This Day in Country History: April 7

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 2019: Australian-born singer Keith Urban won Entertainer of the Year, and Dan + Shay won Duo of the Year.
• 2019: The esteemed awards show also saw songstress Kacey Musgraves win Female Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, and Thomas Rhett win Male Artist of the Year for the second time. 
• 2019: Jason Aldean was presented with the Dick Clark Artist of the Decade award, and Old Dominion won the Group of the Year Award. Many country artists performed during the show, including Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, and Carrie Underwood.
• 2024: At the CMT Awards held at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, Jelly Roll's "Need a Favor" won Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year. Female Video of the Year went to Lainey Wilson for "Watermelon Moonshine," and Dan + Shay's "Save Me the Trouble" took home Duo/Group Video of the Year.
• 2025: Basement East in Nashville was the venue for Bobby Bare's 90th birthday celebration. Hosted by his son, this event, called An American Salute to Bobby Bare, featured performances by Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, and more.

Cultural Milestones

• 1990: The Farm Aid IV benefit concert was held at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana, with tickets sold out in 90 minutes. Headliners for this concert included Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and rockers Guns N' Roses, showing how cross-genre performers can unite for a cause.
• 2017: The Patsy Cline Museum held its grand opening in Nashville. Fans enjoyed seeing artifacts, personal belongings, photographs, and more at this museum, which is located above the famous Johnny Cash Museum.
• 2018: It was announced that the annual Cattle Baron's Ball would be held in Wichita, Kansas, and that The Bellamy Brothers would perform at the American Cancer Society's cancer research fundraiser.
• 2018: Country Music Hall of Fame member Bobby Bare was reinstated as a member of the prestigious Grand Ole Opry after being originally inducted in the 1960s.
• 2021: Netflix premiered Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute on this date. Performers at this tribute included Kacy Musgraves, Miley Cyrus, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, and Leon Bridges. Riley Green and Lukas Wilson also performed.
• 2024: During the Austin, Texas, CMT Awards, stars, including Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson, and rocker Sammy Hagar, paid a special tribute performance to the late Toby Keith, who died on February 5, 2024.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 2014: Singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley released his new single "Drunk on a Plane." 
• 2017: Husband-and-wife country singers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill launched their massive 65-date 2017 Soul2Soul World Tour on April 7 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Brothers Osborn performed at their opening show.
• 2017: Dierks Bentley gave a free performance at his club, Whiskey Row, in Gilbert, Arizona.
• 2020: Keith Urban's album Ripcord received a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
• 2021: Eric Church announced he was going on tour for 2021. His The Gather Again Tour started in the fall, and after 55 cities, ended at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2022.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2011: Singer Shooter Jennings and actor Drea de Mateo welcomed a baby boy, Waylon Albert "Blackjack" Jennings. The couple also has a daughter, Alabama Gypsyrose.
• 2017: In a twist, country duo Florida Georgia Line (FGL) collaborated with pop/EDM duo the Chainsmokers for the song "Last Day Alive," released on this date. Previously, FGL collaborated with the pop boy band the Backstreet Boys, showing the willingness for artists to explore crossover genres.
• 2017: High Valley singer Curtis Rempel and his wife Myranda welcomed a baby girl named Millie June, a little sister for their son Ben.
• 2020: John Prine, one of the country's greatest singers and songwriters, died from complications related to COVID-19 aged 73. He's known for songs such as "Angel From Montgomery," "Hello in There," and "It's a Big Old Goofy World."
• 2020: Famed country singer and American Idol judge Luke Bryan announced the cancellation of his upcoming Proud to Be Here tour and the postponed release of his new album Born Here Live Here Die Here due to COVID-19.
• 2021: Dolly Parton's uncle, Bill Owens, died at the age of 85. Owens was a prolific songwriter who wrote Parton's songs, including "I'm Fed Up With You," “Sometimes an Old Memory Gets in My Eye,” and "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)."