This Day in Country History: November 23
It’s always exciting to see who will win at the American Music Awards ceremony, and Nov. 23 has seen big country winners over the years, including Taylor Swift in 2008…
It's always exciting to see who will win at the American Music Awards ceremony, and Nov. 23 has seen big country winners over the years, including Taylor Swift in 2008 and Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood in 2014. Also on this day, stars came together as a tribute to The Band's Last Waltz performance, and Hal Ketchum passed away.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Country stars took home awards at the 2008 and 2014 AMAs held on Nov. 23:
- 2008: The AMAs were held in Los Angeles, California, with Taylor Swift winning Favorite Female Country Artist and Rascal Flatts winning Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group. Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride took home Favorite Country Album.
- 2014: At the 2014 AMAs, country music winners included Luke Bryan for Favorite Male Country Artist, Carrie Underwood for Favorite Female Country Artist, Florida Georgia Line for Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group, and Brantley Gilbert for Favorite Country Album with Just As I Am.
Cultural Milestones
From a tribute to holiday gifts, these were cultural milestones for Nov. 23:
- 2019: The legendary Marty Stuart rode the annual CSX Santa Train. This train travels 110 miles, visiting towns in Tennessee and Kentucky and handing out gifts, food, and winter clothing to kids and families. The Santa Train has been running since 1942, bringing joy to families during the holiday season.
- 2019: The Band's Last Waltz was one of the music industry's most iconic farewell concerts. In honor of this performance, on Nov. 23, 2019, a concert took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville called The Last Waltz Nashville: An All-Star Celebration of the Band's Historic Farewell Concert. Performers included Robbie Robertson, Darius Rucker, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, and Margo Price.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Football performances dominated on Nov. 23, including:
- 2023: The country music duo War and Treaty sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Thanksgiving football game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The Packers won the game with a score of 29-22.
- 2023: The Queen of Country, Dolly Parton, thrilled football fans when she performed in a Dallas cheerleader-inspired outfit at a game between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From a tour bus accident to the death of a country music legend, these were industry changes and challenges for Nov. 23:
- 2013: Willie Nelson had to suspend his tour because some of his band members were injured when their tour bus was involved in an accident during a storm. While Nelson was not injured, three passengers were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
- 2020: Country legend Hal Ketchum died at the age of 67. Ketchum retired from performing in 2019 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease after a long and successful career, which included being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1994.
Touring has its challenges, as we saw with Willie Nelson's tour bus accident on Nov. 23. Hats off to Marty Stuart for riding on the Santa Train, bringing holiday cheer to families in Tennessee and Kentucky, and to War and Treaty for their superb performance of the national anthem at the Thanksgiving Day football game.
