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 2020.

Events

COVID-19

*March 16 – The

55th Academy of Country Music Awards The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards were held in Nashville, Tennessee on September 16, 2020. Keith Urban was the host for the show. The event was originally planned to air on April 5 of the same year in Las Vegas, Nevada, but was postponed ...

, originally scheduled for April 5, was postponed to September 16. A few weeks later, the 2020 CMT Music Awards were pushed back to October 21, from their original date of June 3. *March 20 - The

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 ...

announces it will continue hosting performances, but without a live audience attending in the

Ryman Auditorium Ryman Auditorium (also known as Grand Ole Opry House and Union Gospel Tabernacle) is a 2,362-seat live-performance venue located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in Nashville, Tennessee. It is best known as the home of the ''Grand Ole Opry'' fr ...

. *March 29 –

Joe Diffie Joe Logan Diffie (December 28, 1958 – March 29, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. After working as a demo singer in the mid 1980s, he signed with Epic Records' Nashville division in 1990. Between then and 2004, Diffie ...

, a country music superstar who scored many Top Ten hits during the 1990s and early 2000s, dies from complications of COVID-19, two days after announcing he had fallen ill. *March 31 – The

Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...

announces that the 2020 CMA Fest, scheduled for June 4–7, is officially canceled. *October 7 –

Morgan Wallen Morgan Cole Wallen (born May 13, 1993) is an American country singer and songwriter. He competed in the sixth season of ''The Voice'', originally as a member of Usher's team, but later as a member of Adam Levine's team. After being eliminated ...

is dropped as a musical guest by ''Saturday Night Live'' after a video of him attending a party without wearing a face mask surfaces.

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 ...

eventually is called to be the replacement musical guest. *December 12 –

Charley Pride Charley Frank Pride (March 18, 1934 – December 12, 2020) was an American singer, guitarist, and professional baseball player. His greatest musical success came in the early to mid-1970s, when he was the best-selling performer for RCA Reco ...

dies from complications of COVID-19 one month after receiving the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the CMA Awards, an event that would turn out to be his final public appearance.

Other

* January 2 –

Capitol Records Nashville Capitol Records Nashville is a major United States-based record label located in Nashville, Tennessee operating as part of the Universal Music Group Nashville. From 1991 to 1995, Capitol Nashville was known as Liberty Records, before returning ...

signs

Hot Country Knights Hot Country Knights is an American country music and parody music band formed by country music singer Dierks Bentley in 2015. The band is composed of Bentley and his own road band. Bentley portrays lead singer Douglas "Doug" Douglason, with the ...

, a fictitious band portrayed by

Dierks Bentley Frederick Dierks Bentley (; born November 20, 1975) is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's ''Modern Day Drifter'', ar ...

and members of his road band. * January 4 – Radio personality Fitz takes over as permanent 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 ...

'', succeeding the longtime radio host who died in 2019. Affiliates of Fitz's previous programs – ''The Fitz Show'', ''The Hit List with Fitz'', and ''Nashville Minute with Fitz'' – were replaced with programs from KCCS Productions, which produces ''CT40''. *January 7 –

Rascal Flatts Rascal Flatts is an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background vocals). DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousi ...

announced that they would be disbanding following a farewell tour after 20 years together. The tour (in addition to several other tours) would later be cancelled due to COVID-19. *March 7 –

Jimmie Allen James Edward Allen (born June 18, 1985) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is signed to Broken Bow Records imprint Stoney Creek, for which he has released the two singles "Best Shot" and " Make Me Want To" and the 2018 album ...

's "

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 ...

" tops the ''

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 ...

Country Airplay Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States since January 20, 1990. This chart lists the 60 most-listened-to records played on 150 mainstream country radio stations across the country as monitored ...

chart in its 58th week, setting a record for both the slowest ascent to the top and the longest overall run in that chart's history. * March 23 –

Maren Morris Maren Larae Morris (born April 10, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter. While rooted in the Country music, country genre, her music also blends elements of Pop music, pop, R&B music, R&B, and Hip-Hop music, hip-hop. Born and raised in Arlingt ...

and

Ryan Hurd Ryan James Hurd (born November 2, 1986) is an American country music singer and songwriter. In addition to writing No. 1 singles for Blake Shelton, Lady A, and Luke Bryan, Hurd has recorded for RCA Records Nashville. Career Hurd was born in Ch ...

announce the birth of their first child, Hayes Andrew Hurd. * May 5 –

Travis Denning Travis Denning (born December 1, 1992) is an American country music singer and songwriter signed to UMG Nashville's Mercury Nashville label. He has charted with the singles " David Ashley Parker from Powder Springs" and " After a Few", the latter ...

's "

After a Few "After a Few" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Denning. It is his second single for Mercury Nashville. Denning wrote the song with Kelly Archer and Justin Weaver. Content and history Tina Benitez-Eves of ' ...

