2016 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2016.
Overview of the events of 2016 in country music
Events
January 7 – Rachel Reinert announces that she is leaving the band Gloriana .[ 1]
January 26 – Thomas Rhett 's "Die a Happy Man " spends a sixth week at No. 1 on Country Airplay , becoming the first artist to spend six or more weeks atop that chart since Taylor Swift did so with "Our Song " in late 2007.[ 2]
February 11 – Charles Kelley and wife Cassie McConnell welcome first child, son Ward Charles Kelley.[ 3]
March 1 – Don Williams announces his retirement after six decades in the music business.[ 4]
March 4 – Loretta Lynn releases her album Full Circle Van Lear Rose .
March 7 – Dolly Parton announces plans for her first major North American tour in 25 years.[ 5]
April 1 – Carrie Underwood quest Kellie Pickler , Kelleigh Bannen , Lauren Alaina and Jana Kramer at the 4th ACM Party for a Cause Festival in Las Vegas Festival Grounds.
May 12 – ABC cancels musical drama Nashville [ 6] [ 7]
June 1 – The Dixie Chicks begin their DCX MMXVI World Tour , the first time the band has toured North America in ten years.[ 8] [ 9]
July 11 – The body of Craig Morgan 's 19-year-old son, Jerry Greer, is recovered from Kentucky Lake.[ 10]
September 16 – A total of 30 artists gather to record "Forever Country ", a single released in honor of the 50th annual Country Music Association awards.[ 11] [ 12]
December 17 – Benny Birchfield, the widower of country music singer Jean Shepard , is injured following an attack at his home, where two others died. One of the victims was Icie Hawkins, granddaughter of Shepard and Hawkshaw Hawkins .[ 13]
Top hits of the year
The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs , Country Airplay or Canada Country charts in 2016:
Singles released by American artists
Singles released by Canadian artists
Notes "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Top new album releases
The following albums placed on the Top Country Albums charts in 2016:
Other top albums
Deaths
January 8 – Red Simpson , 81, singer-songwriter best known for the 1971 hit "I'm a Truck ." (heart attack)[ 36]
January 18 – Glenn Frey , 67, founding member of the Eagles (numerous complications)[ 37]
February 22 – Sonny James , 87, singer and Country Music Hall of Fame member (natural causes).[ 38]
March 4 – Joey Martin Feek , 40, one-half of husband-and-wife duo Joey + Rory (cervical cancer)[ 39]
March 9 – Ray Griff , 75, Canadian singer-songwriter (aspiration pneumonia)[ 40]
March 18 – Ned Miller , 90, singer of the 1960s, best known for "From a Jack to a King ."
April 6 – Merle Haggard , 79, singer-songwriter with many hits between the 1960s and 1980s, known as a pioneer of the Bakersfield sound (pneumonia).[ 41]
May 16 – Emilio Navaira , 53, Tejano and country music singer, best known for the 1995 hit "It's Not the End of the World" (heart attack).[ 42]
May 17 – Guy Clark , 74, singer-songwriter best known for hits recorded by Rodney Crowell , Ricky Skaggs , Steve Wariner and others (cancer).[ 43]
June 23 – Ralph Stanley , 89, legendary bluegrass pioneer who was a member of The Stanley Brothers and the Grand Ole Opry (skin cancer)[ 44]
July 16 – Bonnie Brown , 77, member of The Browns (lung cancer)[ 45]
August 5 – Richard Fagan , 69, songwriter best known for co-writing two of John Michael Montgomery's number one hits: "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) " and "Be My Baby Tonight " (liver cancer).[ 46]
September 1 – Kacey Jones , 66, singer-songwriter and humorist, writer of the Mickey Gilley hit "I'm the One Mama Warned You About ", cancer.[ 47]
September 21 – John D. Loudermilk , 82, singer and songwriter.
September 25 – Jean Shepard , 82, pioneering female country artist and the only woman to be a member of the Opry for sixty years (Parkinson's disease).[ 48]
October 30 – Curly Putman , 85, songwriter, known for writing or co-writing classics such as "Green, Green Grass of Home ", "D-I-V-O-R-C-E " and "He Stopped Loving Her Today ".
