This Day in Country History: October 27
There has been plenty of live music over the decades on Oct. 27, with stars such as Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, Charlie Daniels, and Chris Young performing. Several icons…
There has been plenty of live music over the decades on Oct. 27, with stars such as Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, Charlie Daniels, and Chris Young performing. Several icons were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on this day, and Kenny Chesney's Live in No Shoes Nation: 10 Years of Concerts album was released.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
There have been interesting milestones on Oct. 27, including:
- 2008:Â Groundbreaking for the country-themed entertainment resort, Country Crossing, was held in Dothan, Alabama. This resort was backed by legends such as George Strait, Lonnie Morgan, and Darryl Worley. Unfortunately, Country Crossing was mired in legal troubles and is now closed.
- 2016:Â Dierks Bentley played at his Somewhere On a Beach Tour at the grand re-opening of the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. Bentley brought special guests Randy Houser and Drake White and The Big Fire. The University of Illinois renovated the 53-year-old basketball stadium to modernize it.
Cultural Milestones
Several legends were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and Charlie Daniels had a big birthday celebration:
- 2013:Â Inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame for 2013 included Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare, and the late "Cowboy" Jack Clement. Clement was a legendary producer who joined Memphis's Sun Records in 1956, which launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
- 2015:Â Chris Young headlined for Charlie Daniels' birthday celebration at The Palm restaurant in downtown Nashville. This was a benefit concert that raised funds for The Journey Home Project, which helps support veterans of the U.S. military.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From an album release to a music festival in South Africa, these were big events on Oct. 27:
- 2017: Kenny Chesney's album Live in No Shoes Nation: 10 Years of Concerts was released by Blue Chair Bay/Columbia Nashville. This was an album of several of Chesney's concerts over 10 years, which he enjoyed listening to on tapes, and he decided others would enjoy them as well.
- 2024:Â Fans in Cape Town, South Africa, were treated to big-name performers at the Cape Town Country Festival. Zac Brown Band, Brothers Osborne, and Morgan Wade headlined this music festival. Craig Morgan, Roan Ash, and Ricus Nel also took the stage on the final day of this two-day festival.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From a marriage to a death, these were industry changes for Oct. 27:
- 1991:Â "What Part of No" singer, Lorrie Morgan, married her third husband. Morgan married Brad Thompson, who was Clint Black's bus driver, and Black was Thompson's best man. The couple divorced two years later.
- 2018:Â "Easy Loving" singer Freddie Hart died at the age of 91. Hart was originally a country music songwriter, crafting songs such as Patsy Cline's "Lovin' In Vain" and Porter Wagoner's "Skid Row Joe."
Oct. 27 was a significant day for the country music industry. We lost the legend Freddie Hart, whose death was a blow to many who got their start because of his musical vision. Several deserving artists, including Kenny Rogers, were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on this day.
