodes in '' 9 to 5: The Musical' ...

and

Jessie Mueller Jessica Ruth Mueller (born February 20, 1983) is an American actress and singer. She started her acting career in Chicago and won two Joseph Jefferson Awards in 2008 and 2011 for her roles as Carrie Pipperidge in ''Carousel'' and Amalia Balash in ...

portray Cline and Lynn, respectively. *November 13 - The 2019 CMA Awards celebrates women in country music, opening with an all-star medley that included the likes of Tanya Tucker and

Sara Evans Sara Lynn Evans (; born February 5, 1971) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is also credited as a record producer, actress, and author. She had five songs reach the number one spot on the ''Billboard'' country songs cha ...

, while Maren Morris wins Album of the Year for ''

Girl A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a ''woman''. However, the term ''girl'' is also used for other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.c ...

'' and Kacey Musgraves wins for Female Vocalist. The night also sparked controversy, as Garth Brooks wins Entertainer of the Year, causing backlash from Carrie Underwood and

Eric Church Kenneth Eric Church (born May 3, 1977) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has released nine studio albums through Capitol Nashville since 2005. His debut album, 2006's '' Sinners Like Me'', produced three singles on the ''Billboar ...

fans, whom many predicted would win the honor. *November 22 - Singer Maddie Marlow of duo

Maddie & Tae Maddie & Tae are an American female country music duo composed of Maddie Font (née Marlow) and Tae Kerr (née Dye), both of whom are singers, songwriters, and guitarists. The duo was signed to the revived Dot Records in 2014. Their debut album, ...

weds Jonah Font. * December 8 – The 2019 Kennedy Center Honors award

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

; tribute performers included

and Carrie Underwood. * December 18 – Radio host Fitz is named as the successor of Bob Kingsley on ''Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40''. * December 28 – The final episode of "ACC Rewind," a program featuring re-airings of original (edited) broadcasts of "American Country Countdown" from the 1990s and early 2000s, is aired, and features the 1999 year-end countdown. *December 31 – Carrie Underwood announces on Instagram that she is stepping down as host of the CMA awards

Top hits of the year

The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, or

Canada Country The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...

charts in 2019:

Singles released by American and Australian artists

Singles released by Canadian artists

Notes

*"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Top new album releases

The following albums placed on the

Top Country Albums Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales ...

charts in 2019:

Other top albums

Deaths

* January 1 –

Pegi Young Margaret Mary "Pegi" Young (née Morton; December 1, 1952 – January 1, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter, environmentalist, educator and philanthropist. Music career After marrying Canadian folk rock musician Neil Young in 1978, her d ...

, 66, American singer-songwriter * January 3 –

Steve Ripley Paul Steven Ripley (January 1, 1950 – January 3, 2019) was an American recording artist, record producer, songwriter, studio engineer, guitarist, and inventor. He entered the music industry in 1977. He was also the leader/producer of country rock ...

, 69, American musician, leader/producer of

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 ...

, best known for " Baby Likes to Rock It". * January 12 – Sanger D. Shafer, 84, American songwriter * January 12 –

Bonnie Guitar Bonnie Buckingham (March 25, 1923 – January 13, 2019), better known as Bonnie Guitar, was an American singer, musician, producer, and businesswoman. She was best known for her 1957 country-pop crossover hit " Dark Moon". She became one of t ...

, 95, American country-pop artist and record label executive. * January 17 – Reggie Young, 82, session guitarist * January 21 – Maxine Brown, 87, final surviving member of

The Browns The Browns were an American country and folk music vocal trio best known for their 1959 Grammy-nominated hit, " The Three Bells". The group, composed of Jim Ed Brown and his sisters Maxine and Bonnie, had a close, smooth harmony characteristic ...

* January 31 –

Harold Bradley Harold Ray Bradley (January 2, 1926 – January 31, 2019) was an American guitarist and entrepreneur, who played on many country, rock and pop recordings and produced numerous TV variety shows and movie soundtracks. Having started as a session ...

, 93, American Hall of Fame country musician. * February 20 –

Fred Foster Fred Luther Foster (July 26, 1931 – February 20, 2019) was an American record producer, songwriter, and music business executive who founded Monument Records. As a record producer he was most closely associated with Roy Orbison, and was also ...

, 87, record producer and songwriter * February 24 –

Mac Wiseman Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer. Early life He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...

