This Day in Country History: February 8
The 2004, 2009, and 2015 GRAMMYs featured big-name winners in the country music category, including Vince Gill, Zac Brown Band, and Carrie Underwood. Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks had cultural…
The 2004, 2009, and 2015 GRAMMYs featured big-name winners in the country music category, including Vince Gill, Zac Brown Band, and Carrie Underwood. Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks had cultural milestones on this day, and Blake Shelton had a free performance on Feb. 8, 2018.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Big wins at the GRAMMYs for Feb. 8 included:
- 2004: At the 46th Annual GRAMMY Awards, the late June Carter Cash won Best Female Country Performance for her song "Keep On the Sunny Side," and Vince Gill took home Best Male Country Performance for "Next Big Thing." Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett's "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" won Best Country Song, and Alison Krauss and James Taylor took home Best Country Collaboration for "How's The World Treating You."
- 2009: The Zac Brown Band took home Best New Artist at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards, Taylor Swift took home Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "White Horses," and Keith Urban's "Sweet Thing" won Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
- 2015: The late Glenn Campbell won Best Country Song, "I'm Not Gonna Miss You," at the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Carrie Underwood took home Best Country Solo Performance for her song "Something in the Water," and The Band Perry won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for"Gentle on My Mind."
Cultural Milestones
Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton had cultural milestones on Feb. 8.
- 2018: Garth Brooks, known for songs like "Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)" and "To Make You Feel My Love," was the first inductee into the new Live Hall of Fame. Honorees of this award are recognized for their cultural impact from their live performances.
- 2019: Dolly Parton received the MusiCares Person of the Year Award on this day. This annual award goes to an artist who supports the local community in times of need, and Parton was the first country music artist to receive it.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Former The Voice coaches had milestones on this day.
- 2016: Luke Bryan's song "Kill the Lights" got a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
- 2018: Superstar Blake Shelton played a free, surprise, pop-up concert at the Sound Room in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on this day. Shelton was in the area as a spokesperson for Smithswork Vodka.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From a record label launch to the birth of a baby, these were industry changes for Feb. 8:
- 2012: Jamie O'Neal, known for her hit song "There Is No Arizona," launched her record label, Momentum Label Group, on this day. O'Neal had her own recording studio for years, and having a record label was a natural move for her.
- 2021: The "How You Love Someone" singer Mickey Guyton and her husband, Grant Savoy, welcomed a baby boy, Grayson Clark, on this day. Grayson is the couple's first child together.
Launching a new record label, as Jamie O'Neal did on Feb. 8, 2012, is a confident move for any music artist. It's always heartwarming to welcome a new baby into the music industry, as we did with Grayson Clark on this day.
