2006 in country music

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2006.

2006 in music
By location
By genre
By topic
  • List of albums released
List of years in country music (table)

Events[]

  • January 14 – With the song, "She Let Herself Go", George Strait scores his 40th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, all of them solo. It ties a 20-year-old record for most No. 1's on the country chart, held by Conway Twitty (35 solo, five duet with Loretta Lynn).
  • January 21 – Kix Brooks, one half of the country superstar duo Brooks & Dunn, takes over as host of "American Country Countdown," succeeding longtime host Bob Kingsley.
  • April – Hank Williams Jr. is arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, for assault after attempting to choke a teenage waitress at a hotel there.
  • May – People reports on the engagement of Keith Urban and actress Nicole Kidman. The two are married on June 25. Also during the month, Little Big Town members Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild are wed; their marriage was announced in July.
  • May 3 – Lynn Anderson arrested in New Mexico after causing a traffic accident at a local intersection due to drunk driving. She was released the next day on bond. Anderson was taken to court later that year where all her previous charges were dropped, as long as she didn't commit any more offenses.
  • May 21 – Grand Ole Opry mainstay Billy Walker is killed in a car accident near Fort Deposit, Alabama, when the van he was riding in overturned along Interstate 65. Also killed in the wreck are Walker's wife, Bettie; and two member of his band. His 21-year-old grandson, Joshua Brooks, is critically injured. Walker was returning home from a show near Gulf Shores, Alabama.[1]
  • May 23 – The Tennessean of Nashville reports plans by Academy of Country Music to move its awards show to April, after consistently being drubbed in the ratings by powerhouse American Idol. The ACMs, which aired May 24 on CBS, appeared opposite Fox's American Idol for the fourth year in a row.[2]
  • June 24 – The first Midsummer Day country music festival in Drottningstorp is held.[3]
  • July 4 – Johnny Cash releases American V which instantly hits #1.
  • August 17 – Los Angeles' lone country music station, KZLA-FM, switches its format to urban pop.[4]
  • August 19 – Keith Urban's "Once in a Lifetime" becomes the highest-ever debuting song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart during the Broadcast Data Systems-era, ranking at No. 17 in its first week. "Lifetime" breaks the 10-month-old BDS-era standard set by "Good Ride Cowboy" by Garth Brooks.
  • September 12 – Sara Evans and professional partner Tony Dovolani begin competing on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, to rousing reviews. Evans' gig will last four weeks.
  • September 18 – Willie Nelson and several of his band members are charged with misdemeanor drug possession in Louisiana. State police had pulled Nelson's tour bus over for a routine commercial inspection and, after smelling a suspicious odor inside, searched the bus and found marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.[5]
  • September 30 – George Strait finally breaks Conway Twitty's record by scoring his record 41st No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with "Give It Away".
  • September 30 – The documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing is released. The film chronicles the lives of the Dixie Chicks band members and the fallout that resulted after lead singer Natalie Maines made critical remarks about U.S. President George W. Bush during a 2003 concert in London, England.
  • October 13 – One day after abruptly leaving Dancing with the Stars, news breaks that Sara Evans was seeking a divorce from her husband, Craig Schelske. Allegations Evans levied against Schelske included his affair with the family's ex-nanny, that he watched and downloaded pornography in the house, and his removal of $275,000 from the couple's joint bank account on the day the divorce decree was filed.[6]
  • October 19 – Keith Urban checks himself into a rehabilitation center for alcohol abuse.[7]
  • October 20 – Flicka, an adaptation of the 1941 children's novel, hits the movie theaters. Tim McGraw is in the leading adult male role as Wyoming rancher Rob McLaughlin.
  • November 6 – The Country Music Association awards airs for the first time on ABC. The awards show had been on CBS since 1972. Keith Urban, who won the Male Vocalist of the Year, is absent due to his rehab stint, and co-host Ronnie Dunn read Urban's acceptance letter. Hall of Fame inductee Kris Kristofferson presented the inductions for 2006 inductees George Strait, Harold Bradley and Sonny James, each of whom gave brief acceptance speeches; Strait also performed his No. 1 hit "Give It Away."[8] Controversy reigned when Faith Hill appeared to react angrily after Carrie Underwood won the Female Vocalist of the Year award.[9]
  • December 3 – The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honors Dolly Parton for her lifetime contributions to the arts.

