This Day in Country History: June 16
Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood had big moments on June 16. Brooks was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Yearwood won an award for her Food Network…
Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood had big moments on June 16. Brooks was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Yearwood won an award for her Food Network cooking show, and singer Chris Lane proposed to his longtime girlfriend on this day.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Being honored with an induction into a prestigious organization and being on the cover of a magazine are pretty significant events for any musical artist:
- 2011: Mega country music star Garth Brooks was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 16. The mission of this organization is to preserve, honor, and celebrate the legacy of songwriters whose work has enriched the world's culture.
- 2012: Luke Bryan's "Drunk on You" climbed to No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart after 14 weeks on the charts.
Cultural Milestones
These were country music cultural milestones for June 16:
- 2008: Country music sensation and multiaward winner Carrie Underwood was featured on the cover of Country Weekly magazine. She also gave an interview for the magazine with her 25 most revealing secrets.
- 2013: Singer Trisha Yearwood won a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Culinary Program for her television show Trisha's Southern Cooking. In 2024, Yearwood hinted that she was planning to film a new cooking show at her husband Garth Brooks' bar, Friends in Low Places.
- 2014: Country music star Carrie Underwood took a break from recording and performing to go to Haiti to help children in need. She helped the nonprofit organization Danita's Children, which helps and cares for orphans.
Notable Recordings and Performances
June 16 has seen some notable performances, including:
- 2013: Rocker turned country music artist Darius Rucker sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
- 2017: Country music singer/songwriter Ashley McBryde made her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 16. The "A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega" singer was later inducted into this prestigious venue and organization.
Industry Changes and Challenges
There were positive changes in the country music industry on June 16, including:
- 2018: American Idol winner Scotty McCreery married Gabi Dugal in a ceremony in the hills of North Carolina. The couple have known each other since kindergarten, dated six years before getting married, and welcomed their first son, Merrick "Avery" McCreery, in October 2022.
- 2019: Country music singer Chris Lane proposed to his girlfriend, TV personality Lauren Bushnell, at a family cookout. They married on Oct. 25, 2019, and welcomed their baby boy Dutton Walker Lane on June 8, 2021.
When country music stars such as Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood are in the news, it's usually because of something significant, such as Underwood taking time off to go to Haiti to help orphaned children. June 16 hosted honors, recordings, benefits, and live performances that inspired up-and-coming new artists and warmed the hearts of fans.
