This Day in Country History: October 1
Oct. 1, 2017, was a tragic day with the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. On a positive note, the first day…
Oct. 1, 2017, was a tragic day with the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. On a positive note, the first day of October also marks the anniversary of several significant occasions, including concerts, a birth, and a Dolly Parton performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
A big congratulations to Miranda Lambert and Dolly Parton for their outstanding achievements on Oct. 1:
- 2018: Miranda Lambert celebrated earning two-times Platinum from the Recording Industry Association of America for her albums Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Revolution and her single "Over You."
- 2016: Dolly Parton performed to a sold-out crowd at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. This was a stop on her Pure & Simple tour, where she sang some of her heartfelt songs and shared stories from her life.
Cultural Milestones
These culturally impactful concerts occurred on the first day of October:
- 1995: The Farm Aid 10th anniversary benefit concert was held in Louisville, Kentucky. It featured Farm Aid founders Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp, along with other artists, including Steve Earle. It also marked the debut appearance of Dave Matthews, who joined the board of directors in 2001.
- 2019: Ricky Scaggs, Connie Smith, and Jamey Johnson headlined the Hendersonville Hometown Jam, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hendersonville, Tennessee. Other performers at the concert included the Del McCoury Band, Frank Myers, and fiddle player Natalie Stovall.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Oct. 1 witnessed these music festivals:
- 2022: Morgan Wallen, HARDY, and Lauren Alaina were among the headliners for the last day of Country Thunder Bristol in Tennessee. Fans also enjoyed listening to Ian Munsick and Tracy Lawrence.
- 2022: The last day of the Firewater Music Festival in La Cygne, Kansas, featured headliners Whiskey Myers, Southhall, and Quaker City Night Hawks. Goodbye June, The Weathered Souls, and Matt Koziol also performed at this music festival.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Significant events in the country music scene on Oct. 1 included:
- 2017: Jason Aldean was performing on stage at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, when a gunman opened fire, shooting into the audience. This was one of the largest mass shootings in U.S. history, killing 59 people and injuring hundreds of others. Aldean and other performers were not injured.
- 2023: The "God Gave Me a Girl" singer Russell Dickerson and his wife, Kailey, welcomed their second son, whom they named Radford Arthur Dickerson.
Founded by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young, Farm Aid has been held every year since 1985. Miranda Lambert achieved great success with Platinum certifications, and fans enjoyed two major music festivals on Oct. 1.