, 93, bluegrass singer * April 6 –

Jim Glaser James William Glaser (December 16, 1937 – April 6, 2019) was an American country music artist. He was born in Spalding, Nebraska. Biography The brother of country singers Chuck and Tompall Glaser, he performed as both a solo artist and alo ...

, 81, youngest member of

Tompall & the Glaser Brothers Tompall & the Glaser Brothers were an American country music group composed of three brothers: Chuck (February 27, 1936 – June 10, 2019), Jim (December 16, 1937 – April 6, 2019), and Tompall (September 3, 1933 – August 13, 2013) Glaser. The ...

*April 10 –

Earl Thomas Conley Earl Thomas Conley (October 17, 1941 – April 10, 2019)Wood, Gerry. (1998). "Earl Thomas Conley". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 108. was an American country music singer-songwriter. Between ...

, 77, American singer-songwriter known for hits like " Holding Her and Loving You", " Fire and Smoke", and " Angel in Disguise" * May 14 – Leon Rausch, 91, member of The Texas Playboys * June 10 – Chuck Glaser, 83, last surviving member of Tompall and the Glaser Brothers * July 12 – Russell Smith, 70, American singer-songwriter (

Amazing Rhythm Aces Amazing may refer to: Music Performers * The Amazing, a Swedish indie rock band Albums * ''Amazing'' (Banaroo album), 2006 * ''Amazing'' (Elkie Brooks album), 1996 * ''Amazing'' (Marcia Hines album) or the title song, 2014 * ''Amazin'' (Tri ...

). * August 27 –

Donnie Fritts Donald Ray Fritts (November 8, 1942 – August 27, 2019) was an American session musician and songwriter. A recording artist in his own right, he was Kris Kristofferson's keyboardist for over forty years. In 2008, he was inducted into the Alab ...

, 76, American session musician and songwriter. *September 4 –

Kylie Rae Harris Kylie Rae Harris (May 15, 1989 September 4, 2019) was an American singer-songwriter. She was born in Wylie, Texas. Career At age twelve, Harris was enrolled in a vocal camp and began crafting her own songs and playing guitar. By the time sh ...

, 30, Texas country singer-songwriter (car accident) *September 5 – Jimmy Johnson, 76, American musician (

Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section is a group of American session musicians based in the northern Alabama town of Muscle Shoals. One of the most prominent American studio house bands from the 1960s to the 1980s, these musicians, individually or a ...

) and record producer. *September 18 – Chuck Dauphin, 45, American sports radio broadcaster and country music journalist, (complications from diabetes). * September 29 – busbee, 43, songwriter and producer known for hits such as " Our Kind of Love" and " My Church" (brain cancer) * October 17 –

, 80, radio personality and longtime host of ''

'' and ''

'' (bladder cancer) * October 20 –

Nick Tosches Nicholas P. Tosches (; October 23, 1949 – October 20, 2019) was an American journalist, novelist, biographer, and poet. His 1982 biography of Jerry Lee Lewis, '' Hellfire'', was praised by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as "the best rock and roll ...

, 69, American journalist, music critic and writer (''

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 ...

''). * October 22 – Garry Koehler, 64, Australian country musician and songwriter, cancer. * October 25 – Joe Sun, 76, American singer-songwriter best known for his 1978 hit "

Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" is a country song written by singer-songwriter Pebe Sebert and Hugh Moffatt (singer), Hugh Moffatt. It was a number 14 U.S. country hit for Joe Sun in 1978, and a number 86 hit for Brian Collins (1970s singe ...

", which would later become a #1 for Dolly Parton.

Hall of Fame inductees

Bluegrass Hall of Fame

Mike Auldridge Mike Auldridge (December 30, 1938 – December 29, 2012) was an American Dobro player and a founding member of the bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. The ''New York Times'' described Auldridge as "one of the most distinctive dobro players in the ...

Bill Emerson Norvell William Emerson (January 1, 1938 – June 22, 1996) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri from 1981 until his death from lung cancer in Bethesda, Maryland in ...

* The Kentucky Colonels

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

*Jerry Bradley, producer and record executive, son of Owen Bradley and nephew of

. *

Ray Stevens Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939), known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country and pop singer-songwriter and comedian, known for his Grammy-winning recordings " Everything Is Beautiful" and " Misty", as well as novel ...

, country pop singer-songwriter and comedian (born 1939). *

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 so ...

, singer-songwriter duo composed of

Kix Brooks Leon Eric Brooks III, better known by his stage name Kix Brooks (born May 12, 1955), is an American country music artist, actor, and film producer best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn and host of radio's ''American Country Co ...

