Talk about going out with a bang. The numbers are in, and Alan Jackson‘s final concert has set a new world record for single-show revenue. According to new figures from “Touring Data,” “Last Call: One More for the Road – The Finale” grossed $34.7-million at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on June 27th, with all 56-thousand available tickets sold. That makes Jackson the first artist in history to gross more than $30-million from a single concert. The average ticket price of $618.95 was also the highest ever reported for a stadium concert. It was Alan’s farewell show, but he shares that record with the many artists that appeared on stage before and with him, including George Strait, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Riley Green, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, Little Big Town and Lee Ann Womack.
TAG SEARCH RESULTS FOR: ""
This day in Country Music History
Posted on by Bob Ballard
- Today in 1954, Elvis Presley made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry. It was the only time he ever performed there.
- Today in 1961, the single, “I Fall To Pieces,” by Patsy Cline peaked at #12 on the pop singles chart.
- Today in 1973, Charlie Rich’s single, “Behind Closed Doors,” was certified gold.
- Today in 1981, the album, “Saddle Tramp,” by Charlie Daniels Band was certified gold.
- Today in 1981, George Strait’s album, “Strait Country,” was released.
- Today in 1984, John Anderson’s “Greatest Hits” album arrived in stores.
- Today in 1990, the “Rumor Has It” album by Reba McEntire was released.
- Today in 1991, Dottie West died at the age of 58 as a result of injuries she sustained five days earlier in a car accident. As the first female country GRAMMY winner, Dottie was considered by many as a trailblazer for female country performers.
- Today in 1998, Jo Dee Messina was certified for the first time, scoring a gold album for “I’m Alright” and a gold single for the double-sided hit “I’m Alright” and “Bye Bye.”
- Today in 2001, Jeff Carson’s album, “Real Life,” and Hal Ketchum’s “Lucky Man” project arrived in stores.
- Today in 2001, Trace Adkins and his wife, Rhonda, welcomed their second child, Brianna Rhea. The newest addition to the family joined the couple’s other daughter, Mackenzie and Trace’s two teenage daughters (from his previous marriage). Here’s a piece of fun trivia for you: while Brianna Rhea weighed in at 6-lbs, 6-oz at birth – ironically, her daddy is 6′, 6″ tall.
- Today in 2002, the Dixie Chicks’ album, “Home,” debuted at #1 on the multi-genre Billboard 200 chart and the “Billboard” Country Albums charts with the highest first full week’s sales of any female group in the SoundScan era. In fact, fans snapped up 779,828 copies of “Home” in its first week of release. The accomplishment also set the record for the highest first week sales for any female country artist and any country group. In case you were wondering, the previous record holder was the Chicks themselves. They previously held the title in both categories.
- Today in 2008, Trace Adkins performed the national anthem at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, where John McCain accepted the presidential nomination during the Republican National Convention.
- Today in 2012, Gary Allan’s single, “Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain),” was released.
- Today in 2014, Garth Brooks officially ended his retirement from the road as he and Trisha Yearwood launched an 11-show run at the Allstate Arena in Chicago.
MEET THE H & S FEED & COUNTRY STORE PET OF THE WEEK: HONEYBUN
Posted on by Bob Ballard
This week’s H & S Feed & Country Store Pet of the Week is “Honeybun”, an adorable 11 month old female kitty who gets along great with other cats and dogs, and positively loves people! Honeybun loves to cuddle, and is ready for her ‘fur-ever’ home.
Honeybun is fully vaccinated, vetted, spayed, microchipped and ready to go!
And since Honeybun is the H & S Feed & Country Store Pet of the Week, her adoption fee is only $30 this week!
If you’d like to set up an appointment to meet Honeybun or any of the pets at Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter, visit https://www.stephenmemorial.org/ and fill out an adoption application.
