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 2023.

Events

*January 6 –

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 ...

invites Henry Cho and

Gary Mule Deer Gary Mule Deer (born Gary C. Miller; November 21, 1939) is an American comedian and country musician. Biography During a career spanning six decades, Gary Mule Deer has performed on many major concert stages in the United States, and has made o ...

to become the newest members of 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 ...

, the first time comedians have been invited in almost 50 years following

Jerry Clower Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower (September 28, 1926 – August 24, 1998) was an American stand-up comedian. Born and raised in the state of Mississippi, Clower was best known for his stories of the rural South and was given the nickname "The Mouth o ...

in 1973. Cho is the first Asian person to become a member of the Opry. They were inducted on February 11 and March 10 respectively. *January 23 – Gabby Barrett's " Pick Me Up",

Lainey Wilson Lainey Denay Wilson (born May 19, 1992) is an American country music singer–songwriter and actress. Wilson performed from an early age, before going to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career as a country performer. In 2014, she released her f ...

's "

Heart Like a Truck "Heart Like a Truck" is a song recorded by American country music singer Lainey Wilson. It was released in May 2022 as the lead single from her second studio album, ''Bell Bottom Country''. It was written by Wilson, Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wi ...

" and

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 ...

's " What He Didn't Do", all reach #4, #8 and #10 respectively at US Country Radio (as measured by Mediabase). This marks the first time since 2020 that three solo women have charted in the top ten simultaneously. *February 11 – Kane Brown and his wife Katelyn Brown top the Country Airplay chart with " Thank God", making it the second duet by a married couple to top that chart following

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...

and Faith Hill's " It's Your Love" in 1997. *March 15 – Miranda Lambert announces that she is leaving

Sony Music Nashville Sony Music Nashville is the country music branch of the Sony Music Group. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Sony Music Nashville includes its three country recording labels Arista Nashville, Columbia Nashville, and RCA Nashville, as well as Ch ...

after 19 years. *March 20 – Several artists hold Love Rising, a charity concert organized by Allison Russell at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, to raise awareness and funds for the LGBTQIA+ community of Tennessee. *March 23 – Record label Arista Nashville closes after 34 years in operation. *March 27 –

The Band Perry The Band Perry are an American band composed of siblings Kimberly Perry (lead vocals, guitar), Reid Perry (bass guitar, background vocals), and Neil Perry (mandolin, bouzouki, background vocals). They signed to Republic Nashville in August 2009 ...

officially announce that they are going on hiatus. *March 31 –

4 Runner 4 Runner was an American country music vocal group founded in 1993 by Craig Morris (lead vocals), Billy Crittenden (baritone vocals), Lee Hilliard (tenor vocals), and Jim Chapman (bass vocals). Signed to Polydor Records Nashville, the quartet rel ...

reunites for the second time and releases their first studio album in 20 years. *April 11 – Granger Smith announces that he will be leaving country music in order to focus on ministry at his local church outside of Austin, Texas. *April 23 –

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 ...

cancels show at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi just minutes before taking the stage due to vocal problems. The cancellation caused outrage in some fans including lawsuits being filed even though tickets were refunded. Rumors quickly spread stating that he was drunk and had to go to the hospital to get his stomach pumped, however those rumors were debunked. Morgan has since postponed the following weeks shows to be on vocal rest. *April 28 – While performing on stage at

Stagecoach Festival The Stagecoach Festival is an outdoor country music festival held annually at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Various artists attend, whether they be mainstream or relatively unknown, ranging from folk, mainstream country, bluegrass, ...

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

appears via video link to invite Jon Pardi to become the newest member of the

. *May 11 – Jimmie Allen, his management company and record producer

Ash Bowers Ashley Walton "Ash" Bowers is an American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, and manager. Between 2003 and 2013, he was a recording artist: first as the lead singer of the band Forty5 South, then as a solo artist on Broken Bow Reco ...

have a lawsuit filed against them by an unnamed former manager who alleged that Allen repeatedly verbally and sexually assaulted her and that she was fired for disclosing this abuse. As a result, Allen's

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

suspended him immediately and he was dropped from a planned performance slot at the 50th CMA Music Festival. Allen was subsequently dropped from the label after a second accuser came forward. *May 15 –

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

is announced as Blake Shelton's replacement for the 24th season of '' The Voice'', set to premiere in the fall of 2023. *June 8–11 – CMA Music Festival celebrates its milestone 50th anniversary in Nashville, revolving around the nightly concerts at

Nissan Stadium Nissan Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, it is primarily used for football and is the home field of the Tennessee Titans of the Natio ...