" charts on Country Airplay for the 60th week, breaking the longevity record set on that chart only two months prior. It would later reach the top on June 13 in its 65th week, also setting a record for the longest climb to Number One since the inception of

Nielsen Soundscan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...

in 1990. * May 14–15 – Vocalist Hannah Mulholland quits the group

Runaway June Runaway June is an American country music group consisting of Stevie Woodward (lead vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, autoharp), Jennifer Wayne (guitar, vocals), and Natalie Stovall (guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, vocals). Wayne co-founded the g ...

and is replaced by Natalie Stovall, formerly of

Natalie Stovall and the Drive Natalie Stovall and the Drive was an American country music group composed of Natalie Stovall (lead vocals, fiddle), Miguel Cancino (guitar), Zach Morse (bass), Joel Dormer (guitar, vocals), and James Bavendam (drums). Their debut single, "Baby ...

. *June – Amid the fallout from the

George Floyd protests The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and civil unrest against police brutality and racism that began in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020, and largely took place during 2020. The civil unrest and protests began as part of internati ...

, two groups change their names. On June 11,

Lady Antebellum Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar) ...

announces their name will change to Lady A, the group's longstanding nickname. On June 25, the

Dixie Chicks The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and E ...

become known as The Chicks. Both moves were announced amid criticism that the words "Antebellum" and "Dixie" had connotations of

American slavery The legal institution of human chattel slavery, comprising the enslavement primarily of Africans and African Americans, was prevalent in the United States of America from its founding in 1776 until 1865, predominantly in the South. Slave ...

. *June 13 –

Hank Williams Jr. Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of southern rock, blues, and country. He is the son of ...

's 27-year-old daughter, Katharine Williams-Dunning, is killed in a car accident in

Henry County, Tennessee Henry County is a county located on the northwestern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and is considered part of West Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,199. Its county seat is Paris. The county is named for the Virgin ...

. *June 19 –

Carly Pearce Carly Pearce (born Carly Cristyne Slusser; April 24, 1990) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her material contains elements of both traditional and contemporary country-pop music. Pearce began performing professionally in her ...

and Michael Ray announce their divorce after less than eight months of marriage. *July 3 –

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 ...

and husband

Ruston Kelly Ruston Samuel Kelly (born July 31, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter. After landing a publishing deal with BMG Nashville in 2013, he got his first cut with Tim McGraw's song "Nashville Without You", which appeared on McGraw's album ''Two La ...

divorce after years of marriage. *July 4 –

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 (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Coun ...

's "

Here and Now Here and Now may refer to: Music * Here & Now (band), an English progressive/space rock band * Here and Now Tour, a series of concert tours Albums * ''Here and Now'' (The Jazztet album) (1962) * ''Here and Now'' (Hampton Hawes album) (1965) * ...

" becomes his 31st number-one single on the

chart, making Chesney the artist with the most number one singles on that chart. *July 17 –

The Chicks The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and E ...

release their first studio album in 14 years, '' Gaslighter''. *July 29 –

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 ...

withdraws himself from consideration for the CMA ''

Entertainer of the Year ''Entertainer of the Year'' is the twenty-second solo studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn. It was released on February 26, 1973, by MCA Records. This was Lynn's first album with MCA following Decca's consolidation ...

'' category after seven wins. *August 1 –

Luke Combs Luke Albert Combs (; born March 2, 1990) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Born and raised in North Carolina, Combs began performing as a child, most notably performing at Carnegie Hall. After dropping out of college to pursue a ...

marries Nicole Hocking in Florida, after 4 years of dating. *August 16 - Singer

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 ...

announces her pregnancy with her first daughter with husband Cade Foeher. *August 17 –

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 ...

marks her return to country music radio in three years with the release of "

Betty Betty or Bettie is a name, a common diminutive for the names Bethany and Elizabeth. In Latin America, it is also a common diminutive for the given name Beatriz, the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Latin name Beatrix and the English name Beatric ...

", off her ''

Folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

'' album. *August 25 - Singer

Mickey Guyton Mickey Guyton (; born Candace Mycale Guyton; June 17, 1983) is an American country music artist. Raised in Texas, Guyton was exposed to various types of music at a young age, and her material subsequently incorporates elements of contemporary cou ...

announces her pregnancy for her first child with husband Grant Savoy. * August 31 -

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" was ...

is involved in a motorcycle accident in which he breaks both arms, both legs, and his pelvis. He undergoes a twelve-hour surgery. *September 16 – For the first time in history, the

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 ...

declares a tie for the Entertainer of the year award -

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 Ap ...

and

Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bill ...

. *October 27 –

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 ...

and

Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...

become engaged after 5 years of dating. *November 21 –

Jon Pardi Jonathan Ryan Pardi (born May 20, 1985) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Capitol Nashville, he has released four studio albums: ''Write You a Song'' (2014), ''California Sunrise'' (2016), ''Heartache Medication'' (2 ...

marries Summer Duncan in

Murfreesboro, Tennessee Murfreesboro is a city in and county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 152,769 according to the 2020 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010. Murfreesboro is located in the Nashville metropol ...

, after announcing their engagement in October 2019. *November 30 –

Jake Owen Joshua Ryan Owen (born August 28, 1981), known professionally as Jake Owen, is an American country music singer, songwriter, and actor. Signed to RCA Nashville in 2006, he released his debut studio album, '' Startin' with Me'', that year. This ...

and Erica Hartlein become engaged after 3 years of dating.

