This Day in Country History: October 30
On Oct. 30, 2018, country fans first saw Jon Pardi as the face of the Wrangler Retro collection. Other highlights on this day in country music history included impressive performances…
On Oct. 30, 2018, country fans first saw Jon Pardi as the face of the Wrangler Retro collection. Other highlights on this day in country music history included impressive performances by Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts, and the Eli Young Band. The music industry mourned the loss of Grand Ole Opry legend Gerald Whitehurst, and Cody Johnson had the honor of singing the national anthem at the opening of a World Series game.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Zac Brown Band and Luke Bryan enjoyed milestone events on Oct. 30:
- 2009: Zac Brown Band hosted a benefit concert in Atlanta to support the rebuilding of the historic Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia, with other acts including Little Big Town and Joey + Rory. In June 2009, a fire caused extensive damage to the converted movie theater, so the band stepped in to help.
- 2015: Luke Bryan ended his Kick the Dust Up tour in Detroit, Michigan, after a run that included seven stadium shows with guest acts Randy Houser, Dustin Lynch, and Florida Georgia Line. Bryan has won several CMA Awards, has released chart-topping and Gold and Platinum-certified songs, and is known as a judge on the TV show American Idol.
Cultural Milestones
Historic and cultural milestones for the country music industry on Oct. 30 included:
- 2018: The Eli Young Band, Rascal Flatts, and Tyler Rich played at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville as part of the sixth annual Halloween-inspired Battle of the Bones fundraiser for the T.J. Martell Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for cancer research.
- 2021: The legendary Grand Ole Opry radio show held its 5,000th Saturday night broadcast. Performers for this historic occasion included Terri Clark, Vince Gill, Chris Young, and The Gatlin Brothers.
Notable Recordings and Performances
On Oct. 30, audiences enjoyed these memorable performances:
- 2018: Country music fans were surprised and thrilled when Charlie Daniels and his band, the Beau Weevils, held a pop-up performance at Winners Bar and Grill in Nashville. The band was promoting its new album, Songs in the Key of E.
- 2019: "That's Texas" singer Cody Johnson sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the opening of Game 7 of the 2019 World Series. The game was held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, which is Johnson's hometown.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A bold career shift and the death of a legend happened on Oct. 30:
- 2018: Apparel brand Wrangler announced that "Dirt on My Boots" singer Jon Pardi would be the new face of the Wrangler Retro collection. Pardi appeared in the print, radio, television, and online ads for this collection of jeans and shirts.
- 2022: The Grand Ole Opry house band member Gerald "Jerry" Thomas Whitehurst died in Nashville at the age of 84. Whitehurst was a pianist on the show Hee-Haw and the musical director for Nashville Now.
During the course of a musical artist's career, they are often offered opportunities to diversify their income and talents, as we saw with Jon Pardi's Wrangler Retro collection campaign. Also on this day, fans had fun watching Charlie Daniels and his band, and the Grand Ole Opry marked a major milestone.
