This Day in Country History: August 3
Willie Nelson, Jason Aldean, Carly Pearce, and Reba McEntire are names that dominated the country music world on August 3. On this day, there were heartwarming cultural milestones and fun…
Willie Nelson, Jason Aldean, Carly Pearce, and Reba McEntire are names that dominated the country music world on August 3. On this day, there were heartwarming cultural milestones and fun music festivals.
Cultural Milestones
On August 3, several country music artists achieved cultural milestones, including:
- 2015: Country music queen Reba McEntire announced that she and her husband Narvel Blackstock were separating after 26 years of marriage. At the time, Blackstock had been McEntire's manager for nearly 35 years, and the two stated they would continue to work together even after their separation.
- 2021: The "I Hope You're Happy Now" singer Carly Pearce was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Trisha Yearwood inducted Pearce, and they performed a duet of "How Do I Live."
- 2023: Jason Aldean opened his second Jason Aldean's Kitchen + Rooftop Bar in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Aldean surprised diners at the grand opening with a 35-minute set of his hit songs.
- 2023: The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced that Keith Urban and Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn would be their newest inductees in 2023. Urban is a country music sensation with four GRAMMY Awards and several self-penned smash hits, including "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me." Brooks has also written many of his songs, such as "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone."
Notable Recordings and Performances
Many country music festivals and benefit concerts took place on August 3, such as:
- 2018: Florida Georgia Line and Justin Moore headlined the fourth day of WE Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Chris Jansen, Tyler Farr, and Rodney Atkins also took the stage.
- 2021: Florida Georgia Line, Maren Morris, and Thomas Rhett performed at the FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tennessee, for Together: Feeding Nashville. This benefit concert helped raise funds and awareness to combat food insecurity in Middle Tennessee.
- 2022: Dierks Bentley and Elle King hosted Country Music Association Fest, a three-hour televised event with performances by stars such as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, and Kelsea Ballerini.
- 2023: Morgan Wallen, Bailey Zimmerman, and Chase Rice headlined the first day of WE Fest. ERNEST and Ashland Craft also performed at this festival.
- 2024: Willie Nelson and Family played at Outlaw Music Festival at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. Additional performers included John Mellencamp and Bob Dylan.
It's always interesting to see how two people who have separated can still maintain a friendly working relationship, as is the case with Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock. Being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is a high honor, and many country music stars who have been inducted, such as Keith Urban, often give back to the community with benefits and fundraisers.
