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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1998.
Overview of the events of 1998 in country music
Events [ ]
January 10 — "Retro Country USA," a weekly two-hour syndicated radio program spotlighting major country hits of the 1980s (along with some from the 1970s and early 1990s), premieres. The show is initially hosted by Tampa radio personality Ken Cooper, and later "Big" Steve Kelly.
February 25 — Johnny Cash 's album, Unchained , wins a Grammy Award for Best Country Album. The album had been a critical success but was largely ignored by mainstream country radio, a fact Cash and producer Rick Rubin pick up on when they purchase a full-page advertisement in Billboard magazine . The ad, which appeared in March, featured a young Cash displaying his middle finger and sarcastically "thanking" radio for supporting the album.
June 30 — The divorce of Vince and Janis Gill (of Sweethearts of the Rodeo ) is finalized.[1]
December — The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honors Willie Nelson for his lifetime contributions to the arts. Nelson is the first primarily country performer so honored.
Top hits of the year [ ]
Singles released by American artists [ ]
US
CAN
Single
Artist
Reference
16
7
Absence of the Heart
Deana Carter
4
6
Angel in My Eyes
John Michael Montgomery
2
3
Between the Devil and Me
Alan Jackson
1
17
A Broken Wing
Martina McBride
26
14
Burnin' the Roadhouse Down
Steve Wariner (duet with Garth Brooks )
1
1
Bye, Bye
Jo Dee Messina
11
17
A Chance
Kenny Chesney
14
12
Come Some Rainy Day
Wynonna
4
4
Commitment
LeAnn Rimes
3
2
Cover You in Kisses
John Michael Montgomery
5
9
The Day That She Left Tulsa (In a Chevy)
Wade Hayes
2
2
Don't Laugh at Me
Mark Wills
5
3
Dream Walkin'
Toby Keith
2
3
Everything's Changed
Lonestar
4
4
Forever Love
Reba McEntire
18
22
Getcha Some
Toby Keith
2
4
Happy Girl
Martina McBride
2
3
He's Got You
Brooks & Dunn
20
20
High on Love
Patty Loveless
9
4
The Hole
Randy Travis
2
2
Holes in the Floor of Heaven
Steve Wariner
1
1
How Long Gone
Brooks & Dunn
18
14
A House with No Curtains
Alan Jackson
2
9
How Do You Fall in Love
Alabama
13
30
How Do You Sleep at Night
Wade Hayes
1
2
Husbands and Wives
Brooks & Dunn
7
3
I Can Love You Better
Dixie Chicks
1
2
I Can Still Feel You
Collin Raye
2
3
I Do (Cherish You)
Mark Wills
1
1
I Just Want to Dance with You
George Strait
18
8
I Might Even Quit Lovin' You
Mark Chesnutt
12
7
I Said a Prayer
Pam Tillis
3
1
I Wanna Fall in Love
Lila McCann
9
28
I Wanna Feel That Way Again
Tracy Byrd
20
31
I Wanna Remember This
Linda Davis
3
2
I'll Go On Loving You
Alan Jackson
1
1
I'm Alright
Jo Dee Messina
3
1
I'm from the Country
Tracy Byrd
2
4
I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying
Toby Keith with Sting
3
10
If I Never Stop Loving You
David Kersh
22
15
If You Can't Be Good (Be Good at It)
Neal McCoy
5
1
If You Ever Have Forever in Mind
Vince Gill
1
1
If You See Him/If You See Her
Reba McEntire featuring Brooks & Dunn
4
4
Imagine That
Diamond Rio
1
10
It Must Be Love
Ty Herndon
7
23
It Would Be You
Gary Allan
9