November 14 – Holly Dunn , 59, singer-songwriter and former Opry member best known for this hits "Daddy's Hands ", "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me " and "You Really Had Me Going " (ovarian cancer).[ 49]
December 2 – Mark Gray , 64, singer-songwriter and member of Exile from 1979 and 1982.[ 50]
December 18 – Gordie Tapp , 94, comedian and longtime cast member of the television series Hee Haw [ 51]
Hall of Fame inductees
Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Inductees
Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
Major awards
Academy of Country Music
(presented April 2, 2017 in Las Vegas )
ACM Honors
(presented August 30, 2016)
American Country Countdown Awards
(presented May 1 in Los Angeles )
Academy of Country Music
American Music Awards
(presented in November 20 in Los Angeles)
ARIA Awards
(presented in Sydney on November 23, 2016)
Canadian Country Music Association
(presented September 11 in London, Ontario )
Country Music Association
(presented November 2 in Nashville )
CMT Music Awards
(presented on June 8 in Nashville )
CMT Artists of the Year
(presented on October 20, 2016, in Nashville) [ 52]
Grammy Awards
(presented February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles )
Juno Awards
(presented April 2, 2017 in Ottawa )
See also
References
^ "Rachel Reinert leaves Gloriana" . Taste of Country . January 7, 2016.^ "Thomas Rhett's 'Die a Happy Man' Ties Taylor Swift Record" . Taste of Country . January 26, 2016.^ "Charles and Cassie Kelley Welcome Son Ward Charles" . People Babies . February 11, 2016.^ "Don Williams announces retirement" . The Tennessean . March 1, 2016.^ "Dolly Parton Announces New Album, Tour" . RS Country . March 7, 2016.^ "Nashville canceled in surprise move by ABC" . Entertainment Weekly ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 10, 2016). " . Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 10, 2016 . ^ "Dixie Chicks To Launch North American Tour Next Summer" . The Huffington Post . Retrieved November 17, 2015 .^ "Dixie Chicks on Twitter" . Twitter . Retrieved 2016-05-16 .^ Gadd, Chris; Watts, Cindy; Simmons, Andy (July 12, 2016). "Body of Craig Morgan's son found after Tennessee River search" . wbir.com . Retrieved July 12, 2016 . [permanent dead link ] ^ Finan, Eileen (September 16, 2016). "The Story Behind Country Music's Epic Mash-Up! Plus: Hear Blake, Carrie, Miranda and 36 Other Stars Sing 'Forever Country' . People . Retrieved 21 September 2016 . ^ Trust, Gary, "Making Music With Their Friends: 'Forever Country' Debuts at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs," Billboard [1]
^ Garrison, Joey, "2 killed in attack at home of late country music star Jean Shepard," The Tennessean , Dec. 19, 2016. Accessed 12-19-2016. [2]
^ a b c "Dallas Smith Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved April 10, 2014 .^ a b c "High Valley Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved January 21, 2015 .^ "Cold Creek County Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved May 17, 2016 .^ "Meghan Patrick Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved April 5, 2016 .^ a b c "Dean Brody Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved December 29, 2015 .^ "Lindsay Ell Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved April 5, 2016 .^ a b c "Brett Kissel Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved November 24, 2013 .^ a b "George Canyon Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 9, 2016 .^ "Aaron Pritchett Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved May 10, 2016 .^ a b "Bobby Wills Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved March 20, 2014 .^ a b "Jess Moskaluke Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 9, 2016 .^ "Dan Davidson Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved June 4, 2021 .^ a b "Jojo Mason Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved January 5, 2016 .^ "Gord Bamford Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 18, 2016 .^ a b "Chad Brownlee Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved January 26, 2016 .^ "Tebey Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved March 1, 2016 .^ "James Barker Band Chart History (Canada Country)" . Billboard the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2022 .^ a b "Washboard Union Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 23, 2016 .^ "Autumn Hill Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved March 15, 2016 .^ "Jason Blaine Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 18, 2015 .^ "Tim Hicks Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved November 5, 2016 .^ a b "Madeline Merlo Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country" . Billboard Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 9, 2016 .^ Morris, Edward (January 9, 2016). "Red Simpson, Pioneer of Bakersfield Sound, Dead at 81" . CMT the original on January 13, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2016 . ^ Kreps, Daniel (January 18, 2016). "Glenn Frey, Eagles Guitarist, Dead at 67" . Rolling Stone ^ Hanks`, Henry. "Country music legend Sonny James dies at 87" . CNN . Retrieved 25 February 2016 . ^ Margason, Greg. "Joey Feek from Joey + Rory passes away after battle with cancer" . Fox 59 . Retrieved 4 March 2016 . ^ "Legendary Calgary 'country gentleman' Ray Griff dies at the age of 75" . Calgary Herald ^ "Merle Haggard Dead at Age 79" . CMT . April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016.^ NPR, Camila Domonoske. "Tejano Music Legend Emilio Navaira Dies At 53" . npr.org . The Two Way by NPR. Retrieved May 17, 2016 . ^ Cooper, Peter (May 17, 2016). "Guy Clark dead at 74" . The Tennessean . Retrieved May 17, 2016 . ^ "Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley dies at the age of 89" . Wdbj7.com. June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016 .^ "Country Music Hall of Famer Bonnie Brown dead at 77" . Tennessean.com . 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2016-07-16 .^ "Songwriter Richard Fagan Dead at 69" . Taste of Country .^ "Singer-Comedian Kacey Jones Dead at 66" . Rolling Stone .^ "Country Music Hall of Famer Jean Shepard dead at 82" . Tennessean.com . Retrieved September 25, 2016 .^ " . The New York Times Associated Press . 15 November 2016.^ "Mark Gray, '80s Hitmaker, Dead at 64" . CMT . December 4, 2016. Archived from the original on December 5, 2016.^ "Canadian entertainer Gordie Tapp passes away at 94" . CBC News. December 18, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2016 .^ Reuter, Annie. "Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton Named CMT Artists of the Year" . Taste of Country .