This Day in Country History: March 29
March 29 saw awards, exhibits, and several significant record releases, including Beyoncé’s first country music album, Cowboy Carter. The deaths of Joe Diffie and Dannie Jones on March 29 were a…
March 29 saw awards, exhibits, and several significant record releases, including Beyoncé's first country music album, Cowboy Carter. The deaths of Joe Diffie and Dannie Jones on March 29 were a blow to the music industry. Still, fans of country music had plenty of fun attending concerts, including one by Kane Brown and another by Carrie Underwood.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These were significant musical milestones for March 29:
- 2019: Warner Records Nashville released Blake Shelton's hit song "God's Country." This song was co-written by Nashville songwriters HARDY and Devin Dawson, received a 4x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and won Single of the Year at the 2019 Country Music Association Awards (CMA Awards).
- 2024: Pop diva Beyoncé released her first country music album, Cowboy Carter, which received a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Album of the Year at the 2025 GRAMMY Awards. The song "Texas Hold 'Em" received a 2x Platinum certification, and the track "16 Carriages" received a Gold certification from the RIAA.
Cultural Milestones
Awards and exhibits that honored select individuals on March 29 included:
- 2015: Weekend presentations at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's exhibit Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City included a harmonica demonstration by Charlie McCoy and the screening of episode one of the 1969 The Johnny Cash Show that featured Bob Dylan as a guest on Cash's TV show.
- 2020: The PBS TV station broadcast Garth Brooks' performance for the Garth Brooks: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He was the first performer to open the Gershwin Prize with his own work.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From record releases, concerts, and chart-toppers, these were notable events for March 29:
- 2019: Now That's What I Call Country Vol. 12 was released on this date. This collaboration album featured artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Midland, and more.
- 2025: Carrie Underwood performed for the REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas, Nevada.
- 2025: Chappell Roan's song "The Giver" hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. This was the first time this pop/country crossover singer was on the Top 10 of the Hot 100.
- 2025: Kane Brown took his The High Road Tour to the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He had guests Scotty McCreery and Dasha on this tour stop.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The deaths of two industry legends on March 29 changed the country music industry.
- 2004: The Bellamy Brothers' steel guitarist Dannie Jones died at the age of 51. He played with the "Let Your Love Flow" band for nearly 14 years.
- 2020: The legendary Joe Diffie died at the age of 61. Diffie had numerous hits during his career, including “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)” and “Pickup Man.” He died from complications after contracting the coronavirus.
The country music genre is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse. We saw a major pop star, Beyoncé, release a country music album on March 29, which won a GRAMMY Award, and another pop star, Chappell Roan, had a country song hit the Billboard charts on March 29.
