This Day in Country History: April 8
April 8 has been an eventful day in the country music industry, with many performances as well as sad deaths. On this day, Blake Shelton and other country music greats…
Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images
April 8 has been an eventful day in the country music industry, with many performances as well as sad deaths. On this day, Blake Shelton and other country music greats performed at the Country Thunder Arizona music festival, and Tim McGraw debuted a song on a country music chart.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
April 8 has witnessed exciting hit releases and music festivals, including:
- 2000: Country music singer Tim McGraw's song "My Next Thirty Years" debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It later peaked at No. 1 and spent five weeks in that position. The song remained on the chart for a total of 46 weeks.
- 2021: The Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced Jimmie Allen as the New Male Artist of the Year and Gabby Barrett as the New Female Artist of the Year. Allen was the first black artist to receive the New Artist of the Year nomination.
- 2022: Country music star and The Voice judge Blake Shelton performed at the Country Thunder Arizona music festival in the desert town of Florence, Arizona. Additional performers included Morgan Wallen, Florida Georgia Line, and Riley Green.
- 2024: The "Somebody Like You" singer, Keith Urban, was named a Mega Mentor on the TV show The Voice. Urban was also a judge and mentor on American Idol, and he states he really enjoys mentoring new artists.
Cultural Milestones
On April 8, Kenny Rogers took one of his hit songs and turned it into a movie series, and country music singers united for a benefit concert:
- 1980: Country singer Kenny Rogers starred in the movie, Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, which premiered on CBS on this day. The movie was loosely based on Rogers' song of the same name. It won an Eddie Award and was nominated for two Emmy Awards, and four sequels were made.
- 2013: Taping for the ACM Presents: Tim McGraw's Superstar Summer Night featuring Tim McGraw began on this date in Las Vegas, Nevada. Proceeds from this event, which aired the night after the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, went to ACM Lifting Lives. The event featured artists like Keith Urban, Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and more.
- 2018: Collin Raye sang "Amazing Grace" and "Love Remains" after butterflies were released at the Las Vegas Healing Garden, hosted by ACM. This was to honor the victims of the October 1, 2017 shootings during the Route 91 Harvest festival.
- 2020: Country Music Television (CMT) and the late Kenny Rogers' estate supported a benefit for MusiCares. This virtual fundraiser was broadcast on the CMT and MTV channels with performances by Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Rascal Flatts, Lady A, Jennifer Nettles, and more. Proceeds from this event went to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund to help musical artists in financial need during the pandemic.
- 2021: Several country music stars performed at a benefit concert, An Evening for Travis Meadows, to help pay for Meadows' medical expenses after a serious injury. The benefit featured performers such as Luke Dick, Jeffrey Steele, and Bob DiPiero.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some notable country music performances that took place on April 8 include:
- 2017: Country singers Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack performed at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre in St. Augustine, Florida. This stop was part of Jackson's Honky Tonk Highway Tour.
- 2017: Eric Church played at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska, for his Holdin' My Own tour. He sang hits such as "These Boots," "Talladega," and "Holdin' My Own."
- 2022: The song "HEARTFIRST" by Kelsea Ballerini was released. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gave this song a Gold certification on February 7, 2022.
- 2024: Luke Bryan's hit song "Love You, Miss You, Mean It" was released to radio on this date. This song received a Gold certification from the RIAA on April 28, 2025.
- 2025: Trisha Yearwood sang the national anthem at the start of the Nashville Predators' hockey game. She sang this song at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, which is home to the Predators.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The deaths of influential country singers and songwriters on April 8 have greatly impacted the music industry:
- 2001: Blackhawk singer and country music songwriter Van Stephenson died from complications of melanoma at the age of 47. Stephenson cowrote several country music hits, such as "Every Once in a While" by Blackhawk and "Big Dreams in a Small Town" by Restless Heart.
- 2016: Songwriter and Broadway performer Jack Hammer, who cowrote the Jerry Lee Lewis song "Great Balls of Fire," died on this day of heart failure.
- 2021: The "Hurtin' (On the Bottle)" singer Margo Price and Willie Nelson's wife, Annie D'Angelo, were named to the new Farm Aid board of directors. Farm Aid has been running annually since 1985, and proceeds help farmers in need.
With Billboard chart debuts, music festivals, and tour performances, April 8 has been a memorable day in country music history.
kristina hallWriter
