This Day in Country History: January 17
Jan. 17 has seen awards, an induction into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and surprise guest artists at concerts. On this day, Dolly Parton announced a partnership with American…
Jan. 17 has seen awards, an induction into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and surprise guest artists at concerts. On this day, Dolly Parton announced a partnership with American Greetings for Parton-themed greeting cards, Gene Watson was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry, and Mark Yeary passed away.
Here's why Jan. 17 is an important day in country music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, and Robert Earle Keen had milestones on Jan. 17:
- 2000: At the 27th Annual American Music Awards, Shania Twain won Favorite Country Female Artist. Garth Brooks won Favorite Country Male Artist, and his album Double Live won Favorite Country Album. Favorite Country New Artist went to Montgomery Gentry, and Favorite Country Band, Duo, or Group went to Brooks & Dunn.
- 2019: Robert Earl Keen, was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place at the famous Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth, often regarded as the world's largest honky-tonk.
Cultural Milestones
From a prestigious award to an invitation to the Grand Ole Opry, these were cultural milestones for Jan. 17:
- 2020: Lady A was the recipient of the St. Jude Angels Among Us Award. Randy Owen presented the award to the band for their commitment to supporting the work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, whose research helps fight childhood cancer.
- 2020: While performing at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Gene Watson was surprised when Vince Gill invited him to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Watson made his Opry debut in 1972 when he was 21 and was officially inducted on Feb. 7, 2020.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson had notable performances on Jan. 17:
- 2008: Kenny Chesney was a surprise guest at a George Strait concert at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. The two sang Strait's "Amarillo by Morning," and after, Chesney hugged Strait and walked off stage, waving to the thrilled crowd.
- 2020: Much to the surprise of the few hundred audience members at AJ's Goodtime Bar in Nashville, superstar Alan Jackson showed up and performed. While the venue is small, the place was full. Jackson started his set with his hit song "Don't Rock the Jukebox."
Industry Changes and Challenges
A death and an unusual partnership were industry changes on this day:
- 2020: American Greetings announced that it was partnering with Dolly Parton to create a series of greeting cards embracing Parton's spirit. The first card, an e-card featuring audio and video, was based on Parton's song "9 to 5."
- 2020: Longtime pianist for Merle Haggard's band, Mark Yeary, died at the age of 67. Yeary met local Haggard while growing up in Bakersfield, California. Haggard invited Yeary to tour with him, which he did for 19 years.
Audience members experienced thrills on Jan. 17 with surprise appearances by Kenny Chesney in 2008 and Alan Jackson in 2020. Congratulations to Lady A for receiving the St. Jude Angels Among Us Award on this date and to Dolly Parton for her new greeting card line.