No dates[]

  • No less than nine acts enjoyed their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart during 2006, the most since 1991. Those artists were Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Bon Jovi along with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Jack Ingram, Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, The Wreckers, Heartland and Sugarland. Four of those acts – Bon Jovi, Nettles, The Wreckers and Heartland – turned the trick with their first charted country single. (Although she previously had two Top 5 hits and a Top 10 hit as a member of Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles made her first entry on the Hot Country Songs chart under her own name as part of a collaboration with Bon Jovi, which, in turn, also made their first Hot Country Songs chart entry. Their collaboration, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", ultimately peaked at No. 1 on that chart – a first for both Nettles and Bon Jovi – and as of late, it is the only No. 1 hit for either act there. Sugarland, Nettles' group, would eventually score their first career No. 1 hit on the same chart by the end of the year.)
During that same 12-month time span, chart veteran George Strait extended his No. 1 string to a Billboard-best 41, beating Conway Twitty's record of 40 No. 1's, while Dolly Parton scored her 25th No. 1 (as part of a duet with Brad Paisley) and Kenny Chesney extended his string of No. 1's to 10.

Top hits of the year[]

The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs or Canada Country charts in 2006:

See also: List of number-one country hits of 2006 (U.S.) and List of number-one country singles of 2006 (Canada)
US CAN Single Artist Reference
18 — 8th of November Big & Rich
1 1 Before He Cheats Carrie Underwood
8 — Believe Brooks & Dunn
9 — Boondocks Little Big Town
1 6 Brand New Girlfriend Steve Holy
4 13 Bring It On Home Little Big Town
4 2 Building Bridges Brooks & Dunn
9 — Cheatin' Sara Evans
15 23 Crash Here Tonight Toby Keith
14 — The Dollar Jamey Johnson
2 4 Don't Forget to Remember Me Carrie Underwood
17 24 Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good) Sugarland
19 — Drunker Than Me Trent Tomlinson
45 14 Everybody Knows Dixie Chicks
1 2 Every Mile a Memory Dierks Bentley
7 19 Every Time I Hear Your Name Keith Anderson
19 31 Favorite State of Mind Josh Gracin
13 30 Feels Just Like It Should Pat Green
16 31 Findin' a Good Man Danielle Peck
3 — Get Drunk and Be Somebody Toby Keith
1 1 Give It Away George Strait
17 5 A Good Man Emerson Drive
2 — Honky Tonk Badonkadonk Trace Adkins
14 26 How 'Bout You Eric Church
17 — I Can't Unlove You Kenny Rogers
12 — I Got You Craig Morgan
1 9 I Loved Her First Heartland
1 1 If You're Going Through Hell
(Before the Devil Even Knows) 		Rodney Atkins
1 — Jesus, Take the Wheel Carrie Underwood
7 — Just Might (Make Me Believe) Sugarland
15 — Kerosene Miranda Lambert
2 5 Last Day of My Life Phil Vassar
1 1 Leave the Pieces The Wreckers
4 20 Life Ain't Always Beautiful Gary Allan
18 10 Life Is a Highway Rascal Flatts
15 14 Like Red on a Rose Alan Jackson
5 — Like We Never Loved at All Faith Hill
2 1 A Little Too Late Toby Keith
1 — Living in Fast Forward Kenny Chesney
12 21 Love You Jack Ingram
5 — The Lucky One Faith Hill
6 15 Me and My Gang Rascal Flatts
10 24 Mountains Lonestar
3 3 My Little Girl Tim McGraw
6 — My Old Friend Tim McGraw
1 1 My Wish Rascal Flatts
4 — Nobody but Me Blake Shelton
16 — Nobody Gonna Tell Me What to Do Van Zant
6 1 Once in a Lifetime Keith Urban
11 — The Seashores of Old Mexico George Strait
1 43 Settle for a Slowdown Dierks Bentley
5 — She Don't Tell Me To Montgomery Gentry
1 — She Let Herself Go George Strait
9 50 Size Matters (Someday) Joe Nichols
7 14 Some People Change Montgomery Gentry
2 25 Something's Gotta Give LeAnn Rimes
1 1 Summertime Kenny Chesney
7 1 Sunshine and Summertime Faith Hill
20 35 Swing Trace Adkins
2 — Tonight I Wanna Cry Keith Urban
19 31 Two Pink Lines Eric Church
1 1 Want To Sugarland
1 — What Hurts the Most Rascal Flatts
1 — When I Get Where I'm Going Brad Paisley
featuring Dolly Parton
4 10 When the Stars Go Blue Tim McGraw
1 49 Wherever You Are Jack Ingram
1 — Who Says You Can't Go Home Bon Jovi
duet with Jennifer Nettles
1 44 Why Jason Aldean
13 33 Why, Why, Why Billy Currington
1 2 The World Brad Paisley
1 5 Would You Go with Me Josh Turner
16 — Yee Haw Jake Owen
3 4 You Save Me Kenny Chesney
1 — Your Man Josh Turner

