This Day in Country History: May 1

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 2012: Country music sensation Carrie Underwood released her fourth album, Blown Away. Hit songs on this album include "Good Girl" and "Cupid's Got a Shotgun." This Grammy Award-winning singer started her career by appearing on American Idol, and today, she is a successful musical artist. 
• 2018: Blake Shelton had a soft opening of his Nashville restaurant, honky-tonk, and music venue, Ole Red. Today, there are six Ole Red locations, including one in Las Vegas, Gatlinburg, Tishomingo, Orlando, and another one in Nashville airport. A seventh location in Indianapolis will open next year.
• 2019: Former country star and now pop star Taylor Swift performed her single "Me!" at the Billboard Music Awards. Swift was a country singer from 2004 to 2012. Today, she is one of the most famous pop stars in the world.
• 2019: In an unusual move, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gave Eric Church's "Springsteen" a 4x Platinum certification, and on the same day, gave it a 5x Platinum certification. On November 22, 2024, this song got an 8x Platinum certification from the RIAA.
• 2021: The "Nobody Love" singer Tori Kelly sang the national anthem before the 147th Kentucky Derby horse race held at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. The horse, Medina Spirit, won the race, which is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world.
• 2025: Trisha Yearwood announced she was taking a new direction in her musical career in an interview with Kelly Clarkson. Yearwood stated she was co-writing and co-producing the music for her new album, The Mirror.

Cultural Milestones

• 1967: Country music superstar Tim McGraw was born in Delhi, Louisiana. The Grammy Award-winning McGraw is one of the most successful country music artists today, with hits such as "My Best Friend" and "Cowboy Lullaby." He's married to country music singer Faith Hill. 
• 1993: Country singer Charley Pride accepted an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry. Pride was among the first Black country singers to be recognized and invited to this prestigious venue and organization. 
• 2012: Brown Books Publishing Group released the book, Unconguered: The Saga of Cousins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley. J.D. Davis wrote this biography and tells the story of how these three rose to fame through their combination of country, rock and roll, and faith-based music.
• 2015: Harvest House Publishers released the book On the Road with the Oak Ridge Boys: Forty Years of Untold Stories. One of the members of this country music band, Joe Bonsall, wrote the book with a behind-the-scenes look at life with the band. Bonsall is also the author of several other books.
• 2022: In an iconic ceremony, Ray Charles, The Judds, and Eddie Bayers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Wynonna Judd accepted the ceremonial medallion on behalf of her late mother, who died the day before.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 2013: The RIAA was generous with certifications on this date. Dustin Lynch's "Cowboys and Angels," Taylor Swift's "Red," and Little Big Town's "Boondocks" received Platinum certifications. In addition, Tim McGraw's "Highway Don't Care" with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban received a Gold certification, and Justin Moore's "Bait a Hook" and Brantley Gilbert's "Kick it in the Sticks" got Gold certifications on the same date.
• 2015: The Zac Brown Band performed at the famous Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, for their Jekyll + Hyde tour. This country band played popular songs like "Knee Deep" and "Chicken Fried."
• 2016: Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, and Dustin Lynch performed at the Stagecoach Festival. Additional country music performers included EmiSunshine, Old Dominion, and The Earls of Leicester. 
• 2019: During Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dan + Shay sang their romantic song, "Speechless," while the couple walked down the aisle.
• 2020: Sony Music Nashville released "Six Feet Apart" by Luke Combs. This song was co-written by Brent Cobb and Rob Snyder.
• 2020: Warner Music Nashville released Kenny Chesney's album Here and Now. Key songs on this album include "Someone to Fix," "Here and Now," and "Everyone She Knows."
• 2022: At the Stagecoach Festival, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, and The Black Crowes were among the performers. Fans also enjoyed seeing Hayes Carll, The Mavericks, and Rhiannon Giddens at the festival.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2023: Folk singer and country music songwriter Gordon Lightfoot died at the age of 84. Canadian-born Lightfoot was known for songs such as "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Sundown."