Top hits of the year

The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the

Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...

, 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, p ...

charts in 2020:

Singles released by American and Australian artists

Singles released by Canadian artists

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 a ...

charts in 2020:

Other top albums

Deaths

*January 15 –

Chris Darrow Christopher Lloyd Darrow (July 30, 1944 – January 15, 2020) was an American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. He was considered to be a pioneer of country rock music in the late-1960s and performed and recorded with numerous groups, ...

, 75, American musician (

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band formed in 1966. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California. Between 1976 and 1981, the band performed and recorded as the Dirt Band. Constant ...

), complications from a stroke. *January 18 –

David Olney David Charles Olney (March 23, 1948 – January 18, 2020) was an American folk music, folk singer-songwriter. Olney recorded more than twenty albums over his five-decade career. His songs have been covered by numerous artists, including Emmylou ...

, 71, American singer-songwriter, heart attack. *January 29 – Eddie Setser, 77, American songwriter ("

Seven Spanish Angels "Seven Spanish Angels" is a song written by Troy Seals and Eddie Setser, and recorded by Ray Charles as a duet with Willie Nelson. It was released in November 1984 as a single from Charles' 1984 album ''Friendship''. Charles and Nelson split the ...

") *February 12 – Paul English, 87, American drummer (

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'' (197 ...

), pneumonia. *March 1 –

Jan Vyčítal Jan Vyčítal (8 March 1942 – 1 March 2020) was a Czech country music singer and songwriter. He was founding member of Greenhorns. He also drew the cover art for many albums. Vyčítal was born in Prague, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia ...

, 77, Czech caricaturist and country music singer-songwriter. *March 7 –

Jim Owen James Owen (birth unknown – death unknown) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for St. Helens Recs, as a or . Play ...

, 78, American country singer-songwriter. *March 20 –

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...

, 81, American country singer and songwriter who was responsible for having major crossover success in the 1970s and 1980s (natural causes). *March 22 –

Eric Weissberg Eric Weissberg (August 16, 1939 – March 22, 2020) was an American singer, banjo player, and multi-instrumentalist, whose most commercially successful recording was his banjo solo in "Dueling Banjos," featured as the theme of the film ''Deliver ...

, 80, American folk musician ("

Dueling Banjos "Dueling Banjos" is a bluegrass composition by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith. The song was composed in 1954 by Smith as a banjo instrumental he called "Feudin' Banjos," which contained riffs from Smith, recorded in 1955 playing a four-string plec ...

The Tarriers The Tarriers were an American vocal group, specializing in folk music and folk-flavored popular music. Named after the folk song " Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill", the group had two hit songs during 1956-57: "Cindy, Oh Cindy" (with Vince Martin) an ...

), complications from Alzheimer's disease. *March 28 –

Jan Howard Jan Howard (born Lula Grace Johnson; March 13, 1929 – March 28, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. As a singer, she placed 30 singles on the ''Billboard'' country songs chart, was a Grand Ole Opry member and was nomin ...

, 91, country music singer and Grand Ole Opry member, natural causes. *March 29 –

, 61, country music singer-songwriter who was responsible for a plethora of hits throughout the '90s and early '00s such as "

Pickup Man "Pickup Man" is a song written by Kerry Kurt Phillips and Howard Perdew, and recorded by American country music artist Joe Diffie. It was released in October 1994 as the second single from the album ''Third Rock from the Sun''. The song was his l ...

", "

John Deere Green "John Deere Green" is a song written by Dennis Linde, and recorded by American country music artist Joe Diffie. It was released in November 1993 as the third single from his album ''Honky Tonk Attitude''. The song peaked at number 5 on the countr ...

" and "

Third Rock from the Sun ''Third Rock from the Sun'' is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Joe Diffie. Diffie's breakthrough album, the first five tracks were all released as singles, and all charted on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Track ...

". (

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

) *April 7 –

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 ...

, 73, American country-folk singer-songwriter. (

) * April 15 –

Gary McSpadden Gary McSpadden (January 26, 1943 – April 15, 2020) was an American pastor, singer, songwriter, record producer, television host and motivational speaker. He had musical roots in quartet music and Southern gospel with Statesmen quartet, The Sta ...

, 77, American gospel singer, former member of

The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet originating in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in Southern gospel during the 1950s. Their name was change ...

. * April 24 – Harold Reid, 80, member of

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 ...

(kidney failure) * May 11 - Fuzzy Owen, 91, Pioneer of the Bakersfield Sound; songwriter and longtime manager of Merle Haggard * June 2 – Jimmy Capps, 81, Nashville musician; member of the

house band and

The Nashville A-Team The Nashville A-Team was a nickname given to a group of session musicians in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, who earned wide acclaim in the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. They backed dozens of popular singers, including Elvis Presley, Eddy Arnold, Pats ...

. * June 8 – James Hand, 67, American country music singer-songwriter. * June 12 – Larry W. Johnson, 69, songwriter (" Don't Take the Girl") * July 3 – Craig J. Martin, 52, songwriter ("Don't Take the Girl") (heart attack) * July 6 –

Charlie Daniels Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, pioneering Southern rock. He was best known for his number-one country hit "The Dev ...