. *June 28 – Rosanne Cash and

John Leventhal John Leventhal (born December 18, 1952) is a musician, producer, songwriter, and recording engineer who has produced albums for William Bell, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Michelle Branch, Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn, Shawn Colvin, Sarah Jarosz, Rodne ...

launch their own label, RumbleStrip Records. *July 1 –

Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. Chapman is best known for her hit singles "Fast Car" and "Give Me One Reason". Chapman was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she released ...

becomes the first black woman to have a chart-topping country song as a sole writer when

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 ...

' cover of her 1988 hit " Fast Car" reached number one on the

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. It also becomes the first country cover of a pop hit to top the chart since Blake Shelton's cover of Michael Bublé's 2005 single "

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 ...

" did so in July 2008. *July 8 – Following the retirement of drummer Brian Prout and mandolinist Gene Johnson from

Diamond Rio Diamond Rio is an American country music band. The band was founded in 1982 as an attraction for the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tennessee, and was originally known as the Grizzly River Boys, then the Tennessee River Boys. It was foun ...

, they are respectively replaced by Micah Schweinsberg and Carson McKee. This is the first lineup change to Diamond Rio in 25 years, and it results in McKee becoming the band's first female member. *July 15 – Miranda Lambert causes controversy during her performance of " Tin Man" at her ''Velvet Rodeo'' residency in Las Vegas, by scolding a group of fans taking selfies as she was starting the song. The incident divided fans on social media. *July 18 –

Jason Aldean Jason Aldean (born Jason Aldine Williams; February 28, 1977) is an American country music singer. Since 2005, he has been signed to BBR Music Group, Broken Bow Records, a record label for which he has released ten albums and 40 singles. His 2010 ...

receives significant media attention for the lyrical content of his single "

Try That in a Small Town "Try That in a Small Town" is a song written by Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher, Tully Kennedy, and Kurt Allison, and recorded by American country music singer Jason Aldean. It was released to country radio in May 2023 as the lead single to Alde ...

", with many listeners criticizing the song for its lyrical content and the imagery used in the music video. In response, CMT withdrew the video from their channel. *July 22 – Bill Anderson is honored as the

's longest-serving

member Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...

in the show's history. Anderson's membership has not lapsed in 62 years since his initial induction in 1961. *July 31 – For the first time in history, country songs hold the top three positions on the all-genre ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart: Aldean's "

's " Last Night", and Combs' " Fast Car". "Try That in a Small Town" becomes the 21st song to reach number one on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and 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 ...

charts. *August 27 –

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

marries his husband, Alex Schwartz. *September 9 – Luke Combs becomes the first artist to simultaneously occupy the top two positions on the Country Airplay chart as a solo act with no accompanying acts when his singles " Love You Anyway" and "Fast Car" occupy the number one and two positions, respectively. In doing so, he also becomes the second act overall to accomplish such a feat after

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 ...

achieved the same in May 2014 with his single "

Play It Again ''Play It Again'' is a documentary television series on BBC One, featuring celebrities trying to learn to play musical instruments. The series is produced by Diverse Production and started on 25 March 2007 and is narrated by Tamsin Greig. Epi ...

" and his appearance on Florida Georgia Line's " This Is How We Roll". *September 15 –

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 ...

announces her exit from the country music industry. *October 3 –

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

performs his final Nashville show at the Bridgestone Arena joined by more than thirty guest artists. Though he is retiring from performing, he will continue to record. *October 7 –

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 ch ...

becomes a member of the

and is inducted by

Crystal Gayle Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951) is an American country music singer widely known for her 1977 hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Initially, Gayle's management and record label were the same as that of her oldest sist ...

