This Day in Country History: May 6

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 2007: On the second day of the inaugural Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, California, Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, and Sugarland headlined. Jason Aldean, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Ricky Skaggs, and Ramblin' Jack Elliott also performed.
• 2016: Pop star Cyndi Lauper, known for her songs "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "Time After Time," released her first country album, Detour. Lauper included guest stars such as Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, and Willie Nelson on this breakthrough album.
• 2022: During Luke Bryan's performance at his sold-out show at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, Carrie Underwood surprised fans by joining him for a duet. This show kicked off Bryan's Huntin', Fishin' And Lovin' Every Day Tour.
• 2023: GRAMMY Award-winning country singer Carly Pearce sang the national anthem at the 149th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Pearce won the Female Artist of the Year at the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards as well as a GRAMMY with Ashley McBryde for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
• 2024: Kacey Musgraves stopped at The Docks Club in Hamburg, Germany, as part of her European/U.S.A. Deeper Well World Tour. This tour started in Dublin, Ireland, on April 28 and finished on December 7 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Cultural Milestones

• 1974: Legendary country music star Merle Haggard appeared on the cover of TIME magazine. Haggard went from a prisoner at San Quentin Prison in California to a megastar with his hit song "Okie From Muskogee" and further collaborations with Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr.
• 2010: Country music legend Vince Gill hosted a telethon called Working 4 You: Flood Relief with Vince Gill & Friends to raise money for those affected by the massive floods in the Nashville area. Many musicians lost their equipment when a storage space that held their gear flooded.
• 2014: Keith Urban and Vince Gill headlined the We're All 4 the Hall benefit held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This event benefits the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's education program. Additional performers included Brantley Gilbert, Brett Eldredge, Lee Ann Womack, Kacey Musgraves, and more.
• 2016: Wynonna Judd performed along with other celebrities at the Unbridled Eve Gala before the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. This gala took place at the Grand Ballroom of the Galt House Hotel. Proceeds from this event went to Blessings in a Backpack, which helps feed hungry kids.
• 2017: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Kids' Festival was held at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. During this festival, families got to interact with pirate characters, participate in a pirate costume contest, and go on a treasure hunt. Parton's Imagination Library gifts books to children under 5 across the country.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 2007: The first Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, California, included headliners Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, and Sugarland. Fans also enjoyed performances by Emmylou Harris, the late Kris Kristofferson, and Ricky Skaggs.
• 2015: Scotty McCreery's "Feelin' It" received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
• 2018: Country music star Carrie Underwood released her new music video, “Cry Pretty.” This powerful video highlights the differences between being a music star and trying to be a normal person.
• 2022: Mercury/Republic/Big Loud Records released Morgan Wallen's "Thought You Should Know." On December 16, 2025, this song received a 6x Platinum certification from the RIAA.
• 2022: Tim McGraw had a concert at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, Florida. This was part of his Tour 2022, and he sang songs like "The Cowboy in Me," "Felt Good on My Lips," and "Truck Yeah."
• 2023: Thomas Rhett performed at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, for his Home Team Tour 23. This was one of the stops for his 40-city tour. Rhett sang several of his hit songs, including "Marry Me" and "Die a Happy Man."
• 2025: The "Drunk On a Plane" singer Dierks Bentley appeared at Luekens' Wine & Spirits in Tampa, Florida, to meet fans and sign bottles of his Row 94 Whiskey. Bentley created this Kentucky Straight Bourbon in collaboration with the Green River Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2017: American Idol contestant Josh Gracin, known for songs like "Different Kind of Crazy" and "Nothin' to Lose," married his sweetheart Katie Wier in Nashville. The couple had an intimate wedding at the Green Door Gourmet venue.
• 2019: Tanya Tucker signed with Fantasy Records before releasing her new album, While I'm Livin', produced by country music artists Shooter Jennings and Brandi Carlile. Tanya Tucker is a superstar in the country music world with her smash hit "Delta Dawn."
• 2022: Willie Nelson and his band had to cancel a show at FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tennessee, due to a band member testing positive for COVID-19. The band had to cancel other shows, including one in Brandon, Mississippi, and its performance at the New Orleans Jazz Fest.