This Day in Country History: June 8
On June 8, CMA Fest had lots of iconic country music artists perform across multiple stages throughout Nashville, thrilling fans. During this multiple-day festival, Miranda Lambert helped with a dog…
On June 8, CMA Fest had lots of iconic country music artists perform across multiple stages throughout Nashville, thrilling fans. During this multiple-day festival, Miranda Lambert helped with a dog adoption event that found homes for 60 dogs. This day also saw several country music artists win certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America, while another artist welcomed a new addition to their family.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
From topping the charts to Gold and Platinum certifications, these notable events happened on June 8:
- 1974: Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" spent a week on the Hot Country Songs chart. This song, written by Parton, rose to fame when Whitney Houston sang it for the movie The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner.
- 2018: Zac Brown Band received a Gold certification from the RIAA for their single "My Old Man."
- 2020: Country singer Dylan Scott received a Gold certification from the RIAA for his self-titled album Dylan Scott.
Cultural Milestones
Several benefit concerts were held on June 8:
- 2017: At CMA Fest, GRAMMY Award-winner Miranda Lambert participated in her first MuttNation March on June 8. Lambert, the mayor of Nashville, and about 1,000 animal lovers walked with almost 120 dogs as part of the MuttNation Foundation Adoption Drive, resulting in 60 dogs finding their forever homes.
- 2017: GRAMMY-nominated country singer Ty Herndon and other musical artists played a benefit for Concert for Love and Acceptance at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. This benefit helps support at-risk youth and the Oasis Center, which helps youth in Middle Tennessee find happy, healthy homes.
- 2019: Thomas Rhett performed a benefit concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville with an album release event for his new album Center Point Road Experience. This concert helped raise money for music education through the CMA Foundation.
Notable Recordings and Performances
On this day, many famous country artists performed for CMA Fest across Nashville:
- 2014: Lady A, Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley, and Colt Ford headlined at CMA Fest, a four-day music festival that raises money for various music education programs. Thomas Rhett, Hunter Hayes, and Lorrie Morgan also performed at the charity event.
- 2019: CMA Fest had headliners such as Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, and Dierks Bentley. Additional performers included Billy Ray Cyrus, Carly Pearce, and High Valley.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry mourned the loss of a country music icon, just as an artist's life was profoundly changed by the arrival of a baby:
- 2017: The famous Nashville songwriter and producer Norro Wilson died in Nashville on June 8. Wilson wrote songs for Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, George Jones, and Tammy Wynette. His creativity will be missed in the Nashville music scene.
- 2021: Country music singer Chris Lane and his wife, Lauren Bushnell, welcomed their first child together, a baby boy. They named him Dutton Walker Lane.
It's always a pleasure to see hard-working country music artists get the honors and certifications they deserve. These singers, songwriters, and performers give back to their community to help create a lasting and positive influence.
