From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place, or will take place, in 2021.
Overview of the events of 2021 in country music
Events
January 4 – Florida Georgia Line duo members Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley announce plans to release solo music, but will not be separating.[ 1]
January 20 – Following the release of his album Dangerous: The Double Album Morgan Wallen becomes the first artist to have six songs in the top ten of the Hot Country Songs charts at the same time.[ 2] [ 3]
January 27 – At the age of 84, legendary singer-songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson officially announces his retirement from performing after more than five active decades in the entertainment industry.[ 4]
February 3 –
Morgan Wallen , whose album Dangerous Billboard 200 at the time, has his recording contract with Big Loud Records indefinitely suspended after a video emerges of him using a racial slur. Wallen was also removed from numerous playlists and dropped from more than 400 radio stations. The Academy of Country Music Awards subsequently announced that he would be removed from eligibility for their forthcoming 2021 ceremony.[ 5] [ 6] T.J Osborne, frontman and half of successful duo Brothers Osborne , comes out as gay, making him the first openly gay male artist signed to a major country label.[ 7]
February 23 – Taylor Swift 's "Love Story (Taylor's Version) ", a re-recorded version of her 2008 hit "Love Story", debuts at #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, becoming the first artist to hit #1 twice on that chart with a single song, since Dolly Parton 's "I Will Always Love You ", in 1974 and 1982.
March 5 – Lonestar lead singer Richie McDonald announces that he will be leaving the band to pursue a career with The Frontmen of Country, a trio also consisting of Tim Rushlow and Larry Stewart , the former lead singers of Little Texas and Restless Heart , respectively, and will be replaced with former Sons of the Desert lead singer Drew Womack. McDonald previously departed Lonestar in 2007 to pursue a solo career, but then returned in 2011.[ 8]
March 22 - Morgan Wallen 's Dangerous: The Double Album Billboard 200 since 1987.[ 9]
April 1 – Confederate Railroad lead singer Danny Shirley breaks his back in an undisclosed accident.[ 10]
June 11 – High Valley mandolin player Curtis Rempel announces he is leaving the group and moving back to his hometown in Alberta to pursue a business with his wife, leaving older brother and frontman Brad Rempel as the last remaining of three brothers who formed the group.[ 11]
July 3 - Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are married at their Tishomingo ranch in Oklahoma, 6 months after their engagement.[ 12]
July 13 – Ashley Monroe announces that she has been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer .[ 13]
July 16 – Tanya Tucker announces she underwent emergency hip replacement surgery and was forced to cancel all tour dates.[ 14]
September 28 – Alan Jackson announces he has been diagnosed with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease for a decade, affecting his ability to perform on tour.[ 15]
October 18 – Luke Bryan is announced as host for the 2021 CMA Awards , marking the first solo host in 18 years, since Vince Gill hosted the 2003 ceremony.[ 16]
Top hits of the year
The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs , Country Airplay , and/or Canada Country charts in 2021:
Singles released by American and Australian artists
Singles released by Canadian artists
Top new album releases
Other top albums
Announced
Deaths
January 1 – Misty Morgan, 75, American country singer (Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan ), cancer.[ 122]
January 7 – Jamie O'Hara , 70, American country singer-songwriter ("Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) ") and member of The O'Kanes ("Can't Stop My Heart from Loving You "), cancer.[ 123]
January 8 – Ed Bruce , 81, American actor, country singer-songwriter ("Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys " and "You're the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had "), natural causes.[ 124]
January 14 – Larry Willoughby , 73, American country singer-songwriter ("Building Bridges " and "Operator, Operator ") and music executive, vice-president of A&R at Capitol Records , COVID-19.[ 125]
January 16 – Jason "Rowdy" Cope, 42, guitarist for The Steel Woods .