. She was invited on August 18 by Bill Anderson, Lady A and

during a 25th anniversary concert at the Ryman Auditorium. *October 24 – Jon Pardi becomes the first California native to become a member of the Opry. He was inducted by

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 ...

. *December 3 –

Scotty McCreery Scott Cooke McCreery (born October 9, 1993) is an American country music singer. He rose to fame after winning the tenth season of ''American Idol'' on May 25, 2011. His debut studio album, '' Clear as Day'', was released in October 2011 and w ...

is invited by Garth Brooks to become the next Opry member, with his induction set for early 2024. *December 5 – Brenda Lee's "

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958; it has since been recorded by numerous other music artists. By the song's 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee's original version had s ...

" hits number one for the first time on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. At 78, the feat makes Lee the oldest artist to have a number one single in the chart's history, and the artist with the longest gap between number ones, following 1960's "

I Want to Be Wanted "I Want to Be Wanted" is a popular song performed by Brenda Lee. Background It is an Italian song, ''Per tutta la vita'' (''For all lifetime''),written by Pino Spotti and Alberto Testa. The song was in the original version of ''Never on Sunday''. ...

", along with breaking several other major chart records. *December 6 –

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 ...

is named ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine's

Person of the Year __NOTOC__ Person of the Year or Man of the Year is an award given to an individual by any type of organization. Most often, it is given by a newspaper or other news outlet to annually recognize a public person. Such awards have typically been awa ...

, becoming the first such subject honored specifically for achievement in the arts. The magazine cited her 2023–2024 Eras Tour, which was set to become the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, and its significant cultural and economic impact. It is Swift's second Person of the Year distinction, after having been named as part of " The Silence Breakers" in 2017.

Top hits of the year

The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, or Canada Country charts in 2023:

Singles released by American and Australian artists

Singles released by Canadian artists

Top new album releases

Other top albums

Hall of Fame inductees

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 ...

(announced on April 3, 2023) *

Bob McDill Robert Lee McDill (born April 4, 1944) is a retired American songwriter, active from the 1960s until 2000. During his career he wrote or co-wrote 31 number one country hits. His songs were also recorded by popular artists of the 1970s, 1980s an ...

* Patty Loveless *

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 ...

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame

(announced on July 18, 2023) *

Jason McCoy Jason McCoy (born Jason Dwight Campsall on August 27, 1970) is a Canadian country singer-songwriter. He has won the 2001 Male Vocalist of the Year at the Canadian Country Music Awards, 3 SOCAN Song of the Year awards, 19 CCMA nominations and ...

*Brian Edwards

International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

(announced on July 19, 2023) *

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. ...

Wilma Lee Cooper Wilma Lee Leary (February 7, 1921 – September 13, 2011), known professionally as Wilma Lee Cooper, was an American country music entertainer. She was a guitarist, banjo player and vocalist, and was given the title of “First Lady of Bluegrass� ...

David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945) is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music". He founded the record label Acoustic Disc, which issues his recordings and those of other acoustic mu ...

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

(announced on August 3, 2023) *

Casey Beathard Casey Michael Beathard ( ; born December 2, 1965) is an American country music songwriter. The son of former NFL general manager Bobby Beathard, and father to current Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback C. J. Beathard, and country music artist Tuc ...

* Kix Brooks *Rafe Van Hoy * David Lee Murphy * Keith Urban

Deaths

*January 4 – Stan Hitchcock, 86, singer-songwriter and co-founder of CMT *January 5 –

Mark Capps Mark Capps (December 14, 1968 – January 5, 2023) was an American sound engineer and music producer from Nashville, Tennessee. He shared the Grammy Award for Best Polka Album in 2005, 2006, and 2007 for engineering albums by Jimmy Sturr & Hi ...

, 54, sound engineer, record producer and son of musician

Jimmy Capps 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, Patsy ...

(shot by SWAT team) *January 8 –

Slim Newton Ralph Ernest Newton (born 22 October 1932) professionally Slim Newton, is an Australian country music singer-songwriter. In June 1972 he issued an extended play, ''The Redback on the Toilet Seat'', which peaked at No. 3 on the ''Go-Set'' Na ...