, 83, country music and Southern rock legend best known for "

The Devil Went Down to Georgia "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels, Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1979 album ''Million Mile Reflections''. The song is written in the key of D minor. Vassar Clements originally wr ...

", "

Long Haired Country Boy "Long Haired Country Boy" is a song by American music group Charlie Daniels, Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1974 album ''Fire on the Mountain (album), Fire on the Mountain''. It was first released as a single in April, 1975 and was re- ...

", "

The South's Gonna Do It "The South's Gonna Do It (Again)", is a song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1974 album '' Fire on the Mountain''. Content The lyrics refer to several Southern rock bands and musicians: * Grinderswitch * T ...

" and many others. (stroke) * July 15 - Kenny Dale, 67, American singer (

) * July 16 –

Jamie Oldaker James Oldaker (September 5, 1951 – July 16, 2020) was an American rock music, blues rock and country music drummer and percussionist. Biography James Oldaker was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One of the first bands that he was a member of was ...

, 68, American drummer (

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list 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 ...

). * July 30 —

Randy Barlow Randy Barlow (March 29, 1943 – July 30, 2020) was an American country music recording artist. Between 1976 and 1983, he released four albums, including three for Republic Records. In the same time span, he charted twenty singles on the '' Billb ...

, 77, American country singer-songwriter (cancer) * July 31 —

Bill Mack William or Bill Mack may refer to: * William Mack (Ontario politician) (1828–1897), Ontario businessman and political figure * William L. Mack (1924–2009), provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada * William Mack (judge) (1904–1979), ...

, 91, American country disc jockey and songwriter ("

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

", "

Drinking Champagne "Drinking Champagne" is a song written by Bill Mack. He released the first version of the song on Pike Records in the mid-sixties. The song grabbed nationwide attention when the version by Cal Smith reached #35 on the country music charts in 19 ...

") (COVID-19) * August 18 —

Steve Gulley Steve Gulley (September 20, 1962 – August 18, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of bluegrass music. He rose to prominence as a cast member at the Renfro Valley Barn Dance. He was one of the founding members of the band Mountain Heart, wher ...

, 57, American bluegrass singer-songwriter, pancreatic cancer. * August 23 —

Justin Townes Earle Justin Townes Earle (January 4, 1982August 20, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. After his debut, EP ''Yuma'' (2007), he released eight full-length albums. He was recognized with an Americana Music Award for Emerging Artist ...

, 38, American singer-songwriter, son of

Steve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music g ...

. * September 11 — Troy Jones, 64, Nashville songwriter (“

People Are Crazy "People Are Crazy" is a song written by Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones and recorded by American country music singer Billy Currington. It was released in March 2009 as the second single from Currington’s 2008 album '' Little Bit of Everything''. T ...

”, “

Shiftwork Shift work is an employment practice designed to make use of, or provide service across, all 24 hours of the clock each day of the week (often abbreviated as ''24/7''). The practice typically sees the day divided into shifts, set periods of t ...

”, " Pretty Good at Drinkin' Beer") * September 21 —

Roy Head Roy Kent Head (January 9, 1941 – September 21, 2020) was an American singer, best known for his hit song "Treat Her Right". Career Roy Kent Head was born in Three Rivers, Texas and achieved fame as a member of musical group The Traits from ...

, 79, American singer-songwriter best known for his 1965 pop hit "

Treat Her Right Treat Her Right was an American rock group, formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, in 1985. The band originally featured Mark Sandman on "low guitar," Billy Conway on cocktail drum, David Champagne on guitar, and Jim Fitting on harmon ...

" and charted several country hits in the 1970s and 1980s. (heart attack) * September 23 —

W. S. Holland W. S. "Fluke" Holland (April 22, 1935 – September 23, 2020) was an American drummer who played with Carl Perkins, and later for Johnny Cash in the bands The Tennessee Three, The Great Eighties Eight, and The Johnny Cash Show Band. Holland ...

, 85, American drummer (

The Tennessee Three The Tennessee Three was the backing band for singer Johnny Cash for nearly 25 years; he was known especially for his country/rockabilly style, although he won awards in numerous categories. In 1980, he reorganized the group, expanding it and namin ...

). * September 29 —

Mac Davis Morris Mac Davis (January 21, 1942 – September 29, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and actor. A native of Lubbock, Texas, he enjoyed success as a crossover artist, and during his early career he wrote for Elvis Presley, ...

, 78, American singer-songwriter known for many hits such as "

In the Ghetto "In the Ghetto" (originally titled "The Vicious Circle") is a 1969 song recorded by Elvis Presley and written by Mac Davis. It was a major hit released in 1969 as a part of Presley's comeback album, and also on the single release of " Any Day No ...

", "

Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" is a hit song by country and pop singer-songwriter Mac Davis. From his breakthrough album of the same name, the song reached No.1 on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts in September 1972, spendi ...

", and "

It's Hard to Be Humble "It's Hard to be Humble" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mac Davis from his LP, ''Hard To Be Humble''. It became an international hit in the spring of 1980. A version by T.R. Dallas became a Top 20 hit in Ireland ...

