This Day in Country History: May 24
May 24 was a notable day in country music history. Brad Paisley flew on the presidential plane, Air Force One, with then-President Barack Obama to entertain troops in Afghanistan, Rosanne…
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 08: Singer Brad Paisley performs onstage at The 40th Annual People’s Choice Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on January 8, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
May 24 was a notable day in country music history. Brad Paisley flew on the presidential plane, Air Force One, with then-President Barack Obama to entertain troops in Afghanistan, Rosanne Cash was born, and prolific songwriter Lorene Mann passed on this day in 2013. Blake Shelton's team on The Voice continued to have wins and successes, and the 2024 DelFest music festival in Baltimore, Maryland, had fun performers such as the Yonder Mountain String Band.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Carrie Underwood and Blake Shelton had notable milestones on May 24:
- 2016: Adam Wakefield, who was country singer and coach Blake Shelton's pick, was declared runner-up on The Voice.
- 2024: Country music sensation Carrie Underwood gave a stellar performance at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada. This American Idol and GRAMMY Award-winning superstar sang hits including "Cowboy Casanova," "Drinking Alone," and "Jesus, Take the Wheel."
Cultural Milestones
May 24 saw the birth of a daughter of a famous country musician who later turned into a famous country musician herself:
- 1955: Johnny Cash and his wife Vivian Liberto Cash Distin gave birth to their daughter, Rosanne Cash, in Memphis, Tennessee. Rosanne went on to become a country music superstar with hits such as "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me," for which she won a GRAMMY Award in 1985.
- 2014: Country singer Brad Paisley traveled on the presidential plane, Air Force One, with then-President Barack Obama to visit U.S. troops at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. Paisley performed for the troops, boosting their spirits while stationed abroad.
Notable Recordings and Performances
There were fun festivals and notable performances on May 24, including:
- 2020: Country superstar Trace Adkins performed his hit song "Still a Soldier" for the National Memorial Day Concert aired on PBS.
- 2024: Fans traveled to Cumberland, Maryland, to the DelFest Festival to see country music and bluegrass artists Lukas Nelson, the Del McCoury Band, and Yonder Mountain String Band. Other artists at this festival included East Nash Grass, The Dirty Grass Players, and Daniel Donato.
- 2024: The Patriotic Festival in Norfolk, Virginia, saw country music artists Bailey Zimmerman, Josh Ross, and Nate Smith perform at this annual Memorial Day Weekend music festival.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From the death of an important person in the country music industry to a superstar changing music genres, May 24 has had some changes:
- 2013: Singer/songwriter Lorene Mann died on May 24. Mann was the co-founder of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and came up with their slogan, "It All Begins With a Song," which is still the motto of this organization today.
- 2019: Maren Morris, known for songs such as "My Church" and "I Could Use a Love Song," performed at The Academy in Dublin, Ireland. Morris was a major country music star who decided to leave the genre and move to pop for ideological reasons.
Country music artists and performers have a diverse range of talents, from singing, songwriting, and even coaching and mentoring others. Many of these artists still have a lasting impact on the music industry to this day.
