This Day in Country History: July 24
From televised music festivals and superstar headliners to performances being cut short due to dangerous weather, July 24 has been a date full of fun events, emotional benefits, and ups and…
From televised music festivals and superstar headliners to performances being cut short due to dangerous weather, July 24 has been a date full of fun events, emotional benefits, and ups and downs for the country music industry through the years.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
On July 24, Tim McGraw, always the superstar, received certifications for several singles, and an annual country music event was televised:
- 2006: The Country Music Association's annual music festival, CMA Fest, was aired on the ABC Television Network with special performances by Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, and more. This televised version featured festival attendees meeting some of the stars.
- 2019: Tim McGraw received numerous certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America. Songs that received Gold certifications included "The Cowboy In Me" and "My Next Thirty Years," while "I Need You" and "When the Stars Go Blue" achieved Platinum status.
Cultural Milestones
Benefits on July 24 that had a cultural impact included:
- 2011: Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, and Miley Cyrus performed at the Starkey Hearing Foundation's 11th annual gala event, So the World May Hear, in St. Paul, Minnesota. This event raises funds to provide hearing aids to children around the world.
- 2018: Ray Scott and Darryl Worley played a benefit concert called Ray Scott & Friends: Songs for Healing in Santa Fe. This benefit was to help support victims and families of the school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Two notable country music festivals were held in the same year on July 24:
- 2021: On the final day of the four-day Country Fest 2 in North Lawrence, Ohio, fans enjoyed performances by headliners Dierks Bentley and Riley Green. They also saw Parker McCollum and Laine Hardy.
- 2021: Country fans who didn't go to Country Fest 2 had the chance to see the Zac Brown Band, Ashley McBryde, and Niko Moon headline the Twin Cities Summer Jam in Shakopee, Minnesota. Other performers who took the stage on the final day of this three-day music festival included Fabulous Armadillos and Shane Martin.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From separation and marriage to show cancellations, here are some industry changes and challenges that occurred on July 24:
- 2009: It was reported by People magazine that "How Do I Live" singer LeAnn Rimes and her husband, Dean Sheremet, had separated. Shortly after their marriage ended, Rimes and Eddie Cibrian stepped out in public together as a couple. They were engaged in 2010, married in 2011, and are still together and going strong today.
- 2015: Blake Shelton's performance at the Country Jam USA music festival in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was cut short due to severe weather. Shelton and his band were 45 minutes into their set when lightning struck, and they were forced to leave the stage.
Country music artists who donate their time and energy to perform at benefits and help others inspire more stars to do the same. Fans always look forward to getting outside to see their favorite country music artists at summer music festivals, and there have been some exceptional ones on July 24.