, 90, Australian country music singer-songwriter (''

The Redback on the Toilet Seat ''The Redback on the Toilet Seat'' is an Australian country music EP, with all four tracks written and performed by Slim Newton. It was released in June 1972 and peaked at No. 3 on the ''Go-Set'' National Top 40 Singles Chart. Note: Ti ...

'') *January 9 – Dick Flood, 90, singer-songwriter and naturalist *January 12 – Lisa Marie Presley, 54, singer-songwriter and only child of

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

. *January 26 – Peter McCann, 74, singer-songwriter ("

Nobody Falls Like a Fool "Nobody Falls Like a Fool" is a song written by Peter McCann and Mark Wright, and recorded by American country music artist Earl Thomas Conley. It was released in September 1985 as the lead single from his ''Greatest Hits A greatest hits album ...

", "

She's Single Again "She's Single Again" is a song written by Peter McCann and Charlie Craig and recorded by American country music artist Janie Fricke. It was released in May 1985 as the first single from the album ''Somebody Else's Fire''. The song reached #2 on ...

") *January 30 –

Pat Bunch Pat Bunch is an American country music songwriter. Much of her earlier chart hits resulted from collaborations with fellow songwriters Mary Ann Kennedy and Pam Rose Pam Rose is an American country music songwriter. In her career, she has been ...

, 83, songwriter ("

I'll Still Be Loving You "I'll Still Be Loving You" is a song recorded by American country music group Restless Heart. It was released in January 1987 as the second single from the album ''Wheels''. The song was written by Todd Cerney, Pam Rose, Mary Ann Kennedy and Pat ...

", "

Safe in the Arms of Love "Safe in the Arms of Love" is a country music song written by Mary Ann Kennedy, Pam Rose and Pat Bunch in 1986. The song was originally recorded by the American country music band Wild Choir. It was issued on their self-titled debut album in 198 ...

", " Wild One") *February 8 –

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...

, 94, pianist-composer ("

The Story of My Life The Story of My Life or Story of My Life may refer to: Literature * ''The Story of My Life'' (biography), a 1903 autobiography by Helen Keller * ''Story of My Life'' (novel), 1988 novel by Jay McInerney * ''Histoire de ma vie'' (''Story of my l ...

" and " Any Day Now" on the country charts) *February 17 – Kyle Jacobs, 49, songwriter ("

More Than a Memory "More Than a Memory" is a song written by Lee Brice, Billy Montana, and Kyle Jacobs (songwriter), Kyle Jacobs and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on August 27, 2007 as his 51st single and first single from hi ...

") and husband of Kellie Pickler *March 4 – Michael Rhodes, 69, session bass guitarist *March 26 –

Ray Pillow Herbert Raymond "Ray" Pillow (born July 4, 1937) is an American country music singer who has also worked as a Music publisher (popular music), music publisher and A&R, artists and repertoire (A&R) representative. In his career, he has charted 18 ...

, 85, veteran Grand Ole Opry member ("

I'll Take the Dog "I'll Take the Dog" is a single by American country music artists Ray Pillow and Jean Shepard. Released in April 1966, it was the first single and title track from their album ''I'll Take the Dog''. The song reached #9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Co ...

") *April 23 – Keith Gattis, 52, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer *April 28 – Claude Gray, 91, American singer-songwriter (" Family Bible)". *May 1 –

Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960 ...

, 84, Canadian singer-songwriter (" If You Could Read My Mind", " Sundown", "

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald "The Wreck of the ''Edmund Fitzgerald'' is a 1976 hit song written, composed and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the bulk carrier SS ''Edmund Fitzgerald'' on Lake Superior on November 10, ...

") *May 16 –

Richard Landis Richard Landis is an American studio musician, recording artist, singer/songwriter, and music producer. He has over 40 years of professional credits and chart success including a share of the 1994 CMA award for Album of the Year. At years end, ...

, 77, American record producer, songwriter, and record executive *May 25 –

Joy McKean Joy McKean , (born 14 January 1930), is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and wife and manager of the late Slim Dusty. Known as the "grand lady" of Australian country music, McKean is recognised as one of Australia's leading songwrite ...

