This Day in Country History: March 10
March 10 marks a big day in country music history. On this day, top performers toured, country music superstar Carrie Underwood was born in Oklahoma, and legendary country stars were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Breakthrough hits and milestones on March 10 include:
- 1995: Waylon Jennings released his sixth studio album, Will the Wolf Survive. It became his sixth to reach No.1 on the country charts.
- 2003: Keith Urban released “Kiss a Girl” from his album Defying Gravity. Urban was born in New Zealand, moved to Australia, and eventually relocated to Nashville, where he became a smashing hit as a musician and later as a judge on American Idol.
- 2024: Zach Bryan performed at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo, New York, during his Quittin Time Tour. His North American tour concluded with performances in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, on December 13 and 14.
Cultural Milestones
Births and events that influenced country music and culture for March 10 include:
- 1983: American Idol winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood was born on March 10 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Underwood is a major star and influencer in the country music industry with eight Grammy Awards: her first was Best New Artist and Best Female Vocal Country Performance for “Jesus, Take The Wheel” at the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
- 2018: Country Queen Reba McEntire performed at Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix, Arizona. This event raised money for cancer research.
- 2023: Country music star and comedian Gary Mule Deer was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. With over six decades of performing, he took to the stage at this legendary country music venue with guests such as Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, and Tammy Wynette.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Important recordings and performances on this day in country music history include:
- 2007: Trace Adkins’s “Ladies Love Country Boys” peaked at No. 61 on the charts after 20 weeks.
- 2018: Blake Shelton performed at Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina for his Country Music Freaks Tour.
- 2018: Ashley McBryde performed at the Country to Country Music Festival at the O2 Arena in London, England, for this three-day festival.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Bold moves by the organizers of the Grand Ole Opry and crossover genre marriages happened on March 10:
- 1979: In a shocking performance, soul singer James Brown appeared on the Grand Ole Opry as a guest of country music star Porter Wagoner. Many Opry enthusiasts did not appreciate the performance, even though the venue organizers were trying to branch out with different artists.
- 2000: Country singer Vince Gill and Christian pop artist Amy Grant were married on March 10 in Nashville, Tennessee. Gill fell for Grant when he heard her song “Tennessee Christmas.”
- 2003: Country legend Johnny Cash was admitted to Nashville’s Baptist Hospital for pneumonia. He was previously diagnosed with autonomic neuropathy, which made him susceptible to the respiratory illness pneumonia.
The country music industry continues to evolve, with pop stars going country and country stars going pop. Many of the influences for upcoming and existing country stars have lasting effects to this day.
Join the Family
Get Our Latest Articles in Your Inbox
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.