" (complications from heart bypass surgery) * October 7 —

Ray Pennington Ramon Daniel Pennington (December 22, 1933October 7, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for writing the song "I'm a Ramblin' Man", and for founding the independent Step One Records label. Ca ...

, 86, American singer-songwriter ("

I'm a Ramblin' Man "I'm a Ramblin' Man" is a song written by Ray Pennington. He recorded the song in 1967 for Capitol Records and took it to number 29 on the country charts. It was later recorded by American country music artist Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings ...

") (house fire) * October 16 —

Johnny Bush John Bush Shinn III (February 17, 1935October 16, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Nicknamed the "Country Caruso", Bush was best known for his distinctive voice and for writing the song "Whiskey River", a t ...

, 85, American singer-songwriter ("

Whiskey River "Whiskey River" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Johnny Bush. It was a hit for both Bush and his friend Willie Nelson. Johnny Bush version Bush released the song in 1972 through RCA Victor and included it on hi ...

"). * October 22 –

Margie Bowes Margie Marie Bowes (March 18, 1941 – October 22, 2020) was an American country music singer who was popular in the late 1950s. She had a top 10 country hit, "Poor Old Heartsick Me", in 1959. She was briefly married to Doyle Wilburn of the Wilb ...

, 79, American singer * October 23 —

Jerry Jeff Walker Jerry Jeff Walker (born Ronald Clyde Crosby; March 16, 1942 – October 23, 2020) was an American country music and folk singer-songwriter. He was a leading figure in the progressive country and outlaw country music movement. He was best ...

, 78, American singer-songwriter (" Mr. Bojangles"), throat cancer. *October 24 —

J. T. Corenflos Jerry Troy "J. T." Corenflos (November 6, 1963 – October 24, 2020), was an American session musician and country guitarist, who played on an estimated 75 Number One hit records as well as hundreds of other recordings and hits. He received 14 ...

, 56, session guitarist (cancer) *October 28 —

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 ...

, 81, American singer-songwriter (" I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)" (stroke). *November 13 —

Doug Supernaw Douglas Anderson Supernaw (September 26, 1960November 13, 2020) was an American country music artist. After several years performing as a local musician throughout the state of Texas, he signed with BNA Records in 1993. Supernaw released four st ...

, 60, American singer-songwriter who netted several 1990s hits ("

I Don't Call Him Daddy "I Don't Call Him Daddy" is a song written by American songwriter Reed Nielsen. It was initially recorded by Kenny Rogers on his 1987 album ''I Prefer the Moonlight'', and was released in October 1993 by Doug Supernaw as the third single from his ...

", "

Reno Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...

", "

Not Enough Hours in the Night "Not Enough Hours in the Night" is a song written by Aaron Barker, Kim Williams and Ron Harbin, and recorded by American country music artist Doug Supernaw. It was released in October 1995 as the first single from his album ''You Still Got Me '' ...

"), lung and bladder cancer. *November 23 —

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 ...

, 67, American singer-songwriter who scored a string of hits during the 1990s (" Small Town Saturday Night", "

Past the Point of Rescue ''Past the Point of Rescue'' is the second studio album by American country music artist Hal Ketchum. His first major-label album, it was released in 1991 on Curb Records and has been certified gold by the RIAA. The album produced four singles f ...

", " Hearts Are Gonna Roll"), dementia. *December 12 —

, 86, American singer-songwriter; known as country music's first African-American superstar (“ Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’”, “ Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone” and many others), COVID-19. *December 21 —

K. T. Oslin Kay Toinette Oslin (May 15, 1942 – December 21, 2020) was an American country music singer-songwriter. She had several years of major commercial success in the late 1980s after signing a record deal at age 45. Oslin had four number one hits and ...

, 78, American singer-songwriter who scored a string of hits during the late 1980s and early 90's ("

80's Ladies ''80's Ladies'' is the debut studio album by American country music artist K. T. Oslin. It was released by RCA Records in July 1987. "Wall of Tears", the title track, "Do Ya'" and "I'll Always Come Back" were released as singles. The album reached ...

", "

I'll Always Come Back "I'll Always Come Back" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist K. T. Oslin Kay Toinette Oslin (May 15, 1942 – December 21, 2020) was an American country music singer-songwriter. She had several years of major commercia ...

", " Do Ya" and others),

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

and COVID-19. *December 25 —

Tony Rice David Anthony Rice (June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020), known professionally as Tony Rice, was an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He was an influential acoustic guitar player in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and a ...

, 69, American guitarist and bluegrass singer and member of the

New South New South, New South Democracy or New South Creed is a slogan in the history of the American South first used after the American Civil War. Reformers used it to call for a modernization of society and attitudes, to integrate more fully with the ...

and

Bluegrass Album Band Bluegrass Album Band was a bluegrass supergroup, founded by Tony Rice and J. D. Crowe in 1980. Originally, there was no intention to build a permanent group and the main reason for the collaboration was to record a solo album for Tony Rice. They ...

known for his elegant flatpicking style. *December 29 — Hugh X. Lewis, 90, American singer-songwriter.