, 93, singer-songwriter and manager known as the "Queen of Australian country music", notable for penning the hit "

Lights on the Hill "Lights on the Hill" is an Australian country music hit song written by Anthony Ernest Brooks, with music by Joy McKean and made famous by her husband, Slim Dusty. It won the first Golden Guitar in January 1973 at the Country Music Awards of Austra ...

", and her work with her husband

Slim Dusty Slim Dusty, AO MBE (born David Gordon Kirkpatrick; 13 June 1927 – 19 September 2003) was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He was an Australian cultural icon and one of the country's most awarded stars, ...

and daughter

Anne Kirkpatrick Anne Kirkpatrick (born 4 July 1952) is an Australian country music singer. She is the daughter of country singers Slim Dusty and Joy McKean. Biography She also has a brother, David Kirkpatrick, who is an accomplished singer-songwriter. The yea ...

. *June 23 –

Jesse McReynolds Jesse Lester McReynolds (born July 9, 1929) is an American bluegrass musician. He is best known for his innovative crosspicking and split-string styles of mandolin playing. Biography McReynolds was born in Coeburn, Virginia. He and his brother J ...

, 93, innovative bluegrass singer and mandolinist and the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry. *June 27 –

Bobby Osborne Bobby Osborne (born December 7, 1931) is an American bluegrass musician. He is the co-founder (with his brother Sonny Osborne) of the Osborne Brothers and a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. He also ...

, 91, American bluegrass singer, co-founder of the Osborne Brothers and a member of the Grand Ole Opry. (

Rocky Top "Rocky Top" is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year. The song, which is a city dweller's lamentation over the loss of a simpler a ...

). *July 17 – Jerry Bradley, 83, music executive and producer *August 11 – Shoji Tabuchi, 79, Japanese-American fiddler, cancer. *August 18 –

Vernon Oxford Vernon Oxford (born June 8, 1941) is an American country music singer and guitarist. Biography He was born in Rogers, Arkansas, United States. Oxford was raised in Wichita, Kansas, United States, where his father played old-time fiddle. He beg ...

, 81, American country music singer. *September 1 –

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffet ...

, 76, American singer-songwriter ("

Come Monday "Come Monday" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was first released on his 1974 album '' Living & Dying in ¾ Time''. Content Buffett wrote the song to his wife while he was on tour. At a live perfo ...

", " Margaritaville", "

Cheeseburger in Paradise "Cheeseburger in Paradise" is a song written and performed by American popular music singer Jimmy Buffett. It appeared on his 1978 album ''Son of a Son of a Sailor'' and was released as a single, reaching No. 32 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. " ...

"), Merkel-cell carcinoma *September 10 – Charlie Robison, 59, -songwriter, cardiac arrest. *September 18 – Bob Corbin, 72, songwriter (" Can't Keep a Good Man Down") and former member of Corbin/Hanner *September 22 – Mike Henderson, 70, singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his work with

Chris Stapleton Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to ...

and the SteelDrivers *October 9 –

Buck Trent Charles Wilburn "Buck" Trent (born February 17, 1938) is an American country music instrumentalist currently performing in Branson, Missouri. He invented the electric banjo and also plays the five-string banjo, dobro, steel guitar, mandolin, e ...

, 85, American country music instrumentalist. *October 23 –

Mervin Shiner Mervin James Shiner (February 20, 1921 – October 23, 2023) was an American country singer, songwriter, and guitar player, known for his honky-tonk style. Biography Mervin James Shiner was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on February 20, 1921. ...

, 102, American country singer ("

Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me" is a song first recorded in 1949 by Wayne Raney Wayne Raney (August 17, 1921 – January 23, 1993) was an American country singer and harmonica player. Biography Raney was born on a farm near Wolf Bayou, C ...

"), songwriter and guitarist. *October 28 –

Bill Rice Wilburn Steven Rice (born April 19, 1939 in Datto, Arkansas) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Rice charted six singles between 1971 and 1978, including the Top 40 hit "Travelin' Minstrel Man", but is better known for his songw ...

