This Day in Country History: October 21
Oct. 21 has seen lots of great performances, surprise guests, and a music festival in Florida. Barry Knox from Parmalee got married, Brett Young and his wife had a baby,…
Oct. 21 has seen lots of great performances, surprise guests, and a music festival in Florida. Barry Knox from Parmalee got married, Brett Young and his wife had a baby, and Miranda Lambert surprised fans at a Taylor Swift show.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The CMT Music Awards had big winners, and Sam Hunt performed at the Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 21:
- 2017: The "Body Like a Backroad" singer Sam Hunt was one of the performers at the We Can Survive benefit concert held at the historic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Part of the proceeds from this show went to the Young Survival Coalition, which was part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
- 2020: The CMT Music Awards were held. Carrie Underwood's "Drinking Alone" won Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year, Luke Bryan won Male Video of the Year for "One Margarita," and Old Dominion won Group Video of the Year for "One Man Band."
Cultural Milestones
Oct. 21 also saw a country star's birth and inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame:
- 1993: Superstar singer Kane Brown, known for his hits "What Ifs" featuring Lauren Alaina, "Thank God," and "Bury Me in Georgia," was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Brown quickly rose to fame as one of the top Black country music artists, gaining popularity by posting his videos on social media before landing a record deal in 2016.
- 2018: Ricky Skaggs, the late Dottie West, and fiddler Johnny Gimble were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Performers at this honorary event included Garth Brooks, Chris Stapleton, Connie Smith, and Dierks Bentley.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Fans enjoyed notable performances on Oct. 21, including:
- 2015: Country superstar Miranda Lambert joined pop superstar Taylor Swift on stage to sing a duet of Lambert's "Little Red Wagon." This was during Swift's 1989 World Tour at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.
- 2022: Fans were elated to attend Country Thunder Florida at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida. Chris Young, Ashley McBryde, and Niko Moon were the headliners for the opening day of this popular music festival.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A wedding and the birth of a baby girl were among the industry changes for Oct. 21:
- 2017: Parmalee bassist Barry Knox married his sweetheart, Kristin "KJ" Joyner at Secrets Wild Orchid in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The couple were able to take a short honeymoon before Parmalee went back on tour.
- 2019: The "Like I Loved You" singer Brett Young and his wife, Taylor, welcomed a baby girl. The couple named their daughter Presley Elizabeth, and Brett said that he was head over heels in love with his new baby.
There were many happy country music events and a lot of fun on Oct. 21, including Country Thunder Florida and Sam Hunt playing at the Hollywood Bowl. Kane Brown influenced and impacted the country music world, and there were lots of great winners at the CMT Music Awards.
