This Day in Country History: January 4
Jan. 4 is a special day in the country music world. On this date, the Grand Ole Opry celebrated 70 years of country music tradition. Trisha Yearwood and Scotty McCreery…
Jan. 4 is a special day in the country music world. On this date, the Grand Ole Opry celebrated 70 years of country music tradition. Trisha Yearwood and Scotty McCreery had long-running exhibits come to a close, and Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman donated a substantial amount of money to help victims of the horrific Australian wildfires.
Cultural Milestones
Jan 4. has witnessed several important cultural milestones in the country music industry:
- 1996: At the Grand Ole Opry's 70th Anniversary Celebration, fans enjoyed performances by Clint Black, Dolly Parton, and Barbara Mandrell. Viewers watching this televised show also got to see behind-the-scenes highlights from some of the industry's top performers.
- 2013: The North Carolina Museum of History closed an exhibit on American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. This exhibit was a dedication to the North Carolina native's achievements as a singer and performer.
- 2016: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum closed its exhibit Trisha Yearwood: The Song Remembers When. This special exhibit highlighted Yearwood's remarkable career through artifacts, memorabilia, photographs, and stage costumes.
- 2020: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman announced they were donating $500,000 to help firefighters with the devastating wildfires that ravaged Australia in 2020. The couple owned a home outside of Sydney at the time of the wildfires.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From a national anthem performance to record certifications, these were notable events for Jan. 4:
- 2006: LeAnn Rimes sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Rose Bowl Championship game in Pasadena, California. This was a game between the USC Trojans and the Texas Longhorns.
- 2013: Hunter Hayes' single "Wanted" received a 2x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. By 2018, the single had gone 5x Platinum. In addition, Gary Allan's "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)" received a Gold certification on this date.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Two marriages took place on Jan. 4, including Matt Stell's whirlwind wedding in Mexico:
- 2020: Neil Mason, drummer for the band The Cadillac Three, married his girlfriend Chelsea Eager at the Gruene Mansion Inn Bed & Breakfast in New Braunfels, Texas. The couple then honeymooned in Tulum, Mexico, before The Cadillac Three went on tour.
- 2025: Matt Stell and his fiancée, Kasey Harvey, got married after a one-day engagement. Stell announced that he had found his forever love with Harvey and didn't want to wait to get married after their engagement.
Wedding bells were in the air on Jan. 4. Neil Mason married his sweetheart in Texas, and Matt Stell was married just a day after his proposal. Also on this day, Hunter Hayes was recognized by the RIAA, and LeAnn Rimes sang the national anthem at the Rose Bowl Championship.
