Country Music News

Country Music News

Country Music News

With the announcement that Kelsea Ballerini will be the next country star to perform on Saturday Night Live on March 4, we look back at the country stars have come before her on the legendary comedy sketch show. There haven’t been too many country music stars to be the musical guest on the show, and only a handful of country superstars, including Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton, Dolly Parton, and Taylor Swift, have hosted the show.

  • Luke Combs - Musical guest - February 2020

    Luke sang two songs on the show, including his big ole hit “Beer Never Broke My Heart.”

  • Morgan Wallen - Musical guest - December 2020

    Morgan sang two songs on the show and appeared in a skit along with Jason Bateman, who played Wallen at a party.

  • Kacey Musgraves - Musical Guest - October 2021

    Kacey Musgraves

    Ethan Miller/Getty Images 

    Kacey is the only artist to ever perform totally in the nude with just a guitar to cover her. Kacey told V Magazine after the performance, “It was an idea that hit me last minute. A lot of my ideas come like a lightning bolt with no explanation.” She added, “A couple of days [before the performance], I was getting a workout, and I had this image pop into my mind of Jenny from Forrest Gump, naked on a stool. I just thought, with ‘Justified,’ I had to do it.”

  • Carrie Underwood - Musical guest - March 2007

    Carrie Underwood

    Peter Kramer/Getty Images

  • Dolly Parton - Hosted and musical guest - April 1989

    Dolly was the musical guest and performed in many of the skits on the show as host. She later said it was pretty hard and that she would not ever host and be the musical guests at the same time again.

  • Garth Brooks - Hosted and musical guest - November 1999

    He hosted as Garth and was the musical guest as Chris Gaines.

  • Blake Shelton - Hosted and musical guest - January 2015

    The always-funny Blake was perfect for his hosting role, appearing in many skits on the show. In one skit, he played Disney character, John Smith.

  • Taylor Swift - Hosted and musical guest - November 2009

    Taylor was a natural and quite funny in many of the show’s skits. She hosted the show when she was just 19 years old.

  • Chris Stapleton - Musical guest - January 2016

    Chris did a fun promo for the show with Will Ferrell. He also performed two songs.

  • Faith Hill - Musical guest - October 200

    Besides singing, Faith even did a fun skit with host Sarah Michelle Gellar.

  • Willie Nelson - Hosted and musical guest February 1987

  • Johnny Cash - Hosted and musical guest - April 1982

    Cash did many skits and sang two of his classic songs.

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