This Day in Country History: March 2
March 2 was a significant day in country music history. There were GRAMMY Award winners, and Miranda Lambert and the Pistol Annies had a reunion tour. There were also several…
March 2 was a significant day in country music history. There were GRAMMY Award winners, and Miranda Lambert and the Pistol Annies had a reunion tour. There were also several notable recordings and performances that thrilled fans. A couple of artists were honored with awards on March 2, and Keith Urban surprised people dining at the Nashville Airport with a free pop-up performance.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The GRAMMY Award winners had major milestones on March 2.
- 1973: Olivia Newton-John won Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, at the 16th Annual GRAMMY Awards for "Let Me Be There." Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors" took home Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, and Best Country Song.
- 1988: At the 30th Annual GRAMMY Awards, K.T. Olson won Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, for "80s Ladies." Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, went to Randy Travis for his album Always & Forever.
- 1988: The album Trio, with Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt, won Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.
- 2018: Miranda Lambert was joined on stage at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, by her Pistol Annies bandmates Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe. They performed "Hell on Heels" and "Takin' Pills."
Cultural Milestones
March 2nd's cultural milestones that impacted country music included:
- 1990: The "Beautiful Crazy" singer Luke Combs was born in Huntsville, North Carolina.
- 2015: Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn received the first-ever Country Music Association's Humanitarian Award. This honor was given to Kix for his work with the country music artist community.
- 2020: The Hall of Famous Missourians inducted the legendary Porter Wagoner, with other notables like Harry Truman. Wagoner is known for helping launch Dolly Parton's career, with her performing on The Porter Wagoner Show.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Fun performances on March 2 included:
- 2018: The Tedeschi Trucks Band brought surprise guest Wynonna Judd when they played the Ryman Auditorium. The Band and Judd sang "Bound for Glory" and "Rollin' and Tumblin'."
- 2019: Kacey Musgraves played her final night after her four-night run at the Ryman Auditorium. This was part of Musgrave's Oh! What a World Tour.
- 2020: Capital Nashville released Jon Pardi's "Ain't Always the Cowboy." This was from Pardi's Heartache Medication album.
- 2024: The legendary Keith Urban surprised diners at the food court at the Nashville Airport with a pop-up appearance. Urban played "Long Hot Summer" at the BNA Live Stage on the C Concourse Food Court.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A death, a new record label signing, and the cancellation of a major festival happened on March 2.
- 2009: Songwriter Ernest Bert Ashworth died at the age of 80. Ashworth was a singer, songwriter, and long-term member of the Grand Ole Opry.
- 2017: The "Harlem River Blues" singer Justin Townes Earle signed a recording deal with New West Records.
- 2021: The Country Music Association (CMA) announced it was cancelling the annual CMA Fest 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Country music is a growing genre, with crossover artists like The Tedeschi Trucks Band joining with iconic country artists. The GRAMMYS continue to award stars for the impact they have on the music industry, as we saw with winners like Randy Travis and K.T. Olsen on March 2.