Hall of Fame inductees

Bluegrass Hall of Fame

*J. T. Gray - owner of the

Station Inn The Station Inn is a concert venue in Nashville, Tennessee that hosts bluegrass music acts. Frommers wrote that it is "widely regarded as one of the best bluegrass venues around". The small nightclub has a reputation for being a simple building, ...

in Nashville which opened in 1974 and noted as one of the best bluegrass venue in the world *

Johnson Mountain Boys The Johnson Mountain Boys were a popular bluegrass band throughout the 1980s from the Washington, D.C. area. Their style favored a more traditional approach to bluegrass than some of their contemporaries. They released two 45 RPM single record ...

- a popular group in the 1980s known for their neotraditional style *

New Grass Revival New Grass Revival was an American progressive bluegrass band founded in 1971, and composed of Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, Ebo Walker, Curtis Burch, Butch Robins, John Cowan, Béla Fleck and Pat Flynn. They were active between 1971 and 1989, r ...

- progressive band that produced many of the genres most respected musicians

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 ...

(presented on November 21, 2021) *

Dean Dillon Dean Dillon (born Larry Dean Flynn; March 26, 1955) is an American country musician and songwriter. Between 1982 and 1993, he recorded six studio albums on various labels, and charted several singles on the '' Billboard'' country charts. Since 1 ...

, songwriter known for his work with

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 ...

and songs by other artists such as "

Tennessee Whiskey Tennessee whiskey is straight whiskey produced in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Although it has been legally defined as a bourbon whiskey in some international trade agreements, most current producers of Tennessee whiskey disclaim references to ...

", "

Set 'Em Up Joe "Set 'Em Up Joe" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Vern Gosdin. It was released in April 1988 as the second single from the album '' Chiseled in Stone''. The song was Gosdin's second number one on the country char ...

", " Is It Raining at Your House" and "

Spilled Perfume "Spilled Perfume" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Pam Tillis. It was released in March 1994 as the lead single from her album ''Sweetheart's Dance''. The song was written by Tillis and Dean Dillon. Content T ...

". *

Marty Stuart John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country and bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968, Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's road band before beginning work as a ...

, singer-songwriter, musician, television host and country music historian with hits including "

Hillbilly Rock ''Hillbilly Rock'' is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Marty Stuart. It was released in October 1989 by MCA Nashville. It peaked at #19 on the Top Country Albums chart but failed to chart on the Canadian charts. It was cer ...

" and "

The Whiskey Ain't Workin' "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'" is a song recorded by American country music artists Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart. It was released in November 1991 as the third single from Tritt's album ''It's All About to Change''. It peaked at number two on the '' ...

". *

, singer-songwriter and musician known for hits such as "

All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" is a song written and recorded by American musician Hank Williams Jr. It was released in October 1984 as the second single from his album ''Major Moves''. It peaked at number ten on the country music ...

", "

A Country Boy Can Survive "A Country Boy Can Survive" is a song written and recorded by American musician Hank Williams Jr. The song was released as a single in January 1982 and reached a peak of number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles chart in March 1982. It is ...

" and " Family Tradition".

Major awards

Academy of Country Music Awards The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards, were first held in 1966, honoring the industry's accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization. The academy ...

(presented on April 18, 2021) *Entertainer of the Year – Luke Bryan * Male Artist of the Year – Thomas Rhett * Female Artist of the Year – Maren Morris * Group of the Year – Old Dominion * Duo of the Year – Dan + Shay *New Male Artist of the Year – Jimmie Allen *New Female Artist of the Year – Gabby Barrett * Songwriter of the Year – Hillary Lindsey * Single of the Year – "I Hope You're Happy Now" (Carly Pearce and Lee Brice) * Song of the Year – "The Bones" (Jimmy Robbins, Maren Morris, Laura Veltz) * Album of the Year – ''Starting Over'' (Chris Stapleton) * Musical Event of the Year – "I Hope You're Happy Now" (Carly Pearce and Lee Brice) * Video of the Year – "Worldwide Beautiful" (Kane Brown)

Americana Music Honors & Awards The Americana Music Honors & Awards is the marquee event for the Americana Music Association. Beginning in 2002, the Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community. Six member-voted awards and several Lifetime Ac ...

American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...

(presented on November 22, 2020) * Favorite Country Album – '' Fully Loaded: God's Country'' (

* Favorite Country Song – "

10,000 Hours "10,000 Hours" is a song by American country music duo Dan + Shay and Canadian singer Justin Bieber. It was released on October 4, 2019, as the lead single from Dan + Shay's fourth studio album, '' Good Things'' (2021). Released four days after ...

" (

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'Ivoir ...

featuring

Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...

) * Favorite Male Country Artist –

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 ...

* Favorite Female Country Artist –

* Favorite Country Duo/Group –

ARIA Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music The music of Australia has ...

( presented on November 25, 2020) *

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 in ...

- ''

Fallow Fallow is a farming technique in which arable land is left without sowing for one or more vegetative cycles. The goal of fallowing is to allow the land to recover and store organic matter while retaining moisture and disrupting pest life cycles ...

