This Day in Country History: March 31

HARDY performs onstage for American Cancer Society's Country vs. Cancer Concert at The Pinnacle

Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

March 31 has seen notable milestones in country music, including the 1949 release of Eddie Arnold's "Texarkana Baby," often credited as the first 45 rpm record issued in the U.S.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

Noteworthy releases and achievements on March 31 include:

2012: Former First Lady Michelle Obama presented Taylor Swift with the Big Help award at Nickelodeon's 25th Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California.
2017: Eric Church headlined for the first time at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. This was a stop on his 2017 Holdin' My Own Tour. Church's tour started on January 13 in Lincoln, Nebraska, and ended on May 27 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
2018: Country icon turned pop star Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance at the iconic Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee. She performed acoustic versions of her smash hits "Shake It Off" and "Love Story" with country songwriter Craig Wiseman.
2023: Country music fans were treated to an exciting evening at the sold-out Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. They got to see LOCASH, Dustin Lynch, and the headliner, Kane Brown, as part of their Drunk or Dreaming Tour. At the end of the show, which featured changing colored lights, he brought out LOCASH and Lynch to sing "One Mississippi."
2025: The songwriter and performer HARDY released his documentary film Songline on his YouTube channel. Through interviews, this film shows how artists approach the songwriting process and the stories behind the songs.

Cultural Milestones

Country artists came together for a benefit, The Johnny Cash Show aired for the last time, and the Country Music Association Fest was canceled:

1971: The final show of The Johnny Cash Show was aired. It ran from 1969 to 1971 and featured numerous country artists, including Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, and Neil Young, known for his sweet country rock.
2015: Trisha Yearwood released her third cookbook, Trisha's Table: My Feel-Good Favorites for a Balanced Life. Her husband, Garth Brooks, wrote the forward for this cookbook. She has two other published cookbooks, Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen and Home Cooking With Trisha Yearwood, both of which are bestsellers.
2017: Carrie Underwood headlined the Organ Project Gala at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Canada. This event helped raise awareness during Organ Donation Awareness Month.
2021: Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelly announced a new partnership with Warner Music Nashville, marking the first step in the country music hitmaker's career.
2021: Country stars Old Dominion, Brad Paisley, Ashley McBryde, and others performed at the All Together for Animals benefit concert. The event was streamed live, and the proceeds went to the Audubon Nature Institute and the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's efforts to support zoos and aquariums that suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: More than two months before the festival's scheduled date, the CMA announced the cancellation of the annual CMA Fest due to ongoing COVID-19 safety concerns and logistical challenges. This was the second consecutive cancellation. The festival returned in 2022.

Notable Recordings and Performances

Memorable events on this day include the following:

2013: Country music crooner Lyle Lovett sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, before an opening day baseball game.
2017: Trace Adkins released his Something's Going On album, featuring songs such as "Ain't Just the Whiskey Talking" and "If Only You Were Lonely."
2022: The "Son of a Sinner" singer Jelly Roll had a concert at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo, New York, as a stop on his Work In Progress tour. While Jelly Roll began his musical career as a hip-hop/rap artist, he is now a major country-soul singer.
2022: Blake Shelton performed at his Ole Red in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, as part of his Spring Blake Tour. Shelton has five other locations for his honky-tonk-inspired bar and restaurants, where he occasionally shows up.
2023: The "Wildflowers and Wild Horses" singer Lainey Wilson performed at the Bluestone in Columbus, Ohio.

Industry Changes and Challenges

March 31 events have had a lasting impact on country music and the music industry in general:

2007: Country singer Billy Joe Shaver was arrested after allegedly shooting a man outside a Texas bar. Supposedly, a drunk man wielding a knife followed Shaver and threatened him, so Shaver shot him in self-defense.
2011: The legendary singer/songwriter Mel McDaniel died from lung cancer. He was known for writing hits like "Louisiana Saturday Night" and "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On." He was also a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 50 years.
2015: Gary Overton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Nashville, stepped down from his role on this date. He had been with this company since 2010, which was home to Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, and Brad Paisley. As of 2025, Taylor Lindsey is CEO of Sony Music Nashville.
2018: The "Lights Down Low" singer Jessie James Decker and her husband, Eric Decker, welcomed their third child, Forrest Bradley Decker, to their household. Today, the couple has four children together.
2021: Smithworks by Pernod Ricard announced a partnership with country superstar Blake Shelton to launch a new Smithworks Hard Seltzer Lemonade. Many musicians branch out into other industries for an extra income stream or brand recognition.

March 31 is a day to reflect on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, benefit concerts, and memorable performances from country music stars.

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Kristina HallWriter