This Day in Country History: December 17
Country music artists came together for a benefit on Dec. 17. An artist played his final performance, while others celebrated Grand Ole Opry debuts and weddings on this day in…
Country music artists came together for a benefit on Dec. 17. An artist played his final performance, while others celebrated Grand Ole Opry debuts and weddings on this day in country music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Zac Brown and Jimmie Allen had milestone events on Dec. 17:
- 2016: Zac Brown Band and other country music artists performed at the Mountain Tough Benefit at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to raise funds for victims of wildfires that ravaged the area earlier in the year. Sam Bush, Rodney Crowell, and Mo Pitney were among the artists who performed at this event.
- 2020: "Drunk & I Miss You" singer Jimmie Allen headlined the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Dec. 17. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this show was livestreamed on ABC and to a limited-capacity audience at the Ryman.
Cultural Milestones
Dec. 17 marked two milestones in country music:
- 2019: The sixth annual Dustin Lynch & Friends Benefit Concert was held in Lynch's hometown of Tullahoma, Tennessee. This benefit concert raised money for the Coffee County Children's Advocacy Center and collected toys for the Tullahoma Fire Department's Toys for Tots drive.
- 2023: Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys played his final performance with the band on Dec. 17. Bonsall was a centerpiece of this award-winning band but could no longer perform and had to bow out of future performances due to complications from Lou Gehrig's disease.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These were notable musical events for Dec. 17:
- 2015: Sam Hunt's "Break Up in a Small Town" received a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Dan + Shay's "19 You + Me" also received a Platinum certification on this day.
- 2018: On the finale of Season 15 of the TV show The Voice, coach and mentor Blake Shelton sang George Strait's song "You Look So Good in Love" with contestant Kirk Jay. Jay also sang a cover of Rascal Flatts' song, "I Won't Let Go."
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day in history saw a breakup and a marriage for two couples in the country music industry:
- 2001: Garth Brooks and his first wife, Sandy Mahl, finalized their divorce on Dec. 17 after 15 years of marriage. On Dec. 10, 2005, Brooks married Trisha Yearwood, and the two are now one of country music's power couples.
- 2018: CMT TV personality Katie Cook married guitarist, songwriter, and record producer Adam Shoenfeld on Dec. 17. This power couple wed at the FGL House in Nashville, decorated with a winter wonderland theme.
Earning RIAA certifications shows how much a song or album influences culture and society, as we saw with Sam Hunt and Dan + Shay's certifications on Dec. 17. The country music industry was saddened by Joe Bonsall's departure from the Oak Ridge Boys, as he helped the band get into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry.