'' (

Fanny Lumsden Edwina Margaret Lumsden, professionally known as Fanny Lumsden, is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. Lumsden is best known for her ARIA-award winning album ''Fallow''. Career Lumsden was born in Warren, New South Wales and grew ...

)

Billboard Music Awards The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...

(presented on October 14, 2020) * Top Country Artist –

*Top Country Male Artist –

*Top Country Female Artist –

*Top Country Duo/Group –

* Top Country Album – ''

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 ...

'' (

) * Top Country Song – "

" (

and

) *Top Country Tour –

CMT Music Awards The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on the CMT (Country Music Television) channel. Voting takes p ...

''(presented on October 21, 2020, in Nashville)'' * Video of the Year -

- "

Drinking Alone "Drinking Alone" is a song co-written and recorded by American singer Carrie Underwood, and released as the fourth single from her sixth studio album, '' Cry Pretty'' (2018). The single had an official release day of November 4, 2019. The song w ...

" * Male Video of the Year -

Luke Bryan Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan (born July 17, 1976) is an American country music, country singer, songwriter, and television personality. He began his music career writing songs for Travis Tritt and Billy Currington before signing with Capitol Reco ...

- "

One Margarita "One Margarita" is a song recorded by American country music singer Luke Bryan. It is the third single from his seventh studio album ''Born Here Live Here Die Here''. Bryan's bandleader Michael Carter wrote the song with Josh Thompson and Matt Dr ...

" * Female Video of the Year -

- "

" * Breakthrough Video of the Year -

- " I Hope" * Group Video 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 ...

- "

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 ...

" * Duo Video of the Year -

- " I Should Probably Go to Bed" * Equal Play Award -

Jennifer Nettles Jennifer Odessa Nettles (born September 12, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer. Nettles is the lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush, and prior to this she fronted the Atlanta-based band ...

CMT Artists of the Year
''(presented June 3, 2020 in Nashville)'' *

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''. ...

Brothers Osborne Brothers Osborne is an American country music duo consisting of brothers T.J. Osborne (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and John Osborne (lead guitar, background vocals). Born in Deale, Maryland, the duo signed a recording contract with EMI Records ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 Westbro ...

Country Music Association Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...

(presented on November 11, 2020) *

–

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 ...

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 a ...

–

* Female Vocalist of the Year –

* Vocal Group of the Year –

* New Artist of the Year –

* Vocal Duo of the Year –

Musician of the Year ''Musician of the Year'' is an album led by jazz trombonist Eddie Bert recorded in 1955 and first released on the Savoy label.Jenee Fleenor Jenee Fleenor is an American musician. A singer-songwriter, she plays the fiddle, mandolin and acoustic guitar and has performed with various musicians and bands. In 2019, she became the first woman to be nominated and to win the Country Music ...

(fiddle) * Single of the Year – "

The Bones The Bones (), at high, is the seventh-highest peak in Ireland on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin list, or the eighth-highest according to the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur-Lynams, Vandeleur-Lynam list. It is part ...

" -

* Song of the Year – "

" -

, Jimmy Robinson, Laura Veltz *

Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...

– ''

'' (

) * Musical Event of the Year – " I Hope You're Happy Now" (

and

Lee Brice Kenneth Mobley Brice Jr. (born June 10, 1979), known professionally as Lee Brice, is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Curb Records. Brice has released five albums with the label: '' Love Like Crazy'', '' Hard to Love'', ...

) * Video of the Year – "

Bluebird The bluebirds are a North American group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the order of Passerines in the genus ''Sialia'' of the thrush family (Turdidae). Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. ...

" (

, directed by

Trey Fanjoy Trey Fanjoy is an American music video director. Fanjoy has directed over 150 major label music videos. Her videos have appeared on CMT, VH1, GAC, The Nashville Network, CMT Canada, and MTV. She is the first woman to win the Country Music Asso ...

) *

Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, instituted in 2012 during the 46th CMA Awards, is given by the Country Music Association. The presentation of the award is intended to "honor an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of r ...

–

* Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award –

Ilse DeLange Ilse Annoeska de Lange (born 13 May 1977), better known as Ilse DeLange, is a Dutch country and pop rock singer-songwriter. As a member of The Common Linnets, she finished in second place at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. Biography Ilse An ...

(The Netherlands)

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 ...

''(presented in Los Angeles on March 14, 2021)'' *

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 ...

– " When My Amy Prays" (

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 Duo/Group Performance The Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. It was first awarded in 2012, after a major overhaul of Gramm ...

– "

" (

ft.

) *

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 ...

– " Crowded Table" (

Brandi Carlile Brandi Marie Carlile ( ; born June 1, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and producer whose music spans many genres, including folk rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock. , Carlile has released seven studio albums. She has ...

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 Musgrav ...

Lori McKenna Lorraine McKenna ( Giroux; born December 22, 1968) is an American folk, Americana, and country music singer-songwriter. In 2016, she was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and won Best Country Song for co-writing the hit single " ...

) *

– '

Wildcard Wild card most commonly refers to: * Wild card (cards), a playing card that substitutes for any other card in card games * Wild card (sports), a tournament or playoff place awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal pla ...

'' (

) *

Best Bluegrass Album The Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass 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 works (songs or albums) in the bluegrass m ...

