This Day in Country History: June 9
Summer is the time for country music festivals and awards, and June 9 has had its fair share of fun live performances. From the Country Music Television Awards to Nashville’s…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 13: Carrie Underwood performs onstage during the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame)
Summer is the time for country music festivals and awards, and June 9 has had its fair share of fun live performances. From the Country Music Television Awards to Nashville's CMA Fest, country fans have had plenty to go crazy for on this date.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The CMT Awards dominated the country music scene on June 9 this year.
- 2021: Big winners included Carrie Underwood's “Hallelujah” featuring John Legend taking Video of the Year, Gabby Barrett's “The Good Ones” snagging Female Video of the Year, and Kane Brown's “Worship You” winning Male Video of the Year.
- 2021: Additional winners at the CMT Awards were Little Big Town's Duo/Group Video of the Year “Wine, Beer, Whiskey,” Dylan Scott's Breakthrough Video of the Year “Nobody,” and Chris Young and Kane Brown's Collaborative Video of the Year “Famous Friends.”
Cultural Milestones
June 9 held a memorable Grand Ole Opry milestone and the finale of a major exhibit.
- 2017: Singer Josh Turner, known for his country songs such as "Hometown Girl" and "Good Ol' Boys," performed for the 150th time at the Grand Ole Opry. Many big stars were in the audience for this momentous occasion, including Charley Pride and Randy Travis.
- 2019: Country group Little Big Town's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum exhibit Little Big Town: The Power of Four closed on June 9, close to one year after its opening on June 29, 2018. Key features of this honorary exhibit included hand-written lyrics for "Girl Crush" and costumes from the CMA Awards show in 2014.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Live performances in Nashville and South Carolina included several country favorites.
- 2019: Country megastar Luke Bryan closed the CMA Fest in Nashville on Sunday night with a cover of rock band Bon Jovi's hit "Livin' on a Prayer," which had the fans cheering, singing, and dancing.
- 2024: Plenty of entertainers, including Bailey Zimmerman, LOCASH, RaeLynn, and Tyler Farr, performed across several stages at the CMA Fest. Fan favorites for June 9 included Kelsey Hart, Flat River Band, and Lorrie Morgan.
- 2024: Fans headed to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on June 9 for the highly anticipated Carolina Country Music Fest. Carrie Underwood was the big draw, along with Lady A, Tyler Braden, and Mary Kate Farmer.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From divorces to births, June 9 saw changes and challenges in the country music industry.
- 2010: Country music diva Shania Twain was officially divorced on June 9. Twain and her ex-husband, record producer Mutt Lange, had been married for almost 14 years.
- 2019: Country singer/songwriter Randy Hauser and his wife Tatiana welcomed a son — Huckleberry Randolph Houser — on June 9. The artist said everyone was healthy and he couldn't wait to get Huck home and begin the new chapter of their lives.
Fans of country music had many reasons to dance, sing, and celebrate on June 9 with the CMT Awards and CMA Fest.
