This Day in Country History: February 15
February is GRAMMY season, and on Feb. 15, 1979, and 2016, country music artists scored impressive wins at the prestigious annual awards ceremony. Reba McEntire had a significant performance in…
February is GRAMMY season, and on Feb. 15, 1979, and 2016, country music artists scored impressive wins at the prestigious annual awards ceremony. Reba McEntire had a significant performance in 2017, and Eric Church and his wife welcomed a baby boy into their family on this day.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The GRAMMYs had outstanding winners, from Emmylou Harris to Chris Stapleton.
- 1979: Emmylou Harris won Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Blue Kentucky Girl" at the 22nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. Kenny Rogers took home Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "The Gambler," and The Charlie Daniels Band won Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."
- 2016: At the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards, Little Big Town's "Girl Crush" took home Song of the Year and Best Country Song. Chris Stapleton took home Album of the Year for Traveller and won Best Country Solo Performance for the song "Traveller." Best Country Duo/Group Performance went to Brothers Osborne for "Stay a Little Longer."
Cultural Milestones
From a benefit to Reba headlining the Ryman Auditorium for the first time, these were cultural milestones for Feb. 15.
- 2016: The cast of the TV show, Nashville, and Dierks Bentley played a benefit show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Cast members, including Connie Britton, Charles Esten, Clare Bowen, and Sam Palladio, were among the performers who benefited the African Children's Choir.
- 2017: While Reba McEntire is no stranger to Nashville's Ryman Auditorium stage, Feb. 15 was the first time she headlined this iconic venue. Because of her popularity, she added a second show for the same date. McEntire was promoting her new album, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Brothers Osborne and Morgan Wallen had notable events on Feb. 15.
- 2019: Brothers Osborne played at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville as part of their three-day residency at this iconic venue. They sang hits like "Greener Pastures" and "Loving Me Back" with special guest LeeAnn Womack.
- 2025: Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem" topped all five of Billboard's country charts, including being No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs. This groundbreaking song helped cement Wallen as one of country music's top artists.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A lawsuit and the birth of a baby were industry changes for Feb. 15.
- 2008: Patti Page was one of numerous artists who filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group. The plaintiffs accused the record label of unpaid royalties, suing the company for over $6 million, including attorney fees and punitive damages.
- 2015: The "Talladega" singer Eric Church and his wife, Katherine Church, welcomed a son, Tennessee Hawkins Church. Baby Hawkins joins his big brother, Boone McCoy, to make a family of four.
Artists often rely on royalties as a source of income, and when a company, like Universal Music Group, doesn't pay its artists, they file a lawsuit, as we saw on Feb. 15. Fans of the TV show, Nashville, were treated to a performance by the cast at the Ryman Auditorium, and Morgan Wallen hit the charts in full force on Feb. 15 with "I'm the Problem."