5
It's Your Song
Garth Brooks
12
9
Just Between You and Me
The Kinleys
3
4
Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me
Faith Hill (with Tim McGraw )
1
1
Just to See You Smile
Tim McGraw
1
1
Let Me Let Go
Faith Hill
2
3
A Little Past Little Rock
Lee Ann Womack
3
1
Little Red Rodeo
Collin Raye
11
10
Lonely Won't Leave Me Alone
Trace Adkins
12
6
Loosen Up My Strings
Clint Black
2
3
Love of My Life
Sammy Kershaw
14
8
Love Working on You
John Michael Montgomery
5
14
A Man Holdin' On (To a Woman Lettin' Go)
Ty Herndon
1
1
Nothin' but the Taillights
Clint Black
10
5
Nothin' New Under the Moon
LeAnn Rimes
4
9
On the Side of Angels
LeAnn Rimes
2
1
One of These Days
Tim McGraw
14
12
One of Those Nights Tonight
Lorrie Morgan
16
22
One Small Miracle
Bryan White
2
1
Out of My Bones
Randy Travis
1
1
Perfect Love
Trisha Yearwood
1
1
Round About Way
George Strait
13
23
Say When
Lonestar
2
1
She's Gonna Make It
Garth Brooks
21
10
She's Got That Look in Her Eyes
Alabama
1
1
The Shoes You're Wearing
Clint Black
33
18
Somebody to Love
Suzy Bogguss
3
5
Someone You Used to Know
Collin Raye
16
10
Stepping Stone
Lari White
23
13
Still in Love with You
Travis Tritt
4
15
Texas Size Heartache
Joe Diffie
2
9
That's Why I'm Here
Kenny Chesney
2
4
Then What?
Clay Walker
2
4
There Goes My Baby
Trisha Yearwood
1
3
There's Your Trouble
Dixie Chicks
17
23
Things Change
Dwight Yoakam
1
1
This Kiss
Faith Hill
12
17
To Have You Back Again
Patty Loveless
1
7
To Make You Feel My Love
Garth Brooks
8
5
Too Good to Be True
Michael Peterson
2
1
True
George Strait
1
1
Two Piña Coladas
Garth Brooks
9
14
Valentine
Martina McBride with special guest artist Jim Brickman
4
2
We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This
George Strait
23
19
What If?
Reba McEntire
1
1
What If I Said
Anita Cochran (duet with Steve Wariner)
1
1
Where the Green Grass Grows
Tim McGraw
18
18
Where Your Road Leads
Trisha Yearwood (duet with Garth Brooks)
1
1
Wide Open Spaces
Dixie Chicks
3
1
You Move Me
Garth Brooks
12
4
You Walked In
Lonestar
19
12
You'll Never Know
Mindy McCready
4
5
You're Gone
Diamond Rio
2
2
You've Got to Talk to Me
Lee Ann Womack
Singles released by Canadian artists [ ]
Top new album releases [ ]
US
CAN
Album
Artist
Record Label
18
Ain't It the Truth
Daryle Singletary
Giant
21
The Apostle Soundtrack
Various Artists
Decca Nashville
9
14
Back with a Heart
Olivia Newton-John
MCA Nashville
13
12
The Best of Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence
Atlantic
22
31
Big Hopes
Ty Herndon
Epic
6
Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection
Vince Gill
MCA Nashville
6
15
Burnin' the Roadhouse Down
Steve Wariner
Capitol Nashville
14
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
Mercury
3
CMT Canada '99
Various Artists
BMG
2
Country Heat 1998
Various Artists
Ariola
22
A Country Superstar Christmas
Various Artists
Hip-O
16
Did I Shave My Back for This?
Cledus T. Judd
Razor & Tie
16
Dorkfish
Bill Engvall
Warner Bros.
1
1
Double Live
Garth Brooks
Capitol Nashville
6
11
Everything's Gonna Be Alright
Deana Carter
Capitol Nashville
2
1
Faith
Faith Hill
Warner Bros.
