This Day in Country History: August 18
Music festivals dominated the scene in Canada on Aug. 18, 2023, and 2024, with the annual Country Thunder Alberta. Fans also saw GRAMMY Award-winner Billy Bob Thornton and his band,…
Music festivals dominated the scene in Canada on Aug. 18, 2023, and 2024, with the annual Country Thunder Alberta. Fans also saw GRAMMY Award-winner Billy Bob Thornton and his band, the Boxmasters, play at the Grand Ole Opry on Aug. 18.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
A couple of milestones for Aug. 18 included:
- 2018: The song "Meant to Be" by Florida Georgia Line and pop star Bebe Rexha was No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, where it spent a total of 50 weeks. To this date, this is still the longest-running song to be at the No. 1 spot on this country music chart.
- 2024: Multi-platinum award-winning singer Kane Brown, who Billboard named the future of country music, played a show at the Rolling Hills Casino in Corning, California. Touring with this country/pop phenomenon as special guest artist during his In the Air Tour was the band LOCASH.
Cultural Milestones
Historical and honorary milestones for Aug. 18 were:
- 2020: Lindsay Eli performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a Major League Baseball game. The presence of this female singer was special, as this day marked the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote.
- 2021: Tennessee's governor, Bill Lee, declared Aug. 18 as "Charlie Daniels Day" at the Volunteer Jam, held at the legendary Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Chris Young sang the Charlie Daniels Band song, "Drinkin' My Baby Goodbye," at the event.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From a couple of actors on the Grand Ole Opry stage to annual music festivals, here are some notable performances for Aug. 18:
- 2015: In a crossover event at the Grand Ole Opry, actor Robert Duvall was the guest announcer, and actor Billy Bob Thornton performed with his band The Boxmasters. Other artists who took the stage at this special event included Thomas Rhett, Dustin Lynch, and Craig Morgan.
- 2023: Every year, fans travel to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for the highly anticipated Country Thunder Alberta music festival. Headliners on this date were Jon Hardi, Midland, and Parmalee. Nolan Compton, Travis Dolter, and Hailey Whitters also performed at this festival.
- 2024: The Annual Country Thunder Alberta music festival wrapped up with stars such as Luke Combs and Flatland Cavalry. Meghan Patrick, Jake Worthington, and Hailey Benedict also performed on this day.
Industry Changes and Challenges
COVID-19 challenged the world, including the country music industry, causing concert cancellations. An artist was charged with driving under the influence, and a horrific accident sadly occurred on Aug. 18.
- 2012: Wynonna Judd's husband and Highway 101 drummer, Michael "Cactus" Moser, was in a tragic car accident in South Dakota. As a result, he had his leg amputated, and Judd cancelled her upcoming performances.
- 2021: Garth Brooks announced he was canceling his next five stadium tours due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tour organizers fully refunded all purchased tickets.
- 2021: The "Body Like a Back Road" singer Sam Hunt pleaded guilty to a DUI charge from 2019 in Nashville. Hunt had his driver's license revoked and was ordered to take an alcohol safety course as a result of the charge.
The country music industry faced some challenges with health restrictions on Aug.18, but music festivals helped lighten people's hearts. Music has a way of healing the soul.