, 84, American country music singer and songwriter. *December 7 – Terry Baucom, 71, American bluegrass singer and banjo player (

Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out (formerly known as IIIrd Tyme Out) is a bluegrass band formed in 1991 in Cumming, Georgia. Consisting of Russell Moore (lead vocals and guitar), Keith McKinnon (vocals and banjo), Nathan Aldridge (vocals and fid ...

), complications from Alzheimer's disease. *December 22 – Laura Lynch, 65, American country music singer and musician & founding member of 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 ...

, car crash.

Major awards

Canadian Country Music Association Awards The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) was founded in 1976 as the Academy of Country Music Entertainment to organize, promote and develop a Canadian country music industry. The groundwork for the association began on June 3rd, 1973 when a gr ...

(presented on September 16, 2023) *Entertainer of the Year -

Jade Eagleson Jade Eagleson (born May 23, 1994) is a Canadian country music, country singer and songwriter from Bailieboro, Ontario. He has released nine singles (including the #1 Canada Country hits "Lucky (Jade Eagleson song), Lucky", "All Night to Figure It ...

*Fans' Choice -

James Barker Band The James Barker Band is a Canadian country group formed in Woodville, Ontario, in 2015. The band consists of James Barker, Taylor Abram, Connor Stephen, and Bobby Martin. In Canada, they have four number one country singles with "Chills (James Ba ...

*Album of the Year - ''Tim and the Glory Boys'' (

Tim and the Glory Boys :''This article covers the solo career of Tim Neufeld and his career with his band Tim and the Glory Boys. For Neufeld's career as part of Starfield, see Starfield (band)'' Tim Neufeld (born April 7, 1976) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and ...

) *Alternative Country Album of the Year - ''A Traveler's Lament'' ( Kyle McKearney) *Male Artist of the Year -

*Female Artist 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 ...

*Group or Duo of the Year -

*Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year -

Josh Ross Josh Ross may refer to: * Josh Ross (sprinter) (born 1981), Australian sprinter * Josh Ross (singer), Canadian country singer and songwriter * Josh Ross (American football) Josh Ross (born October 31, 1999) is an American football linebacker fo ...

*Single of the Year - " Right on Time" (

Lindsay Ell Lindsay Elizabeth Ell (born 20 March 1989) is a Canadian-American country pop singer, songwriter, guitarist and television personality from Calgary, Alberta. Her music incorporates elements of rock and blues. She was signed to the US record labe ...

) *Songwriter of the Year - "The Thing That Wrecks You" ( Bryan Adams, Daniel Tashian, Kate York,

) *Musical Collaboration of the Year - " Do This Life" ( High Valley and

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 ...

) and "

One Too "One Too" is a song recorded by Canadian country artists Dallas Smith and MacKenzie Porter. The song was written by Tom Jordan and Mitch Thompson of Seaforth along with Rocky Block and Alyssa Vanderhym. Jordan produced the track with Joey Moi, w ...

" (

Dallas Smith Dallas Hendry Smith (born December 4, 1977) is a Canadian singer and songwriter, who performs both as a solo country music artist and as lead singer for the hard rock band Default. He is currently signed to Big Loud Records. Smith is the curre ...

and

MacKenzie Porter MacKenzie Lea Porter (born January 29, 1990) is a Canadian country music, country singer, songwriter, and actress. She has released one self-titled album and achieved four Canada Country number ones with "About You (MacKenzie Porter song), About ...

) *Video of the Year - " Float" (

) *Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year - '' Good Ol' Days'' ( The Reklaws) *Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year - " Dear Alcohol" (

Dax Dax or DAX may refer to: Business and organizations * DAX, stock market index of the top 40 German companies ** DAX 100, an expanded index of 100 stocks, superseded by the HDAX ** TecDAX, stock index of the top 30 German technology firms * Dax ...

) *Producer of the Year -

Danick Dupelle Emerson Drive is a Canadian country music band consisting of Brad Mates (lead vocals), Danick Dupelle (guitars, backing vocals), Mike Melancon (drums), and Dale Wallace (keyboards, backing vocals). The band was founded in 1995 as 12 Gauge, which ...