(born 1955) and

Ronnie Dunn Ronald Gene Dunn (born June 1, 1953) is an American country music singer-songwriter and record executive. Starting in 2011, Dunn has worked as a solo artist following the temporary dissolution of Brooks & Dunn. He released his self-titled deb ...

(born 1953).

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

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 ...

* Anya Wilson

Major awards

Academy of Country Music

''( presented in Nashville on September 16, 2020)'' * Entertainer of the Year –

Thomas Rhett Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

and Carrie Underwood * Male Vocalist of the Year – Luke Combs * Female Vocalist of the Year – Maren Morris * Vocal Duo of the Year –

Dan + Shay Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoi ...

* Vocal Group of the Year –

Old Dominion Old Dominion most commonly refers to: *The Old Dominion, a nickname for the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia ** Colony of Virginia *Old Dominion University, a public university in Norfolk, Virginia **Old Dominion Monarchs, the athletic teams represe ...

* New Male Vocalist of the Year – Riley Green * New Female Vocalist of the Year –

Tenille Townes Tenille Nicole Townes (born Nadkrynechny; January 20, 1994) is a Canadian country music singer from Grande Prairie, Alberta. In 2011, at the age of 17, she was nominated for a Canadian Country Music Award for Female Artist of the Year. Biograp ...

* Songwriter of the Year –

Hillary Lindsey Hillary Lee Lindsey is an American singer-songwriter. She has written songs with or for a number of artists including Michelle Branch, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Shakira, Lady A, Gary Allan, Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Bo ...

* Album of the Year – ''

What You See Is What You Get In computing, WYSIWYG ( ), an acronym for What You See Is What You Get, is a system in which editing software allows content to be edited in a form that resembles its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product, such as a printed d ...

'' (Luke Combs) * Single of the Year – " God's Country" (

) * Song of the Year – "

One Man Band A one-man band is a musician who plays a number of instruments simultaneously using their hands, feet, limbs, and various mechanical or electronic contraptions. One-man bands also often sing while they perform. The simplest type of "one-man ban ...

" ( Matthew Ramsey,

Trevor Rosen Trevor Joseph Rosen (born February 18, 1975) is an American country music songwriter and musician. He is also a member of the American country music band Old Dominion (band), Old Dominion, in which he plays guitar and keyboards. Early life Trev ...

, Brad Tursi, Josh Osborne) * Vocal Event of the Year – " Fooled Around and Fell in Love" (

featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes,

Caylee Hammack Caylee Anna Hammack (born March 19, 1994) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is signed to Capitol Records Nashville and released her debut album '' If It Wasn't for You'' on August 14, 2020. Early life Hammack started play ...

, and

Elle King Tanner Elle Schneider (born July 3, 1989), known professionally as Elle King, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Her musical style was influenced by country, rock and blues. In 2012, King released her debut EP, '' The Elle King ...

) * Video of the Year – " Remember You Young" (Thomas Rhett) ACM Honors
(presented August 21 in Nashville) *

Cliffie Stone Clifford Gilpin Snyder (March 1, 1917 – January 17, 1998), professionally Cliffie Stone, was an American country singer, musician, record producer, music publisher, and radio and TV personality who was pivotal in the development of Californi ...

Icon Award –

and

* Poet's Award –

Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...

Kye Fleming Rhonda Kye Fleming (born October 9, 1951) is an American singer/songwriter and music publisher working in Nashville, Tennessee. She was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009 and has won more than 42 BMI Awards, including B ...

and

Billy Joe Shaver Billy Joe Shaver (August 16, 1939 – October 28, 2020) was an American outlaw country singer and songwriter, as well as an actor. Biography Shaver was born in Corsicana, Texas, and raised by his mother, Victory Watson Shaver. Until he was 12 ...

* Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award – Gayle Holcomb * Gene Weed Milestone Award –

* Song of the Decade – "

The House That Built Me "The House That Built Me" is a song written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin, and recorded by American country music artist Miranda Lambert. Blake Shelton was originally set to record the song, but when Lambert heard it, she emotionally reacted ...

" (awarded to Tom Douglas,

and

Allen Shamblin Allen Shamblin is a country music songwriter who was born in Tennessee, and was brought up in Huffman, Texas. After graduating from Sam Houston State University he worked in Austin as a real estate appraiser. In 1987, he quit his job and move ...