22
Famous First Words
Gil Grand
Monument
39
17
Farmers in a Changing World
The Tractors
Arista Nashville
2
4
For the Record
Alabama
RCA Nashville
21
Greatest Hits
Joe Diffie
Epic
9
18
Greatest Hits
Clay Walker
Giant
5
Greatest Hits Volume One
Toby Keith
Mercury Nashville
1
1
High Mileage
Alan Jackson
Arista Nashville
1
3
Hope Floats Soundtrack
Various Artists
Capitol Nashville
13
20
The Horse Whisperer Soundtrack
Various Artists
MCA Nashville
19
How Big a Boy Are Ya? Volume 4
Roy D. Mercer
Capitol Nashville
10
4
How I Feel
Terri Clark
Mercury Nashville
23
Hungry Again
Dolly Parton
Decca Nashville
5
5
I'm Alright
Jo Dee Messina
Curb
8
9
I'm from the Country
Tracy Byrd
MCA Nashville
13
If I Never Stop Loving You
David Kersh
Curb
4
7
If You See Her
Brooks & Dunn
Arista Nashville
2
7
If You See Him
Reba McEntire
MCA Nashville
37
15
It Don't Get Any Better Than This
George Jones
MCA Nashville
21
It Would Be You
Gary Allan
Decca Nashville
3
It's Now! It's Live!
The Mavericks
MCA Nashville
1
2
The Key
Vince Gill
MCA Nashville
15
26
Leave a Mark
John Michael Montgomery
Atlantic
1
1
The Limited Series
Garth Brooks
Capitol Nashville
11
12
A Long Way Home
Dwight Yoakam
Reprise
3
Moments and Memories: The Best of Reba
Reba McEntire
MCA Nashville
2
New Country 5
Various Artists
Warner
15
No More Looking over My Shoulder
Travis Tritt
Warner Bros.
11
4
No Place That Far
Sara Evans
RCA Nashville
16
4
Nothing but Love
The Wilkinsons
Giant
6
Of Your Son
Bruce Guthro
EMI
24
One Road Man
Chris LeDoux
Capitol Nashville
1
3
One Step at a Time
George Strait
MCA Nashville
8
6
The Prince of Egypt (Nashville)
Various Artists
DreamWorks Nashville
32
9
Shot Full of Love
Billy Ray Cyrus
Monument
2
2
Sittin' on Top of the World
LeAnn Rimes
Curb
25
11
The Sky's the Limit
BlackHawk
Arista Nashville
20
Some Things I Know
Lee Ann Womack
Decca Nashville
9
Step Inside This House
Lyle Lovett
MCA Nashville
18
1
Tammy Wynette Remembered
Various Artists
Asylum
17
15
Teatro
Willie Nelson
Island
3
4
Touched by an Angel: The Album
Various Artists
Epic
8
21
Totally Committed
Jeff Foxworthy
Warner Bros.
9
3
Trampoline
The Mavericks
MCA Nashville
36
18
Tribute to Tradition
Various Artists
Columbia
12
Ultimate Country Party
Various Artists
Arista Nashville
9
2
Unbelievable
Diamond Rio
Arista Nashville
25
VH1 Storytellers
Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
Columbia
8
13
The Walls Came Down
Collin Raye
Epic
11
What Is This Country?
Prairie Oyster
ViK.
23
What This Country Needs
Aaron Tippin
Lyric Street
9
22
When the Wrong One Loves You Right
Wade Hayes
Columbia
21
When You Get to Be You
Lisa Brokop
Columbia
3
2
Where Your Road Leads
Trisha Yearwood
MCA Nashville
9
White Christmas
Martina McBride
RCA Nashville
1
1
Wide Open Spaces
Dixie Chicks
Monument
47
19
Wine Into Water
T. Graham Brown
Intersound
8
Wish You Were Here
Mark Wills
Mercury Nashville
7
You and You Alone
Randy Travis
DreamWorks Nashville
Other top albums [ ]
US
CAN
Album
Artist
Record Label
55
16 Biggest Hits
Merle Haggard
Epic
50
16 Biggest Hits
George Jones
Epic
29
16 Biggest Hits
Willie Nelson
Columbia
75
29 Nights
Danni Leigh
Decca Nashville
73
Beautiful Day in the Cold Cruel World
The Warren Brothers
BNA
38
The Best of John Denver
John Denver
Madacy
38
Big Backyard Beat Show
BR5-49
Arista Nashville
30
Black Dog Soundtrack
Various Artists
Decca Nashville
69
Break in the Storm
The Great Divide
Atlantic
58
The Civil War: The Nashville Sessions
Various Artists
Atlantic
71
Closing in on the Fire
Waylon Jennings
Ark 21
50
Country Christmas Classics
Various Artists
RCA Nashville
63
The Essential Alabama
Alabama
RCA Nashville
73
The Essential Lorrie Morgan
Lorrie Morgan
BNA
26
Every Time
Pam Tillis
Arista Nashville
52
Fiddle Fire: 25 Years of the CDB
Charlie Daniels
Blue Hat
66
Greatest #1 Hits
Randy Travis
Warner Bros.
