This Day in Country History: December 27
During the lull between Christmas and the New Year, many people take time to relax. Watching the Kennedy Center Honors can be a heartwarming experience, with artists singing or using…
During the lull between Christmas and the New Year, many people take time to relax. Watching the Kennedy Center Honors can be a heartwarming experience, with artists singing or using the spoken word to pay tribute to the honorees. Country music artists, such as Jennifer Nettles, Darius Rucker, Garth Brooks, and Vince Gill, performed songs the honorees are known for during the 2011 and 2016 Kennedy Center Honors.
Cultural Milestones
Milestones with honors on this day included:
- 2011: Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland sang a tribute song to Neil Diamond who was a recipient at the Kennedy Center Honors, which aired on this day. Other honorees at this annual event included Meryl Streep, Yo-Yo Ma, and Sonny Rollins.
- 2012: The legendary Charlie Daniels served as the honorary chair for the Tennessee Military Ball at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza in Nashville. This special event honored cadets and midshipmen who attended various military schools, as well as students enrolled in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program in Tennessee.
- 2016: Performers who sang tribute songs at the Kennedy Center Honors that aired on this day included Darius Rucker, Garth Brooks, Elle King, and Vince Gill. Honorees included James Taylor, The Eagles, Mavis Staples, Al Pacino, and Martha Argerich.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Album certifications and a halftime show performance on Dec. 27 included:
- 1994: Dolly Parton's album Home for Christmas received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. In addition, Marty Robbins' album Biggest Hits got a Gold certification, and the Statler Brothers received Gold for their albums 10th Anniversary and Atlanta Blue.
- 1994: More albums that received certifications from the RIAA include Vern Gosdin's 10 Years of Greatest Hits (Newly Recorded), which got a Gold certification, and Ricky Van Shelton's Greatest Hits Plus, which received Platinum. Crystal Gayle's albums Crystal Gayle's Greatest Hits and These Days also received Gold on this day.
- 2014: The band Lonestar performed the halftime show for the Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. Lonestar is comprised of native Texans with numerous No. 1 hits.
Industry Changes and Challenges
An engagement and two births happened on this day:
- 2007: Phillip Sweet from the band Little Big Town and his wife, Rebecca, welcomed a baby girl, Penelopi Jane Sweet.
- 2009: The "Cowboys in Heaven" singer Clay Walker and his wife, Jessica, had a baby girl, Mary-Elizabeth.
- 2010: LeAnn Rimes announced her engagement to Eddie Cibrian. Rimes is a cross-genre singer and actress who met her future husband while filming the movie Northern Lights. The couple married in 2011 and are still together.
What a joy for two new babies to arrive on this day. The Kennedy Center Honors and RIAA certifications highlighted the impact of the arts on culture, ranging from country music to Broadway.
