This Day in Country History: July 16
July 16 was a busy day in country music history. There were major country music festivals in 2021 and 2023 with exciting headliners, Grand Ole Opry events, and the birth…
July 16 was a busy day in country music history. There were major country music festivals in 2021 and 2023 with exciting headliners, Grand Ole Opry events, and the birth of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash's grandson.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The Grand Ole Opry had milestone events on July 16, including:
- 2011:Â The legendary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer and prolific country music star Bill Anderson celebrated his 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on July 16. Anderson wrote hit songs for various artists, including Ray Price and Kenny Chesney.
- 2013:Â Cassadee Pope, the season 3 winner of The Voice, made her Grand Ole Opry debut on July 16. Â She performed her songs "Wasting All These Tears" and "Good Times," as well as a cover of Miranda Lambert's "Over You."Â
Cultural Milestones
There have been some significant cultural milestones on July 16:
- 2017:Â Darius Rucker was among the many performers at the annual Starkey Hearing Foundation Gala in St. Paul, Minnesota. This foundation raises money for healthcare programs for the Hear Now program.Â
- 2019:Â The "Beautiful Crazy" and "Better Together" singer Luke Combs was inducted into the legendary Grand Ole Opry. Joe Diffie and Vince Gill welcomed Combs, alongside fellow musicians and inductees Dustin Lynch, Craig Morgan, and Mark Wills, in front of a sell-out crowd.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Summer is the perfect time to attend outdoor music festivals, and there have been plenty on July 16, including:
- 2021:Â Country music fans headed to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, to catch their favorite artists at Country Thunder Wisconsin. The headliners at this festival included Eric Church, HARDY, and Tanya Tucker. The audience also enjoyed performances by Parmalee, Seaforth, and Meghan Patrick.
- 2023: At the Faster Horses country music festival in Brooklyn, Michigan, fans enjoyed watching headliners Shania Twain, Billy Currington, and Dylan Scott. Additional performers were Kameron Marlowe, Megan Moroney, and Hailey Whitters.
- 2023:Â Fans who didn't go to the Michigan music festival headed to Whitefish, Montana, for the Under the Big Sky music festival. On July 16, Zach Bryan, The Dead South, and Charley Crockett headlined the festival. Additional performers included Nikki Lane and The Red Clay Strays.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A legendary country music star died, while fans welcomed a newborn baby to the country music family:
- 2012:Â Veteran country music singer Kitty Wells died on July 16 at her home in Madison, Tennessee, at the age of 92. Wells was a trailblazer in the country music industry, especially for female artists, and is best known for her song "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels."
- 2021:Â John Carter Cash and Ana Cristina Cash welcomed another addition to the famous country singer family on July 16. Their daughter, Grace June Cash, became the big sister of James Kristoffer Cash.
From summer music festivals to Grand Ole Opry honors and debuts, July 16 is a memorable day in the country music industry. We saw the passing of the great Kitty Wells, a fundraiser featuring Darius Rucker, and the birth of a new Cash family member.
