This Day in Country History: March 28

An award-winning whiskey, birthday celebrations, and a barn dance are some of the events that made country music history on March 28. Breakthrough Hits and Milestones Hits and milestones for March 28 include: 1994: Tim McGraw released the single "Don't Take the Girl" from his album Not a Moment Too Soon. This song and album helped launch his wildly successful career. 2023: Country megastar Alan Jackson's Silverbelly Whiskey was awarded a bronze medal by the International Wine and Spirits Competition. Jackson gave his whiskey the name Silverbelly as a nod to the color of his signature cowboy hat. Cultural Milestones When a superstar with one of the most successful careers in country music is born, you can most definitely call it a cultural milestone: 1955: Superstar Reba McEntire was born on March 28 in Kiowa, Oklahoma. McEntire is a well-known and respected artist and ranks as one of the most influential and successful country music performers of her generation. 2015: Reba McEntire celebrated her 60th birthday at Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix, Arizona. Superstars Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, and Josh Groban attended this event, helping raise money for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center. 2015: Country music artists Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill, Cory Chisel, and Emmylou Harris teamed up for the Celebratory Barn Dance and Benefit Concert at the Jaeckle Centre in Thompson's Station, Tennessee. The Jaeckle Centre is a world-class equestrian center — the ideal venue for this upscale barn dance. Notable Recordings and Performances These notable performances showcase the importance of country music's female artists: 2015: Miranda Lambert headlined at the prestigious Madison Square Garden in New York City. This was for her Platinum Tour and was her first time headlining on this prestigious stage. 2024: Ashley McBryde performed at the Ogden Theater in Denver, Colorado, as part of her tour The Devil I Know. In 2019, she was named the New Artist of the Year at the 53rd Annual Country Music Awards. Industry Changes and Challenges The country music industry experienced the following changes and challenges on March 28: 2018: Universal Music Group announced they were signing Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood to its Capital Records Nashville label. Underwood had been previously signed with Arista Nashville, which was, at that time, a division of Sony Music Nashville. 2018: Songwriter Kenny O'Dell died of natural causes. In 1973, O'Dell won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song for "Behind Closed Doors," and in 1996, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. 2020: The Grand Ole Opry aired a live show from its Tennessee location with guests Vince Gill and Amy Grant, along with their daughters, Jenny Gill and Corrina Grant Gill. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, there was no audience at the venue, and the artists performed to cameras and an empty house. We embrace the artists and musicians who have given and continue to give us their notable songs, albums, and performances as country music evolves while staying true to its American roots.