*Guitar Player of the Year - Brennan Wall *Bass Player of the Year - Justin Kudding *Drummer of the Year - Rich DaSilva *Fiddle Player of the Year - Julie Kennedy *Steel Guitar Player of the Year - Doug Johnson *Keyboard Player of the Year - Brendan Waters *Specialty Instrument Player of the Year - Mitch Jay *Top Selling International Album - ''

One Thing at a Time ''One Thing at a Time'' is the third studio album by American country music singer Morgan Wallen, released on March 3, 2023, through Big Loud Records. It features 36 tracks, including the singles "You Proof", " Thought You Should Know", " Last Nig ...

'' (

)

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 April 2, 2023) * Video of the Year: " Thank God" ( Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown) *Male Video of the Year: " Son of a Sinner" ( Jelly Roll) *Female Video of the Year: "

" (

) *Duo/Group Video of the Year: " Out in the Middle" (

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, ukulel ...

) *Collaborative Video of the Year: "

Wait in the Truck "Wait in the Truck" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American country music singer Hardy featuring American country music singer Lainey Wilson. It was released on August 29, 2022, as the lead single from Hardy's second studio album '' The ...

" (

Hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, Sout ...

featuring

) *Male Breakthrough Video of the Year: " Son of a Sinner" ( Jelly Roll) *Female Breakthrough Video of the Year: "

Tennessee Orange "Tennessee Orange" is a song by American country music singer Megan Moroney. The song was released in December 2022 as her debut single and the lead single from her debut studio album ''Lucky (Megan Moroney album), Lucky''. Moroney wrote the song w ...

" (

Megan Moroney Megan Ann Moroney (born October 9, 1997) is an American country music singer and songwriter from Douglasville, Georgia. She charted her second single, " Tennessee Orange", in 2022. Her debut album '' Lucky'' was released in May 2023, reaching the ...

) *CMT Performance of the Year: "

'Til You Can't "Til You Can't" is a song by American country music singer Cody Johnson. It was released on October 18, 2021, as the lead single from his eighth studio album '' Human: The Double Album''. The song was written by Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers, and ...

" (

Cody Johnson Cody Daniel Johnson (born May 21, 1987) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He self-released six albums, including ''Gotta Be Me'', which debuted at number two on ''Billboard''s Country Albums chart, before releasing his first major- ...

) *CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year: " Son of a Sinner" ( Jelly Roll) *Equal Play Award:

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

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 on February 4, 2024) *

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 ...

– "

White Horse A white horse is born predominantly white and stays white throughout its life. A white horse has mostly pink skin under its hair coat, and may have brown, blue, or hazel eyes. "True white" horses, especially those that carry one of the dominant ...

" (

) *

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 ...

– " I Remember Everything" (

Zach Bryan Zachary Lane Bryan (born April 2, 1996) is an American singer-songwriter from Oologah, Oklahoma. Early life Bryan was born in Japan while his family was deployed in the Navy overseas, but grew up in Oologah, Oklahoma. He is the son of Dewayne ...

featuring Kacey Musgraves) * Best Country Song – "

" (

and Dan Wilson * Best Country Album – ''

Bell Bottom Country ''Bell Bottom Country'' is the fourth studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson. Released on October 28, 2022, by BBR Music Group, the album serves as the follow-up to her third studio album, ''Sayin' What I'm Thinkin'' ...

'' (

) *

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 ...

– ''City of Gold'' ( Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway) *

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 ...

– ''

Weathervanes Weathervanes may refer to: * Weathervanes (Freelance Whales album), ''Weathervanes'' (Freelance Whales album), released in 2009 * Weathervanes (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit album), ''Weathervanes'' (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit album), released i ...

'' (

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Michael Jason Isbell (; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell h ...

) *

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 ...

– "Eve was Black" ( Allison Russell) * Best Americana Performance – "Dear Insecurity" (

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 Kacey Musgrav ...

featuring

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 ...

) *

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 ...

– "Cast Iron Skillet" ( Jason Isbell)

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