This Day in Country History: October 28
The country music industry honors its artists with inductions into the Grand Ole Opry and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, like we saw on Oct. 28. This day has also…
The country music industry honors its artists with inductions into the Grand Ole Opry and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, like we saw on Oct. 28. This day has also seen its share of sad news, with the death of Jerry Lee Lewis in 2022 and Porter Wagoner, who helped launch Dolly Parton's career, in 2007.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
There were debuts and inductions on Oct. 28, including:
- 2017: The legendary singer/songwriter Don Schlitz made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Oct. 28. Schlitz was known for writing "The Gambler," recorded by Kenny Rogers, as well as several other chart-topping songs that won him GRAMMY awards.
- 2018: Ronnie Dunn, K.T. Oslin, and Byron Hill were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on Oct. 28 at Nashville's Music City Center. Only songwriters who've made significant contributions to the country music industry have the honor of being inducted into this prestigious membership.
Cultural Milestones
Cultural milestones for Oct. 28 include a benefit concert and a unique concert featuring historic instruments:
- 2001: Over 22,000 friends and fans turned out for Tim McGraw's annual Swampstock concert in Rayville, Louisiana, which helped raise funds for local sports youth programs and scholarship funds. In 2007, McGraw stated that Swampstock would no longer be an annual event due to time restrictions and obligations elsewhere.
- 2020: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum aired a special on its YouTube channel titled BIG NIGHT (At the Museum). This unique concert paired country music artists with historic instruments, such as Miranda Lambert playing John Prine's David Russell Young custom-made guitar and Tim McGraw playing Keith Whitley's C.W. Parsons acoustic guitar.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Great music was heard on Oct. 28 at these concerts:
- 2014: Tim McGraw headlined the new Alaska Airlines Center concert venue at the University of Alaska Anchorage campus to support the release of his latest album, Sundown Heaven Town.
- 2017: Zac Brown Band played the first of two nights at the famous Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 28. The band performed hits such as "Toes," "Chicken Fried," and "Homegrown."
Industry Changes and Challenges
Oct. 28 is notable in country music history for the death of two legends:
- 2007: The legendary Porter Wagoner died on Oct. 28 at the age of 80. Wagoner was a prolific songwriter with hits such as "Green, Green Grass of Home" and "Skid Row Joe," and his TV show, The Porter Wagoner Show, helped launch the career of Dolly Parton.
- 2022: The "Great Balls of Fire" singer Jerry Lee Lewis died on Oct. 28. While originally a rock and roll star who signed with Sun Records in Memphis in the early 1950s and often played with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins, Lewis became a country music artist with his hit "Chantilly Lace."
From deaths to debuts, Oct. 28 has been a memorable day in country music history. Highlights include the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's BIG NIGHT (At the Museum) featuring modern artists playing historic instruments and Zac Brown Band and Tim McGraw concerts that had fans snapping their fingers.