Check out our visit about Honeybun with Izzy from Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter here:
Why Dolly Parton Kept Her Cancer Diagnosis A Secret
Posted on by Bob Ballard
Dolly Parton had been telling fans that she was ill, that she had suffered from kidney stones that were keeping her sidelined, but as we all now know, there was more going on than that. Dolly’s passing came after a very private battle with cancer, and fans are wondering why the singer had kept that diagnosis under wraps. Jada Star, Dolly’s niece, explained that to “Extra.” “We kind of kept all that stuff real private,” Star said of the illness. “She never wanted to worry anybody. So I think it was just a shock on Tuesday.”
This day in Country Music History
Posted on by Bob Ballard
- Today in 1961, Loretta Lynn signed with Decca Records.
- Today in 1988,Rodney Crowell scores a #1 single in Billboard with “I Couldn’t Leave You If I Tried.”
- Today in 2005,Faith Hill’s “Mississippi Girl” set up residence at number one on the Billboard country chart.
- Today in 2006,Tim McGraw & Faith Hill’s Soul2Soul II Tour wraps at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The couple brought in almost $89 million during the concert run, setting a record as the highest-grossing country tour in history
- Today in 2008,Taylor Swift makes her European concert debut, performing a sold-out show at King’s College in London
- Today in 2009,Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova” was released.
- Today in 2013,Thomas Rhett scored a gold single for “It Goes Like This.”
- Today in 2014, Miranda Lambert picked up nine nominations in the Country Music Association awards for the second time in her career, buoyed by the album “Platinum,” the single “Automatic” and the collaborations “We Were Us” and “Somethin’ Bad.”
- Today in 2016, Justin Moore’s “Kinda Don’t Care” hit #1 on the Billboard country albums chart.
- Today in 2017, LoCash’s Chris Lucas and his wife, Kaitlyn, welcome their third child, Violet Reid Lucas, at the Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, Tennessee.
- Today in 2018, Keith Urban played a lunch-time benefit concert for prostate cancer causes in Toowoomba, Australia, raising nearly $1.5-million.
- Today in 2018, an edition of “CMT Crossroads” premiered with Brett Eldredge and Meghan Trainor. The night’s performances include “All About That Bass,” “Drunk On Your Love,” “Wanna Be That Song” and “Islands In The Stream.”
- Today in 2019, Ashley McBryde’s “One Night Standards” hit the airwaves.
This day in Country Music History
Posted on by Bob Ballard
- Today in 1981, Juice Newton’s single, “Queen of Hearts,” was certified gold.
- Today in 1989, Randy Travis crossed a Las Vegas Musicians Union picket line to begin a three-night series of shows at Bally’s.
- Today in 1983, the single, “I’m Only In It For The Love,” by John Conlee topped the charts.
- Today in 1991, Garth Brooks’ album, “Ropin’ The Wind,” was released. The first country album to enter “Billboard’s” Top 200 and Top Country Albums chart at #1, it was then the second biggest selling country CD of all time.
- Today in 2001, The “Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon” began. Country guests included Reba McEntire, Billy Gilman, Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam, Tammy Cochran, Mickey Gilley, Sara Evans, The Clark Family Experience and The Oak Ridge Boys.
- Today in 2009, Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor” went gold.
- Today in 2019, Maddie & Tae member Tae Dye got engaged to “Love Me Like You Mean It” songwriter Josh Kerr in Nashville. The got hitched the following February.
- Today in 2010, Brooks & Dunn played the final concert of the “Last Rodeo” farewell tour at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena with proceeds earmarked for the Country Music Hall of Fame. Reba McEntire guested on “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” and their last song was “Brand New Man.”
- Today in 2011, Miranda Lambert’s single, “Only Prettier,” went gold.
- Today in 2011, Alabama raised more than $169,000 for tornado relief with a benefit concert at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in Alabama.
- Today in 2014, Lee Brice’s single, “I Don’t Dance,” was certified platinum.
- Today in 2014, Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation announced plans to open a no-kill animal shelter in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.
