This Day in Country History: August 28
Aug. 28 is a significant day in country music history, especially for Chris Stapleton, who secured a clutch of Country Music Awards nominations on this day in 2018. Among other…
Aug. 28 is a significant day in country music history, especially for Chris Stapleton, who secured a clutch of Country Music Awards nominations on this day in 2018. Among other events, Aug. 28 also saw the birth of Shania Twain, whose music helped define a new era of country during the 1990s.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Both Chris Stapleton and record producer Sam Phillips reached impressive milestones on Aug. 28:
- 2015: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened an exhibit honoring Sun Records founder Sam Phillips. The exhibit, Flyin' Saucers Rock & Roll: The Cosmic Genius of Sam Phillips, showcased his work with legends such as Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Jackie Brenston.
- 2018: Soulful "Tennessee Whiskey" singer Chris Stapleton received five nominations for the Country Music Awards. He was nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Single and Song of the Year for "Broken Halos," Album of the Year for From a Room: Volume 2, and Male Vocalist of the Year.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some big names have given significant performances on Aug. 28, including:
- 2015: Kenny Chesney performed the first of two shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, as part of his The Big Revival tour. There were over 60,000 fans from the No Shoes Nation present to enjoy Chesney's live performance and the electric atmosphere.
- 2024: Toby Keith: American Icon, a tribute to the late singer filmed at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, aired on TV. Carrie Underwood sang Keith's "A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action," while other stars who took to the stage in his honor included Eric Church, Riley Green, and HARDY.
Industry Changes and Challenges
August 28 has seen both ends and beginnings, with important events including:
- 1965: Shania Twain was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Twain helped add pop aspects to country music, and songs like "You're Still the One" and "Come On Over" helped define the style of country music in the '90s.
- 2019: Doris Yvonne Duckworth Tillis died at the age of 79. Doris was the mother of the country singer Pam Tillis and the ex-wife of the late Mel Tillis.
- 2019: "Livin' My Best Life" singer Dylan Scott and his wife, Blair, welcomed a baby girl. Also greeting the new arrival, named Finley Gray Scott, was her older brother, Beckett.
It's always wonderful to welcome a new life into the country music family, as we did on this day with Dylan Scott's little girl. At the same time, it's important to remember those we've lost, such as Doris Tillis, and the 2024 tribute to the late Toby Keith, with a performance and a powerful statement from Carrie Underwood, provided a great example of how to send off a country music legend.
