This Day in Country History: March 30
March 30 saw lots of great performances by fan favorites, like Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, and Reba McEntire. Thomas Rhett was born on March 30, and Dolly Parton got married…
March 30 saw lots of great performances by fan favorites, like Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, and Reba McEntire. Thomas Rhett was born on March 30, and Dolly Parton got married on this day. Eric Church surprised his fans, Kacey Musgraves had a significant album release, and Jared Johnston and his wife had a baby on March 30.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Blake Shelton and Kacey Musgraves had milestones on March 30.
- 2024: Blake Shelton had his last stop on the Back to the Honky Tonk Tour with a fundraiser for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. This event, titled Oklahoma Is All for the Hall, was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with performances by Shelton, Wade Hayes, Ronnie Dunn, and Vince Gill.
- 2024: Kacey Musgraves scored big on this day with her album Deeper Well, which debuted on Billboard's Top Album Sales, Top Country Albums, Top Current Album Sales, and Tastemaker Albums.
Cultural Milestones
A marriage of a superstar and the birth of an award-winning artist were cultural milestones on March 30.
- 1966: Dolly Parton married her sweetheart, Carl Dean, after dating for two years. The couple met when Parton first moved to Nashville and were married for nearly 60 years before Carl Dean died on March 3, 2025. While Dean stayed out of the limelight, he was a staunch supporter of Parton's career.
- 1990: The "Marry Me" singer Thomas Rhett was born on this day in Nashville, Tennessee. Rhett is a five-time GRAMMY nominee, co-writer of Cole Swindell's award-winning song "She Had Me at Heads Carolina," and is the son of Rhett Atkins.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Performances that fans enjoyed on March 30 included:
- 2022: Carrie Underwood performed as part of her Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency. This residency started on December 1, 2021, and ran through May 21, 2022.
- 2023: Reba McEntire stopped at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, as part of her 2023 tour.
- 2025: As part of his High Road Tour, Kane Brown stopped at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He had special guests, American Idol winner Scotty McCreery and Dasha, as part of his tour.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A new baby and a sudden show cancellation were industry changes on March 30.
- 2017: Jared Johnston, the lead singer for The Cadillac Three, and his wife, Evym Mustoe, welcomed a baby boy, Jude Daniel. The world heard about the couple's pregnancy when Johnston announced it during a sold-out show that the Cadillac Three were performing at.
- 2022: Fans were left stunned when Eric Church announced he was canceling his April 2nd show at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. He stated that he was spending time with his family to watch the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team in the Men's Final Four.
It's always interesting to see where country music artists perform, from big stadiums in Las Vegas, where Carrie Underwood had her residency, to smaller ones in Canada, as Kane Brown played on March 30. Seeing music live is a social and cultural event that brings fans together, and it's wonderful for them to see their favorite artists on stage.