) * Songwriter of the Year –

Shane McAnally Shane McAnally (born October 12, 1974) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. Originally a solo artist for Curb Records in 1999, McAnally charted three singles on Hot Country Songs, including the No. 31 " Are Y ...

Jim Reeves James Travis Reeves (August 20, 1923July 31, 1964) was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville Sound. Known as "Gentleman ...

International Award –

Tex Ritter Woodward Maurice Ritter (January 12, 1905 – January 2, 1974) was a pioneer of American country music, a popular singer and actor from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter acting family (son John, grandsons Jason and ...

Film Award – '' A Star Is Born''

Americana Music Honors & Awards

(presented on September 12, 2019) * Album of the Year – '' The Tree of Forgiveness'' (

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

) * Artist of the Year – Brandi Carlile * Duo/Group of the Year – I'm with Her * Song of the Year – "Summer's End" (

Pat McLaughlin Pat McLaughlin is a singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. He was raised in Waterloo, Iowa, but moved to San Francisco, California in the early 1970s. There McLaughlin began to write songs, playing alone at open mic nights and in the ...

and

) * Emerging Artist of the Year –

The War and Treaty The War and Treaty are an American husband and wife duo consisting of singer-songwriters Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter. Their debut studio album ''Healing Tide'' (2018), received critical acclaim upon its release. Soon afterwards, they rel ...

* Instrumentalist of the Year –

Chris Eldridge Chris Eldridge is an American guitarist and singer. He is a member of Punch Brothers and frequently performs in a duo with fellow guitarist Julian Lage. He is also the guitarist in the house band on Live From Here. He was a founding member of the ...

* Spirit of Americana/Free Speech Award – Mavis Staples * Legacy of Americana Award – Rhiannon Giddens and Frank Johnson * Lifetime Achievement: Trailblazer – Maria Muldaur * Lifetime Achievement: Performance –

Delbert McClinton Delbert McClinton (born November 4, 1940) is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist. From his first professional stage appearance in 1957 to his most recent national tour in 2018, ...

* Lifetime Achievement: Songwriting – Elvis Costello * President's Award –

Felice and Boudleaux Bryant Felice Bryant (born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto; August 7, 1925 – April 22, 2003) and Diadorius Boudleaux Bryant (; February 13, 1920 – June 25, 1987) were an Americans, American husband-and-wife country music and pop songwriting team. They ...

American Music Awards

*Artist of the Decade –

Artist of the Year ''Artist of the Year'' is a television competition shown on the Sky Arts channel (formerly known as Artsworld and Sky Arts 1) which aims to find the best portrait and landscape painter every year. Overview Through several rounds of regional comp ...

–

* Favorite Country Male Artist –

* Favorite Country Female Artist – Carrie Underwood * American Music Award for Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group –

* Country Album – '' Cry Pretty'' ( Carrie Underwood) * Favorite Country Song – " Speechless" (

, Jordan Reynolds, Laura Veltz)

ARIA Awards

Best Country Album The Grammy Award for Best Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. Honors ...

– '' Things That We Drink To'' ( Morgan Evans)

''Billboard'' Music Awards

Billboard Music Award for Top Country Artist The ''Billboard'' Music Award for Top Country Artist recognizes the most successful country artists on the Billboard Charts over the past year. Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singe ...

– Luke Combs *Top Country Male Artist – Luke Combs *Top Country Female Artist – Carrie Underwood *Top Country Duo/Group –

* Top Country Album – '' This One's for You'' ( Luke Combs) * Top Country Song – " Meant to Be" (

Bebe Rexha Bleta Rexha (; born August 30, 1989), known professionally as Bebe Rexha ( ), is an American pop singer and songwriter. After signing with Warner Records in 2013, Rexha received songwriting credits on Eminem's single " The Monster" (which lat ...

and

Florida Georgia Line Florida Georgia Line is an American country music duo founded in 2010 by Tyler Hubbard of Georgia and Brian Kelley of Florida, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. Their 2012 debut single "Cruise" broke two major sales records: it was d ...

) *Top Country Tour – Trip Around the Sun Tour (

Kenny Chesney Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs and Country ...

)

CMT Awards

''(presented on June 5, 2019, in Nashville)'' *Video of the Year – " Cry Pretty" ( Carrie Underwood) *Male Video of the Year – "

Lose It Lose It can refer to: * "Lose It", song by Supergrass from the album ''I Should Coco'' * "Lose It", song by Flume from ''Skin'' (Flume album) * "Lose It", song by Quavo from the album ''Quavo Huncho'' * "Lose It", song by Austra from the album '' F ...

