This Day in Country History: April 21

Keith Urban and Josh Turner attend the induction of Keith Urban into The Grand Ole Opry

Photo by Royce DeGrie/Getty Images

Historically, April 21 has been marked by outstanding country music performances, the induction of Keith Urban into the Grand Ole Opry, and the death of legendary guitarist Lonnie Mack. Other events that have occurred on this day include benefit concerts, surprise appearances at a cross-genre music festival, and the funeral of former First Lady Barbara Bush, with the Oak Ridge Boys in attendance.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

When legendary performers such as Levon Helm and Charlie Crockett play, you can consider these events milestones:

2004: There were big wins at the CMT Flame Worthy Video Music Awards held at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center. Video of the Year went to Toby Keith's "American Soldier," and Keith Urban and Willie Nelson's "Beer for My Horses" earned Collaborative Video of the Year. Kenny Chesney took home Male Video of the Year for "There Goes My Life," and Shania Twain won Female Video of the Year for “Forever and For Always.”
2006: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill kicked off their massive Soul-2-Soul II Tour in Columbus, Ohio. This was one of the top-grossing tours, not only in country music, but of all time. Select venues had a young Taylor Swift open for McGraw and Hill.
2010: Legendary country drummer Levon Helm, best known for his time with The Band, hosted Levon Helm's Ramble at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Helm and other performers delighted fans with a three-hour performance.
2012: Legendary country singer Keith Urban was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. As a New Zealand-born Australian, Urban was the first non-American to be inducted into this prestigious country music venue.
2017: The "Dirt Cheap" singer Cody Johnson made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Today, Johnson is one of the most well-respected country music artists with three CMT Music Awards, including Artist of the Year in 2022.
2024: The fun Two Step Inn Festival in Georgetown, Texas, featured a stellar lineup of country music artists, including Charley Crockett, Clint Black, Martina McBride, and the Turnpike Troubadours.

Cultural Milestones

From benefits to donations and star-studded performances, country music artists have a cultural influence:

2012: Singer-songwriters Vince Gill and Amy Grant headlined the Hits for the House benefit at the Winfree-Bryant Middle School Auditorium in Lebanon, Tennessee. Proceeds from this event benefited Brooks House, a local women's shelter.
2016: Legendary blues guitarist Lonnie Mack died on this day. He's known for his distinctive style of guitar playing, which utilizes the tremolo bar, affectionately called the whammy bar, featured on his Gibson Flying V guitar.
2016: Jason Aldean performed at the Macon Grand Opera House in Macon, Georgia, which is his hometown. This was a benefit concert raising money for the local city's children's hospital, which is the only dedicated pediatric facility in central Georgia
2020: Country music star Blake Shelton donated $150,000 to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Shelton said that he wanted to help ensure Oklahoma citizens didn't have to go to bed hungry.
2023: The Grand Ole Opry Show featured the Oak Ridge Boys, Sara Evans, Riders in the Sky, and Don Schlitz — all members of this iconic country music institution.

Notable Recordings and Performances

These notable performances occurred on April 21:

2011: Jerrod Niemann earns a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for his song "What Do You Want."
2016: Canaan Smith received a Platinum certification from the RIAA for his single "Love You Like That."
2017: Brad Paisley released his new album Love and War on April 21 with the hit song "Today."
2019: Country singer Maren Morris was a surprise performer on pop dance star Zedd's set at the Coachella Music Festival.
2022: Dan + Shay wrapped up a show at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. The country music duo's hit songs include "Tequila" and "Save Me the Trouble."
2023: Superstar Kelly Clarkson performed pop band Coldplay's "Magic" on the Kelly Clarkson Show. Clarkson is a three-time GRAMMY Award winner known for hit songs such as "Because of You" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes."
2023: Darius Rucker performed at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hit songs he sang included "Wagon Wheel" and "Beers and Sunshine."

Industry Changes and Challenges

There were significant industry changes and challenges on April 21, including:

2011: "The City Put the Country Back in Me" singer, Neil McCoy, announced he was signing with Blaster Records. This record label released McCoy's 11th studio album.
2013: Charles Battles died from complications of a stroke. Battles, who was a championship steer wrestler, was married to Reba McEntire for 11 years, from 1976 to 1987.
2013: Lee Brice married Sara Reeveley. Today, the couple has three children together.
2023: The "Big in a Small Town" singer Jimmie Allen and his wife, Alexis Gale, announced they were going to separate. The couple married in 2021 and has three children together, and their divorce was finalized in 2024.

With spring in the air, music concerts have dominated the scene on April 21 over the years. While the Coachella Music Festival is primarily Pop and R&B oriented, Zedd brought country star Maren Morris on stage, adding a roots element to this popular event.

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Kristina HallWriter