This Day in Country History: April 16

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 2007: Carrie Underwood won Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year for "Before He Cheats," and the Duo Video of the Year award went to Sugarland for their song "Want To."
• 2007: Kris Kristofferson received the Johnny Cash Visionary Award, and Taylor Swift won Breakthrough Video of the Year for her song "Tim McGraw."
• 2007: Performers at the CMT Awards included Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, Hank Williams Jr., and Kenny Chesney.
• 2019: Garth Brooks made his final stop in Tennessee on his Stadium Tour at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. This massive tour was one of the top-selling shows of all time.
• 2024: Blake Shelton's restaurant and honky-tonk bar franchise, Ole Red, had a grand opening concert for his Las Vegas location. Not only did Shelton perform, but fans also got to see performances from some of the contestants from the TV show, The Voice, and receive giveaways and prizes.
  

Cultural Milestones

• 2010: Country superstar Alan Jackson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. After the ceremony, Jackson performed an impromptu show at the intimate Hotel Cafe for a few thrilled fans.
• 2013: The All for the Hall benefit concert was held at Bridgestone Arena, raising money for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The star-studded lineup included hosts and headliners Vince Gill and Keith Urban, along with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Rosanne Cash, Tim McGraw, and more. 
• 2017: Country stars Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, and Thomas Rhett performed for Stayin' Alive: A GRAMMY Salute To The Music Of The Bee Gees, which aired on April 16 on the CBS television network.
• 2019: Country star Kelsea Ballerini was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Carrie Underwood, becoming its youngest member at the time.
• 2020: Luke Bryan performed from his home as part of Verizon's weekly series called Pay It Forward Live. This series, featuring different artists, helped raise money and awareness to support small businesses that were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2022: Carrie Underwood performed at the Grand Ole Opry, singing songs like "Something in the Water" and "Ghost Story."

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1962: Patsy Cline, known for hits such as "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces," appeared on the Pet Milk Grand Ole Opry show. She performed a duet with Bobby Lord, singing "(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You."
• 2014: Multi-Platinum trio Nickel Creek performed at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama, as part of their reunion tour.
• 2015: The late Toby Keith headlined a fundraiser for the Mack, Jack & McConaughey charity gala. Keith is best known for hits such as "Should've Been A Cowboy" and "As Good As I Once Was."
• 2018: Miranda Lambert released her song "Keeper of the Flame" to country radio. This single was from her album The Weight of These Wings.
• 2023: Wynonna Judd, Tyler Childers, and Clay Walker were the headliners for the Two Step Inn music festival in Georgetown, Texas. John Michael Montgomery, Lonestar, and more also took the stage.
• 2023: Fans got to see Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, and Justin Moore headline the Tortuga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Additional performers included Niko Moon, Ashley Ciike, Megan Moroney, and more.
• 2023: Country Thunder Arizona in Florence, Arizona, had Dierks Bentley, Kip Moore, and Bailey Zimmerman as headliners. Chase Matthew and John Morgan also performed.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2021: Country legend George Strait announced he is cancelling his Aug. 7 concert at Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana due to COVID-19 restrictions. 
• 2015: The tour bus carrying the country group Lady Antebellum (now known as Lady A) caught on fire outside Garland, Texas. Fortunately, no one was injured, but they lost their stage outfits.