- Today in 2015, TLC airs the one-hour reality special, “Big Kenny & Family.” John Rich makes a brief appearance and Big Kenny sings “Last Dollar (Fly Away)” as the program showed the difficulty of maintaining a home life with a job that keeps an artist on the road so often. “My dad,” said one of Big Kenny’s sons, “is a child, basically.”
- Today in 2016, Trace Adkins raised $10,000 for the family of late police officer Kenny Moats in a benefit at Back Porch On The Creek in Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Today in 2017, Sam Hunt correctly predicted eight of nine winners as the guest picker on ESPN’s football show “College GameDay.”
- Today in 2017, Taylor Swift served as a bridesmaid as her friend, Abigail Anderson, married Matt Lucier at Old Whaling Church in Edgartown, Massachusetts.
- Today in 2019, Dierks Bentley received a ticket in Buena Vista, Colorado, for fishing without a license after posting a photo on social media of a trout he caught in Cottonwood Creek. He paid the fine of $139.50.
- Today in 2020, Thomas Rhett presented the Recording Academy’s MusiCares wing $100,000 for its COVID-19 Relief Fund. The gift came in addition to Rhett granting all proceeds from “Be A Light” to the charity.
Ella Langley Returns The Favor For Coach Who Believed In Her
Posted on by Bob Ballard
Ella Langley hasn’t forgotten the people who were there when she wasn’t “the Ella Langley.” When she was growing up in Hope Hull, Alabama, Langley had a teacher, Maury Popwell (known as “Coach Pop”) who would meet with her before school so the two could play guitar together. When he heard she was going to try her luck in Nashville, Coach Pop gave her his own 12-string guitar. When Langley played two sold-out nights at Auburn University in Alabama over the weekend, she made sure to repay the favor.
According to Coach Pop’s granddaughter, Langley sent him tickets to the concert and surprised him backstage with a guitar of his own. In pics, Coach Pop could be seen with Ella as he held a “Dandelion” guitar on which Ella had written, “Love you Coach Pop!! Ella Langley,” along with her autograph.
CMA Announces When They’ll Reveal 2026 Nominees
Posted on by Bob Ballard
The Country Music Association has announced…when they’ll be making an announcement. Yesterday the CMA revealed that the nominees for The 60th Annual CMA Awards would be unveiled September 10. The big announcement will come in stages: “Good Morning America” host Lara Spencer will reveal a selection of categories live on air, before continuing in Nashville, where Lee Ann Womack and “American Idol” Season 24 winner Hannah Harper will host a livestream at 8am CT to unveil the remaining categories on CMA’s official YouTube channel. The 60th Annual CMA Awards will broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18th, on ABC, Disney+ and the next day on Hulu.
This day in Country Music History
Posted on by Bob Ballard
- Today In 1956, Elvis Presley buys his mother a pink Cadillac while in Los Angeles to record.
- Today In 1974, John Denver closed a one-week stand at Los Angeles’ Universal Amphitheatre, where he recorded the live album “An Evening With John Denver.” It included “Thank God I’m A Country Boy.”
- Today In 1992, Vince Gill releases his “I Still Believe in You” album.
- Today In 1998, Richie McDonald, of Lonestar, and wife Lorie welcome daughter Mollie Ann.
- Today In 1998, Alan Jackson’s “High Mileage” album is released.
- Today In 1999, Chad Brock marries Marleda Upton, the woman who inspired his hit “Yes!” Unfortunately, they later said “No!” The couple has divorced.
- Today In 2000, The Dixie Chicks’ Wide Open Spaces receives a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (R-I-A-A) for selling more than 10-million copies.
- Today In 2001, The Broadway revival of “Annie Get Your Gun” closes with Crystal Bernard (“Wings”) in the title role. She took over when Reba McEntire left the production just two months earlier, but ticket sales slumped after Reba departed.
- Today In 2003, Jimmy Wayne and Buddy Jewell perform on Jerry Lewis’ annual Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.
- Today in 2004, Sara Evans performed “Born To Fly” on the third night of the Republican National Convention at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Brooks & Dunn sing “Only In America” after a speech by incumbent vice president Dick Cheney.