Top new album releases[]

The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2006:

See also: List of number-one country albums of 2006 (U.S.)
US Album Artist Record Label
6 21 Number Ones Kenny Rogers Capitol Nashville
1 American V: A Hundred Highways Johnny Cash American Recordings
4 Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road Various Artists Jack
2 Brand New Girlfriend Steve Holy Curb
8 Brad Paisley Christmas Brad Paisley Arista Nashville
4 Broken Bridges soundtrack Various Artists Show Dog Nashville
2 Cannonball Pat Green BNA
3 Chris Young Chris Young RCA Nashville
10 A Classic Christmas Wynonna Judd Curb
1 Dangerous Man Trace Adkins Capitol Nashville
2 Enjoy the Ride Sugarland Mercury Nashville
6 Fortuneteller's Melody SHeDAISY Lyric Street
2 Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Phil Vassar Arista Nashville
3 I Loved Her First Heartland Lofton Creek
1 If You're Going Through Hell Rodney Atkins Curb
1 It Just Comes Natural George Strait MCA Nashville
8 Just a Matter of Time Randy Rogers Band Mercury Nashville
4 Last Man Standing: The Duets Jerry Lee Lewis Artists First
1 Like Red on a Rose Alan Jackson Arista Nashville
10 The Little Willies The Little Willies Milking Bull
1 Live: Live Those Songs Again Kenny Chesney BNA
1 Long Trip Alone Dierks Bentley Capitol Nashville
1 Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing Keith Urban Capitol Nashville
1 Me and My Gang Rascal Flatts Lyric Street
4 Men & Mascara Julie Roberts Mercury Nashville
10 Mountains Lonestar BNA
7 Pay the Devil Van Morrison Lost Highway
1 Precious Memories Alan Jackson Arista Nashville
1 Reflected: Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Tim McGraw Curb
7 Sinners Like Me Eric Church Capitol Nashville
1 Small Town Girl Kellie Pickler BNA
5 Some People Change Montgomery Gentry Columbia Nashville
1 Songs of Inspiration Alabama RCA Nashville
4 Stand Still, Look Pretty The Wreckers Maverick/Warner Bros. Nashville
8 Startin' with Me Jake Owen RCA Nashville
1 Take the Weather with You Jimmy Buffett Mailboat
1 Taking the Long Way Dixie Chicks Columbia Nashville
1 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift Big Machine
3 That's How They Do It in Dixie: The Essential Collection Hank Williams, Jr. Curb
4 These Days Vince Gill MCA Nashville
4 Totally Country Vol. 5 Various Artists Sony BMG
5 Water & Bridges Kenny Rogers Capitol Nashville
2 White Trash with Money Toby Keith Show Dog Nashville
2 You Can't Fix Stupid Ron White Jack
1 Your Man Josh Turner MCA Nashville

Other top albums[]