– ''

Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...

'' (

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 fath ...

) *

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 ...

– ''

World on the Ground ''World on the Ground'' is the fifth studio album by American singer–songwriter Sarah Jarosz. Produced by John Leventhal, the album was released on June 5, 2020. The fourth track on the album, "Johnny", a song with chord progressions reminisc ...

'' (

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

) *

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, th ...

– " I Remember Everything" (

) *

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 ...

– " I Remember Everything" (

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

) *

Best Roots Gospel Album The Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album has been an award category at the annual Grammy Awards since 2015. The award was first approved by the board of trustees of the Grammy Awards in June 2014. According to NARAS, the award was introduc ...

– ''Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album)'' (

Fisk Jubilee Singers The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American ''a cappella'' ensemble, consisting of students at Fisk University. The first group was organized in 1871 to tour and raise funds for college. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditiona ...

)

International Bluegrass Music Awards The International Bluegrass Music Awards is an award show for bluegrass music presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Awards are voted based on professional membership in the IBMA. Award winners 2021 award winners The ...

(presented on October 1, 2020) * Entertainer of the Year –

Sister Sadie "Sister Sadie" is a jazz standard written in 1959 by Horace Silver, and first recorded for his 1959 Blue Note Records album, ''Blowin' the Blues Away''. Covers *1960: Hank Crawford – ''More Soul'' ( Atlantic Records) *1960: Gil Evans – '' O ...

* Male Vocalist of the Year –

Danny Paisley Dan Paisley and the Southern Grass is an American bluegrass band dedicated to the traditional style. The band was originally called "Bob Paisley and the Southern Grass", but was renamed after the death of Bob Paisley in 2004. History Originally ...

* Female Vocalist of the Year – Brooke Aldridge * Vocal Group of the Year –

* Instrumental Group of the Year – Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper * New Artist of the Year – Mile Twelve * Guitar Player of the Year – Jake Workman * Banjo Player of the Year –

Scott Vestal Scott Vestal is an American banjoist, songwriter and luthier, known for his innovative approach to playing and designing the banjo. Biography Early years The older of two children, Scott Vestal was raised in Duncan, Oklahoma in a musical fami ...

* Mandolin Player of the Year –

Alan Bibey Alan Bibey (born August 24, 1964) is a mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and band leader in the bluegrass tradition. Biography Early years Bibey was raised in Walnut Cove, North Carolina. His dad and his mother's brothers were bluegrass musici ...

* Fiddle Player of the Year – Deanie Richardson * 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 –

Justin Moses Kentucky Thunder, or Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, is the band that plays with American country and bluegrass singer Ricky Skaggs. Many members of the band have won numerous awards. Bandleader Ricky Skaggs plays mandolin and is the lea ...

* Album of the Year – ''Live in Prague'' (

Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver Doyle Lawson (born April 20, 1944) is an American traditional bluegrass and Southern gospel musician. He is best known as a mandolin player, vocalist, producer, and leader of the 6-man group Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Lawson was inducted in ...

) * Song of the Year – "Chicago Barn Dance" (

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 of ...

Becky Buller Rebecca “Becky” Haley Buller is an American bluegrass singer-songwriter, fiddle player, and music teacher. Buller is the first woman to win the International Bluegrass Music Award for Fiddle Player of the Year as well as the first artist t ...

) * Collaborative Recording of the Year – "The Barber's Fiddle" (

with Shawn Camp, Jason Carter,

Laurie Lewis Laurie Lewis is an innovative American singer, musician, and songwriter in the genre of bluegrass music. History Laurie Lewis was born in Long Beach, California on September 28, 1950. Her family moved regularly from place to place until she w ...

, Kati Penn,

Sam Bush Charles Samuel Bush (born April 13, 1952) is an American mandolinist who is considered an originator of progressive bluegrass music. In 2020, he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as a member of New Grass Revival. ...

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 ea ...

, Johnny Warren,

Stuart Duncan Stuart Duncan (born April 14, 1964) is an American bluegrass musician who plays the fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and banjo. Life Duncan was born in Quantico, Virginia, and raised in Santa Paula, California, where he played in the school band. He ...

, Deanie Richardson, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Jason Barie, Fred Carpenter, Tyler Andal, Nate Lee, Dan Boner, Brian Christianson, and Laura Orshaw * Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year – "Tall Fidler" (

and

Tommy Emmanuel William Thomas Emmanuel (born 31 May 1955) is an Australian guitarist. Regarded as one of the greatest acoustic guitarists of all time, he is known for his complex fingerstyle technique, energetic performances and use of percussive effects on ...

) * Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year – "Gonna Rise and Shine" ( Alan Bibey and Grasstowne)

Juno Awards The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...

(presented on June 6, 2021 in Toronto) * Country Album of the Year - ''

The Lemonade Stand ''The Lemonade Stand'' is the third studio album and the major label debut by Canadian country music singer Tenille Townes. It was released on June 26, 2020 under Columbia Nashville. The album produced two number-one singles on the Canada Country c ...

'' (

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 ...

)

References

{{List of years in country music, state=autocollapse

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 Culture-related timelines by year