36
Greatest Country Hits
John Denver
RCA
47
Greatest Hits
Restless Heart
RCA Nashville
73
Hangin' with Rodney
Rodney Carrington
Mercury Nashville
37
I Saw the Light
Hal Ketchum
Curb
69
I Turn the Page
Don Williams
Giant
70
I'm Just That Way
Mark Nesler
Asylum
61
I'm Yours
Linda Davis
DreamWorks Nashville
57
Keep on Rockin'
Confederate Railroad
Atlantic
34
Long Walk Back
Junior Brown
Curb
38
Love Is
Kevin Sharp
Asylum
66
The Lynns
The Lynns
Reprise
42
Nobody Love, Nobody Gets Hurt
Suzy Bogguss
Capitol Nashville
27
A Paul Brandt Christmas: Shall I Play for You?
Paul Brandt
Reprise
41
Real Man
Billy Dean
Capitol Nashville
57
Rhythm and Country
Elvis Presley
RCA
36
Secret Love
Lorrie Morgan
BNA
27
Spyboy
Emmylou Harris
Eminent
50
Stepping Stone
Lari White
Lyric Street
38
The Strong One
Mila Mason
Atlantic
72
Super Hits
John Anderson
BNA
53
Super Hits
Lorrie Morgan
BNA
72
Super Hits
Aaron Tippin
RCA Nashville
59
Super Hits II
Alabama
RCA Nashville
55
Twistin' in the Wind
Joe Ely
MCA Nashville
33
What Livin's All About
Rhett Akins
Decca Nashville
56
Write It in Stone
Keith Harling
MCA Nashville
Deaths [ ]
January 7 — Owen Bradley , 82, legendary record producer for top artists. (respiratory illness)
January 17 — Cliffie Stone , 80, music executive and bassist.
January 19 — Carl Perkins , 65, top picker and rockabilly artist. (complications from multiple strokes)
January 24 — Justin Tubb , 62, singer-songwriter who fused honky-tonk and rockabilly in the 1950s.
February 19 — Grandpa Jones , 84, banjo player, old-time country/gospel singer, comedian and regular on "Hee Haw " (stroke)
February 25 — Rockin' Sidney Simien , 59, rhythm and blues, Zydeco, and soul musician best known to country audiences for his 1985 hit, "My Toot Toot." (cancer)
April 6 — Tammy Wynette , 55, top country female vocalist of the 1960s and 1970s, best known for hits "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and "Stand By Your Man." (blood clot)
April 16 — Rose Maddox , 71, female honky-tonk and rockabilly pioneer who fronted the Maddox Brothers and Rose (kidney failure)
May 7 — Eddie Rabbitt , 56, prolific songwriter and pop-country vocalist who once had 35 Top 10 hits in as many releases. (lung cancer)
May 22 – Royce Kendall, 62, sang alongside daughter, Jeannie Kendall, of The Kendalls . (stroke)
June 10 — Steve Sanders, 45, member of the Oak Ridge Boys from 1987 to 1995; replaced and succeeded by William Lee Golden . (suicide )
July 6 — Roy Rogers , 86, actor, singer and "King of the Cowboys." (congestive heart failure)
October 2 — Gene Autry , 91, actor and "The Singing Cowboy" (lymphoma).