" (

) *Female Video of the Year – " Love Wins" ( Carrie Underwood) *Duo Video of the Year – " Speechless" (

) *Group Video of the Year – " Someone I Used to Know" (

Zac Brown Band Zac Brown Band is an American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown (lead vocals, guitar), Jimmy De Martini ( fiddle, vocals), John Driskell Hopkins (bass guitar, guitar, baritone guitar, banjo, ukul ...

) *Breakthrough Video of the Year – "

Girl Going Nowhere ''Girl Going Nowhere'' is the third studio album and major label debut by American country music artist Ashley McBryde. It was released March 30, 2018, through Warner Bros.Nashville. Content The album's lead single, "A Little Dive Bar in Dahlone ...

" (Live at Marathon) ( Ashley McBryde) *Collaborative Video of the Year – " Coming Home" (

ft.

Julia Michaels Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...

) * CMT Performance of the Year – "

Beautiful Crazy "Beautiful Crazy" is a song recorded by American country music singer Luke Combs. The song, which he wrote with Wyatt Durrette and Robert Williford, is a bonus track to his 2017 debut album '' This One's for You''. The song had gained viral attent ...

" ( Luke Combs and

Leon Bridges Todd Michael "Leon" Bridges (born July 13, 1989) is an American soul singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2015 song " Coming Home", which received regular airplay and was also a Top 10 Most Viral Track on Spotify. Brid ...

) from

CMT Crossroads ''CMT Crossroads'' is an American television program broadcast on CMT that pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres such as alternative rock, pop, R&B, Rock, soul and more, frequently trading off performing one anot ...

CMT Artists of the Year
''(presented October 16, 2019 in Nashville)'' *

* Luke Combs *

* Carrie Underwood

Country Music Association Awards

* Entertainer of the Year – Garth Brooks *

Male Vocalist of the Year Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization. A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to ...

– Luke Combs * Female Vocalist of the Year –

* Vocal Group of the Year –

* New Artist of the Year – Ashley McBryde * Vocal Duo of the Year –

*Musician of the Year – Jenee Fleenor (fiddle) *Single of the Year – " God's Country" (

) * Song of the Year – "

" ( Luke Combs, Wyatt Durrette, Robert Williford) * Album of the Year – ''

'' ( Maren Morris) *Musical Event of the Year – "

" (

and

) *Music Video of the Year – "

Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...

" (

, directed by

Hannah Lux Davis Hannah Lux Davis (born May 17, 1986) is an American music video, commercial and film director. She's known for her work especially with female artists, such as Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne, Christ ...

) *International Artist Achievement Award –

*Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award –

Travis Collins Travis William Collins (born 4 May 1985, Campbelltown) is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and guitarist. Three of his albums have reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 20, ''Hard Light'' (2016), ''Brave & the Broken'' (2018) and ...

(Australia) and Ward Thomas (UK)

Grammy Awards

''(presented in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020)'' *

Best Country Solo Performance The Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guide it is design ...

– " Ride Me Back Home" (

) * Best Country Duo/Group Performance – " Speechless" (

) *

Best Country Song The Grammy Award for Best Country Song (sometimes known as the Country Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1965. The award is given to the songwriter(s) of the song, not to the artist, except if the artist is also the songwriter. There ha ...

– "

Bring My Flowers Now "Bring My Flowers Now" is a song by American country music singer Tanya Tucker. The song was written by Tucker with Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth. It was released on August 16, 2019, as the fourth single from Tucker's twenty-fif ...

" ( Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth,

) *

– '

While I'm Livin' ''While I'm Livin is the twenty-fifth studio album by American country music singer Tanya Tucker. It was released on August 23, 2019, by Fantasy Records. The album was produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings. It is Tucker's first album in ...

'' (

) * Best Bluegrass Album – ''

Tall Fiddler Michael Cleveland (born September 18, 1980) is an American Bluegrass music, bluegrass fiddle player. Early life Cleveland was born in Henryville, Indiana. He was born completely blind and a childhood ear infection caused him to lose 80% of his h ...

'' (

Michael Cleveland Michael Cleveland (born September 18, 1980) is an American bluegrass fiddle player. Early life Cleveland was born in Henryville, Indiana. He was born completely blind and a childhood ear infection caused him to lose 80% of his hearing in one ...

) *

Best Americana Album The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...

