This Day in Country History: November 19
The American Music Awards are a highly anticipated show, and the country music industry has had some big wins on Nov. 19, including Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, and Little Big…
The American Music Awards are a highly anticipated show, and the country music industry has had some big wins on Nov. 19, including Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, and Little Big Town. Also on this day, Mel Tillis passed away, and Blanco Brown and the Marshall Tucker Band had their Grand Ole Opry debuts.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Keith Urban picked up a clutch of awards at the AMAs, and Doug Gray and his bandmates had a significant day on Nov. 19:
- 2011: The Marshall Tucker Band made its Grand Ole Opry debut. The southern rock/country group performed their hits "Can't You See" and "Fire on the Mountain" for their debut at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
- 2017: Keith Urban picked up several awards at the AMAs, held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Urban won Favorite Male Country Artist, Favorite Country Album for Ripcord, and Favorite Country Song for "Blue Ain't Your Color." Carrie Underwood took home Favorite Female Country Artist, and Little Big Town were the winners of Favorite Country Duo or Group.
Cultural Milestones
A benefit and celebrations honoring a big museum donation happened on this day:
- 2017: Darius Rucker, Chris Young, and Sheryl Crow were the headliners at the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation event at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. The benefit featured live music and an ice skating show to raise money for cancer research.
- 2019: Stars came together to celebrate the donation of Cowboy Jack Clement's Gibson J-200 to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Charley Pride, Crystal Gayle, and John Prine performed at this special event.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These songs and albums had an impact on stage and beyond on this day:
- 2019: Blanco Brown made his Grand Ole Opry debut, performing songs that included his smash hit "The Git Up." Instead of having a backup band, Brown used a DJ to accompany him.
- 2021: Morgan Wallen's album Dangerous: The Double Album received a 2x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The album first received a Gold certification on July 13, 2021, and by July 13, 2023, it had earned a 6x Platinum certification.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A concert cancellation and a death happened on Nov. 19:
- 2016: Alan Jackson had to cancel and reschedule his performance at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, due to severe weather. The decision to cancel the show was due to safety concerns for the band, staff, and fans because of the recent heavy snowstorm.
- 2017: The legendary Mel Tillis died at the age of 85. Over Tillis's 60-year career, he recorded over 1,000 songs and released more than 60 LPs. His most popular songs included "Good Woman Blues," "Send Me Down to Tucson," and "Memory Maker."
Country music stars came together on Nov. 19 for Scott Hamilton's benefit concert and ice skating extravaganza, but it's not always easy on the road, as we saw with Alan Jackson's cancellation of his Minneapolis show due to the weather. Still, as successes such as Morgan Wallen's show us, there's plenty of sunshine for country fans on Nov. 19.
