This Day in Country History: March 9
March 9 saw record certifications, benefit concerts, and significant changes and challenges. There were a couple of deaths of legends in the country music industry, a new record label signing,…
March 9 saw record certifications, benefit concerts, and significant changes and challenges. There were a couple of deaths of legends in the country music industry, a new record label signing, and a popular Tim McGraw song release on March 9.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
An honorary degree and the first stop of a tour took place on March 9.
- 2002: The University of Kentucky gave Loretta Lynn an honorary Doctor of Arts. This is a non-academic award presented to someone who has made significant contributions to society.
- 2019: The legendary Garth Brooks has his first stop at the St. Louis Dome at America Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Ticket sales were impressive, and the stadium said that Brooks' show set a record for the largest paid event at this venue.
Cultural Milestones
Benefit concerts with key artists were cultural milestones on March 9.
- 2020: Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, and the Brothers Osborne were performers at the To Nashville With Love benefit concert. Proceeds from this show, held at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, went to help those affected by the recent tornado damage.
- 2021: At the Heart Strings for Hope benefit concert for the MultiCare Inland Northwest Behavioral Health Foundation, which supports MusicCares benefiting artists with mental health issues. Tim McGraw was the headliner, with other performers such as Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, and Mat Kearney.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Notable certifications and a song release on March 9 included:
- 2009: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gave Reba McEntire's album Keep On Loving You a Gold certification.
- 2011: Eric Church's "Smoke a Little Smoke" received a Gold certification from the RIAA. By March 18, 2025, the same song had received 4x Platinum certification.
- 2023: Big Machine Records released Tim McGraw's "Standing Room Only" to the radio.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Changes and challenges for the music industry on March 9 included:
- 2011: Randy Houser's tour bus caught fire. The fire destroyed gear, clothing, equipment, and personal belongings, but no one was injured. Houser and his band were heading to perform a concert at the Isle of Palms in South Carolina, and despite the fire, they played the show.
- 2015: Jerry Brightman died at the age of 61. He was the pedal steel guitar player for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. Brightman recorded several albums with the Buckaroos, went on tour with them, and was also a cast member of the TV show Hee Haw.
- 2015: Country music songwriter Wayne Kemp died at the age of 74. Kemp was known for writing songs like "The Fireman," recorded by George Strait, and "One Piece at a Time," by Johnny Cash.
- 2020: The "Ladies Love Cowboys" singer Trace Adkins signed a recording deal with Verge Records. Mickey Jack Cones is the president of this record label and has worked previously with Adkins, producing albums like Jesus and Jones and Proud to Be Here.
Modern country music has evolved from legends like Loretta Lynn, who received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree on March 9. The RIAA continues to acknowledge artists with record and album certifications, as we saw on March 9, and touring has its challenges, like Randy Houser's bus catching on fire on March 9.
