This Day in Country History: March 22
Heading into spring, March 22 was a positive and significant day for country music. There were tour announcements, concerts with big-name performers, and a surprise record signing deal. From Blake…
Heading into spring, March 22 was a positive and significant day for country music. There were tour announcements, concerts with big-name performers, and a surprise record signing deal. From Blake Shelton to Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood to Trisha Yearwood, March 22 had great concerts and the announcement of upcoming tours.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some fun milestones for March 22 included:
- 2010: Keith Urban announced his summer tour dates, from concert venues to music festivals. At this time, young Urban had recently won an American Music Award and was nominated for Entertainer and Male Vocalist for the Academy of Country Music Awards.
- 2016: American Idol contestant and "Champagne Rampage" singer Tristan McIntosh joined Darius Rucker while on stage at the Grand Ole Opry to sing his famous song, "Wagon Wheel."
- 2025: Blake Shelton took his Friends & Heroes Tour to the Bryce Jordan Center in College Township, Pennsylvania. Appearing with Shelton were Craig Morgan, Trace Adkins, Deanna Carter, and Emily Ann Roberts.
Cultural Milestones
Legendary performers had major milestones on March 22, including:
- 2007: Radio City Music Hall in New York City welcomed Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price for a stop on their Last of the Breed Tour. The band Asleep at the Wheel helped the trio out.
- 2011: Johnny Cash's daughter, Rosanne Cash, played at Folsom Prison in California. This is the same prison that her famous father first performed at in 1968, recording the album At Folsom Prison.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From ticket sales to live shows, these were notable performances for March 22:
- 2016: Carrie Underwood made a stop at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. This tour supported her new album, Storyteller.
- 2024: Tickets went on sale for Coastal Country Jam held in Long Beach, California, in September. Headliners included Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean, Old Dominion, and Jon Pardi.
- 2024: Warner Records Nashville released Kenny Chesney's album, Born. Key songs on this album include "Thinkin' Bout" and "One More Sunset."
- 2026: Trisha Yearwood performed at the Ryman Auditorium as part of her Band as One Nashville Tour. Friends playing with her included Reba McEntire, Lukas Nelson, Ashley McBryde, and The War and Treaty.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A record label signing, an engagement, and show cancellations highlighted the March 22 changes.
- 2019: The rapper Lil Nas X signed with Columbia Records after the success of his trap song, "Old Town Road." This song was on the Billboard Hot 100 for about 17 weeks.
- 2019: The "Cowboy Back" singer Gabby Barrett and her boyfriend Cade Foehner announced their engagement. The couple met while being contestants on American Idol.
- 2021: Kenny Chesney announced he was postponing several shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was for his Chillaxification Tour that had several major stops.
Fans help support artists by going to live shows, and there were several that happened and were announced on March 22. Crossover hits like "Old Town Road" show a shift in some listeners' taste, while others prefer more traditional country music, like going to Blake Shelton's March 22 concert.