– '' Oklahoma'' (

Keb' Mo' Kevin Roosevelt Moore (born October 3, 1951), known as Keb' Mo', is an American blues musician and five-time Grammy Award winner. He is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter, living in Nashville, Tennessee. He has been described as "a living link ...

) *

Best American Roots Performance The Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance is an award category at the annual Grammy Awards. It was first presented in 2015. The award was first approved by the board of trustees of the Grammy Awards in June 2014. According to NARAS, t ...

– " Saint Honesty" ( Sara Bareilles) *

Best American Roots Song The Grammy Award for Best American Roots Song is an award category at the annual Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the American Roots Music ...

– " Call My Name" (

Sarah Jarosz Sarah Jarosz ( ; born May 23, 1991) is an American singer-songwriter from Wimberley, Texas. Her first album, ''Song Up in Her Head'', was released in 2009

Aoife O'Donovan Aoife O'Donovan ( , ; born November 18, 1982) is an American singer and Grammy award-winning songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer for the string band Crooked Still and she also co-founded the Grammy Award-winning female folk trio I'm ...

Sara Watkins Sara Ullrika Watkins (born June 8, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and fiddler. Watkins debuted in 1989 as the fiddler of Nickel Creek, the progressive bluegrass group she formed with her brother Sean and mandolinist Chris Thile. In addi ...

) * Best Roots Gospel Album – ''

Testimony In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. ...

'' ( Gloria Gaynor)

International Bluegrass Music Association Awards

''(presented on September 26, 2019)'' * Entertainer of the Year – Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers * Male Vocalist of the Year – Russell Moore * Female Vocalist of the Year – Brooke Aldridge * Vocal Group of the Year – Sister Sadie * Instrumental Group of the Year – Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper * New Artist of the Year –

Billy Strings Billy Strings (born William Lee Apostol, October 3, 1992) is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He won a Grammy Award in 2021. Early life Billy Strings was born William Lee Apostol on October 3, 1992, in Lansing, Michigan. His fat ...

* Guitar Player of the Year –

* Banjo Player of the Year – Kristin Scott Benson * Mandolin Player of the Year – Alan Bibey * Fiddle Player of the Year –

* Bass Player of the Year –

Missy Raines Missy Raines (born April 6, 1962) is an American bassist, singer, teacher, and songwriter. She has won 10 International Bluegrass Music Awards for Bass Player of the Year. Missy Raines was the first woman to win IBMA Bass Player of the Year awa ...

* Dobro Player of the Year –

Phil Leadbetter Phil Leadbetter (March 31, 1962 – October 14, 2021) was an American resonator guitar player. Life Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Leadbetter began playing the resonator guitar at age 12. He was a 1980 graduate of Gibbs High School in Corryton, ...

* Album of the Year – ''Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass'' (

Del McCoury Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939) is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo resp ...

) * Song of the Year – "Thunder Dan" (Sideline) * Collaborative Recording of the Year – "The Guitar Song" ( Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers with

) * Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year – "Darlin' Pals of Mine" (

ft.

Alison Brown Alison Brown (born August 7, 1962) is an American banjo player, guitarist, composer, and producer. She has won and has been nominated for several Grammy awards and is often compared to another banjo prodigy, Béla Fleck, for her unique style o ...

, Mike Bub and

Todd Phillips Todd Phillips (né Bunzl, born December 20, 1970) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He began his career in 1993 and directed films in the 2000s such as ''Road Trip (film), Road Trip'', ''Old School (film), Old School'', ...

) * Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year – "Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout" (

Claire Lynch Claire Lynch (born February 20, 1954) is an American bluegrass musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. She is a three-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year honors. She is considered one o ...

)

Juno Awards

(presented on June 29, 2020) * Country Album of the Year – ''Wild As Me'' (

Meghan Patrick Meghan Patrick (born March 25, 1987) is a Canadian-American country singer-songwriter from Bowmanville, Ontario, signed to Warner Music Canada, and Riser House Entertainment. She released her debut album, ''Grace & Grit'', on April 29, 2016. P ...

) * Contemporary Roots Album of the Year – ''Mohawk'' (

Lee Harvey Osmond Lee Harvey Osmond, stylized as LeE HARVeY OsMOND, is a Canadian psychedelic folk project fronted by musician Tom Wilson. History The act first took shape with Wilson in his LeE HARVeY OsMOND persona, backed by Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkie ...

) * Traditional Roots Album of the Year - ''Sugar & Joy'' ( The Dead South)

References

{{List of years in country music

Country music by year Culture-related timelines by year