- Today in 2005, Little Big Town’s “Boondocks” video debuted on CMT.
- Today in 2006, Taylor Swift performed “Tim McGraw” in her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.
- Today in 2010, Miranda Lambert wound up with a total of nine Country Music Association Awards nominations – the most ever for a female artist – as the CMA wrapped two days of finalist announcements for its 44th annual awards.
- Today in 2012, Blake Shelton’s “Over” was at #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
- Today in 2013, during ABC’s “MDA Show Of Strength Telethon” special, Luke Bryan performed “Country Man,” Darius Rucker sang “Radio” and Lee Ann Womack offered up a rendition of “I Hope You Dance.” The event also featured Carole King, Kenny Loggins and Blue Sky Riders.
- Today in 2015, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires welcomed their daughter, Mercy Rose Isbell.
- Today in 2015, Don Henley was at Austin City Limits Live in Texas to record an edition of PBS’ “Austin City Limits.” He was joined by Jamey Johnson, Martina McBride, Ashley Monroe and Trisha Yearwood, as well as Chicks Martie Maguire and Emily Robison Strayer.
- Today in 2016, Angel, an 18-year-old cancer patient in Alabama, received an encouraging phone call from her favorite country act, Florida Georgia Line.
- Today in 2017, Luke Bryan played “Light It Up” live for the first time as a guest on “The Bobby Bones Show.”
- Today in 2018, Cole Swindell had Billboard’s #1 country album with “All Of It.”
- Today in 2018, Big & Rich’s “Comin’ To Your City” returned as the theme song for ESPN’s “College GameDay.” Luke Bryan appeared in the season’s opening week as guest picker…and rightly so! He successfully predicted nine winners in 12 key games.
- Today in 2020, Miranda Lambert was the top nominee with seven nod for the 54th annual CMA Awards. She competed for Entertainer and Female Vocalist of the Year; with “Bluebird” for Single, Song and Music Video. Her “Wildcard” Album was also nominated, as was the multi-artist cover of “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – for Musical Event.
- Today in 2020, Elvie Shane’s debut single, “My Boy,” hit the airwaves.
- Today in 2021, the “Nelly & Friends” episode of “CMT Crossroads” premiered with guests Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, Blanco Brown and BRELAND.
- Today in 2021, Honeysuckle Hill Farm in Springfield, Tennessee, revealed its annual corn maze had been made in the likeness of Loretta Lynn.
This day in Country Music History
Posted on by Bob Ballard
- Today in 1968,the single, “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” by Jeannie C. Riley, entered the Top 40 chart.
- Today in 1993,Tracy Lawrence’s “Alibis” album was certified platinum.
- Today in 1993,Garth Brooks announced that he wanted to make movies and had signed with an agency to represent him.
- Today in 1994,Clay Walker’s self-titled debut album was certified platinum.
- Today in 1994,Dwight Yoakam’s “This Time” album was certified double platinum.
- Today in 1998,Hank Williams’ “40 Greatest Hits” album was certified gold and platinum simultaneously.
- Today in 1998,Dixie Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces” album was certified platinum.
- Today in 1999,Dixie Chicks’ “Fly” album was released.
- Today in 2007, Trisha Yearwood and R&B singer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds shot an episode of “CMT Crossroads” at Belmont University’s Curb Entertainment Center in Nashville. The set list included “How Do I Live,” “Change The World” and “Walkaway Joe.”
- Today in 2010, Miranda Lambert received five nominations for the 44thannual Country Music Association awards on the first of two days of nominee announcements. Three are for “White Liar,” two for “The House That Built Me.”
- Today in 2012, Randy Houser’s “How Country Feels” video debuted on CMT.
- Today in 2016, Maren Morris shot an episode of “CMT Crossroads” with Alicia Keys at The Factory in Franklin, Tennessee.
NEWSLETTER
Stay updated, sign up for our newsletter.
Thanks for signing up!