January 18 – Jimmie Rodgers , 87, American pop singer ("Honeycomb " and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine ") who also charted several country singles.[ 126]
January 21 – Randy Parton , 67, American country singer-songwriter ("Hold Me Like You Never Had Me" and "Shot Full of Love"), younger brother of Dolly Parton , cancer.[ 127]
February 3 – Jim Weatherly , 77, songwriter ("Midnight Train to Georgia " and "Someone Else's Star "), natural causes[ 128]
February 9 – Richie Albright, 81, American drummer (Waymore's Outlaws ).[ 129]
February 10 – Lee Sexton , 92, American banjo player.[ 130]
March 12 – Scott Whitehead, 61, member of Hometown News (natural causes)[ 131]
April 14 – Rusty Young , 75, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of American country rock group Poco .[ 132]
April 23 – Charlie Black , 71, songwriter ("Come Next Monday ", "A Little Good News ", and "You Lie ")[ 133]
May 2 – Tommy West , 78, American record producer and singer-songwriter, producer of works by Ed Bruce , Jim Croce , Holly Dunn , Anne Murray , and others.[ 134]
May 19 – Johnny Ashcroft , 94, Australian country singer.[ 135]
May 22 – Glenn Douglas Tubb , 85, American singer-songwriter ("Home of the Blues ", "Skip a Rope ", and "Two Story House ").
May 23 – Dewayne Blackwell , 84, American songwriter ("Friends in Low Places " and "I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home ")[ 136]
May 29 – B.J. Thomas , 78, American singer who scored country, pop and Christian hits in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s ("Hooked on a Feeling " and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head "), lung cancer[ 137]
July 4 – Sanford Clark , 85, American rockabilly singer (COVID-19).[ 138]
July 10 – Byron Berline , 77, American fiddler.[ 139]
August 4 – Razzy Bailey , 82, American country singer from 1970s and 1980s who charted five number one singles on the Hot Country Songs chart between 1980 and 1982 ("Friends ", "Loving Up a Storm ", and "Midnight Hauler ").[ 140]
August 13 – Nanci Griffith , 68, American country folk singer-songwriter ("From a Distance ", "Love at the Five and Dime ", and "Outbound Plane ")
August 20 – Tom T. Hall , 85, American country singer-songwriter ("That's How I Got to Memphis ", "Harper Valley PTA ", "I Love ", "Little Bitty ") [ 141]
August 21 – Don Everly, 84, one-half of The Everly Brothers .[ 142]
August 26 – Kenny Malone , 83, American drummer, COVID-19.[ 143]
September 12 – Don Maddox, 98, American country singer (Maddox Brothers and Rose ).[ 144]
September 22 – Bob Moore , 88, American Hall of Fame session bassist (The Nashville A-Team ) and orchestra leader.[ 145]
September 23 – Sue Thompson , 96, American pop and country singer ("Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) ", "Norman ").[ 146]
September 26 – George Frayne IV, 77, American country singer and keyboardist (Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen ), cancer.[ 147]
October 14 – Phil Leadbetter , 59, American bluegrass musician, COVID-19.[ 148]
October 24 – Sonny Osborne , 83 American banjo player and one half of The Osborne Brothers .[ 149]
October 26 – Rose Lee Maphis , 98, American singer, pioneer of the Bakersfield sound with husband Joe Maphis .[ 150]
Hall of Fame inductees
Major awards
(presented on June 9 in Nashville)
References
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"5x Grammy winner BJ Thomas dies of lung cancer complications at 78" . ABC7 Los Angeles . Retrieved 2021-05-30 . ^ Rockabilly performer Sanford Clark dies at COVID-19 at age 85 ^ Byron Berline, Famed Fiddle Player, Owner Of Guthrie's Double Stop Fiddle Shop Dies At 77 ^ '80s Hitmaker Razzy Bailey Dies at Age 82 ^ Tom T. Hall, 'The Storyteller' of country music, dies at 85 ^ Don Everly, Half of Country Rock Duo The Everly Brothers, Dies at 84 ^ Kenny Malone, drummer on Dolly, Dobie Gray hits, dies ^ The Last Maddox Brother, Don Maddox, Dies ^ Nashville A-Team Musician Bob Moore Dies ^ Sue Thompson Dies at Age 96 ^ Commander Cody Launches From Earth, RIP George Frayne (1944–2021) ^ Phil Leadbetter passes – everyone’s Uncle Phil ^ "Sonny Osborne passes - a giant in bluegrass music" . Bluegrass Today . 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-10-24 .^ “Mrs. Country Music,” The Pioneering Rose Lee Maphis Had Died