Hall of Fame inductees [ ]
Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees [ ]
Country Music Hall of Fame inductees [ ]
Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees [ ]
Major awards [ ]
Grammy Awards [ ]
Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "You're Still the One ," Shania Twain
Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind ", Vince Gill
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "There's Your Trouble ", Dixie Chicks
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals — "Same Old Train", Clint Black , Joe Diffie , Merle Haggard , Emmylou Harris , Alison Krauss , Patty Loveless , Earl Scruggs , Ricky Skaggs , Marty Stuart , Pam Tillis , Randy Travis , Travis Tritt and Dwight Yoakam
Best Country Instrumental Performance — "A Soldier's Joy" Vince Gill and Randy Scruggs
Best Country Song — "You're Still the One", Shania Twain and Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Best Country Album — Wide Open Spaces , Dixie Chicks
Best Bluegrass Album — Bluegrass Rules! , Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Juno Awards [ ]
Best Country Male Vocalist — Paul Brandt
Best Country Female Vocalist — Shania Twain
Best Country Group or Duo — Leahy
Academy of Country Music [ ]
Entertainer of the Year — Garth Brooks
Song of the Year — "Holes in the Floor of Heaven ", Steve Wariner and Billy Kirsch
Single of the Year — "This Kiss ", Faith Hill
Album of the Year — Wide Open Spaces , Dixie Chicks
Top Male Vocalist — Tim McGraw
Top Female Vocalist — Faith Hill
Top Vocal Duo or Group — Dixie Chicks
Top New Male Vocalist — Mark Wills
Top New Female Vocalist — Jo Dee Messina
Top New Vocal Duo or Group — Dixie Chicks
Video of the Year — "This Kiss", Faith Hill (Director: Steven Goldmann )
Vocal Event of the Year — "Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me ", Faith Hill with Tim McGraw
ARIA Awards [ ]
(presented in Sydney on October 20, 1998)
Canadian Country Music Association [ ]
CMT Maple Leaf Foods Fans' Choice Award — Shania Twain
Male Artist of the Year — Paul Brandt
Female Artist of the Year — Shania Twain
Group or Duo of the Year — Leahy
SOCAN Song of the Year — "Born Again in Dixieland ," Jason McCoy , Naoise Sheridan, Denny Carr
Single of the Year — "You're Still the One ," Shania Twain
Album of the Year — Come on Over , Shania Twain
Top Selling Album — Come on Over , Shania Twain
Video of the Year — "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You) ", Shania Twain
Wrangler Rising Star Award — Bruce Guthro
Vocal Collaboration of the Year — "Your Love ", Michelle Wright and Jim Brickman
Country Music Association [ ]
Entertainer of the Year — Garth Brooks
Song of the Year — "Holes in the Floor of Heaven ", Steve Wariner and Billy Kirsch
Single of the Year — "Holes in the Floor of Heaven", Steve Wariner
Album of the Year — Everywhere , Tim McGraw
Male Vocalist of the Year — George Strait
Female Vocalist of the Year — Trisha Yearwood
Vocal Duo of the Year — Brooks & Dunn
Vocal Group of the Year — Dixie Chicks
Horizon Award — Dixie Chicks
Music Video of the Year — "This Kiss ", Faith Hill (Director: Steven Goldmann )
Vocal Event of the Year — "You Don't Seem to Miss Me ," Patty Loveless with George Jones
Musician of the Year — Brett Mason
RPM Big Country Awards [ ]
Canadian Country Artist of the Year — Shania Twain
Best Country Album — Come On Over , Shania Twain
Best Country Single — "Little Ol' Kisses ", Julian Austin
Male Artist of the Year — Paul Brandt
Female Artist of the Year — Terri Clark
Group of the Year — Leahy
Outstanding New Male Artist — Bruce Guthro
Outstanding New Female Artist — Beverley Mahood
Outstanding New Group or Duo — Montana Sky
Canadian Country Video — "Little Ol' Kisses", Julian Austin
Top Country Composer(s) — Julian Austin
See also [ ]
References [ ]
Further reading [ ]
Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.
External links [ ]