US Album Artist Record Label
26 16 Biggest Hits Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash Legacy/Columbia Nashville
43 All American Bluegrass Girl Rhonda Vincent Rounder
27 Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom Cross Canadian Ragweed Universal South
29 Believe: Songs of Faith from Today's Top Country & Christian Artists Various Artists Arista Nashville
27 Big Iron World Old Crow Medicine Show Nettwerk
34 Billboard #1s: Classic Country Various Artists Rhino
31 Black & Blue Roy D. Mercer Capitol Nashville
18 Black Cadillac Rosanne Cash Capitol Nashville
38 A Blue Collar Christmas: Redneck Style Various Artists Madacy
34 Corn Fed Shannon Brown Warner Bros.
30 Countrified Emerson Drive Midas
20 Country Is My Rock Trent Tomlinson Lyric Street
44 Country Legends: I Walk the Line Johnny Cash BCI
23 Danielle Peck Danielle Peck Big Machine
36 Different Things Tracy Byrd Blind Mule
20 The Dollar Jamey Johnson BNA
12 Electric Rodeo Shooter Jennings Universal South
14 Elvis Christmas Elvis Presley RCA
27 Flicka Soundtrack Various Artists StyleSonic
12 Greatest Hits II Diamond Rio Arista Nashville
35 Here and Now Darryl Worley 903 Music
46 How to Grow a Woman from the Ground Chris Thile Sugar Hill
26 JC: Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Sun
45 John Corbett John Corbett Funbone
25 Kicking out the Footlights... Again George Jones and Merle Haggard Bandit
32 Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector Soundtrack Various Artists Jack
12 Leave the Light On Jeff Bates RCA Nashville
28 The Legend of Johnny Cash Vol. II Johnny Cash Island
13 Little Bit of Life Craig Morgan Broken Bow
19 A Little More Livin' Trent Willmon Columbia Nashville
33 Live: Wherever You Are Jack Ingram Big Machine
28 Livin' Lovin' Rockin' Rollin': The 25th Anniversary Collection Alabama Legacy/Sony BMG
46 The Lost Trailers The Lost Trailers BNA
46 My Life Ronnie Milsap RCA Nashville
34 Now & Then Aaron Tippin Nippit/Rust
22 Personal File Johnny Cash Legacy/Columbia Nashville
31 Povertyneck Hillbillies Povertyneck Hillbillies Rust
35 A Prairie Home Companion Soundtrack Various Artists New Line
41 Reasons Why: The Very Best Nickel Creek Sugar Hill
49 Redneck Christmas Various Artists Time Life
29 Rockie Lynne Rockie Lynne Universal South
23 Rockin' You Tonight Blaine Larsen BNA
25 She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool:
A Tribute to Barbara Mandrell 		Various Artists BNA
19 Songbird Willie Nelson Lost Highway
17 Straight to Hell Hank Williams III Curb
36 This Old Road Kris Kristofferson New West
12 Three Wooden Crosses Various Artists Word
47 Today's Country Christmas Various Artists Sony BMG
33 The Ultimate Collection Chris LeDoux Capitol Nashville
24 Wanna Be Your Joe Billy Ray Cyrus New Door
24 You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker Willie Nelson Lost Highway

Deaths[]

  • March 23 – Cindy Walker, 87, prolific songwriter ("You Don't Know Me," "Cherokee Maiden"). (extended illness)
  • March 25 – Buck Owens, 76, one of the pioneers of the Bakersfield Sound; co-host of Hee Haw. (heart attack)
  • April 24 – Bonnie Owens, 76, singer-songwriter and ex-wife of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard (complications from Alzheimer's disease).
  • May 21 – Billy Walker, 77, Grand Ole Opry legend best known for "Charlie's Shoes" and "Cross the Brazos at Waco" (car accident).
  • August 14 – Johnny Duncan, 67, country music stalwart of the 1970s, best known for a series of duets with Janie Fricke. (heart attack)
  • October 14 – Freddy Fender, 69, Tex Mex-styled singer-songwriter who achieved his greatest success in the mid-1970s ("Before the Next Teardrop Falls," "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"), and recorded with two Tejano bands. (lung cancer)
  • November 1 – Buddy Killen, 74, record producer and music publishing owner.
  • December 22 – Dennis Linde, 63, well-respected songwriter of hits for acts ranging from Elvis Presley and Roger Miller to Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks. (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis)

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[]

(presented February 11, 2007 in Los Angeles)[10]

  • Best Female Country Vocal Performance – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Carrie Underwood
  • Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "The Reason Why", Vince Gill
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – "Not Ready to Make Nice," Dixie Chicks
  • Best Country Collaboration with Vocals – "Who Says You Can't Go Home", Bon Jovi with Jennifer Nettles
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance – "Whiskey Before Breakfast", Bryan Sutton and Doc Watson
  • Best Country Song – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson
  • Best Country Album – Taking the Long Way, Dixie Chicks
  • Best Bluegrass Album – Instrumentals, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder

Juno Awards[]

(presented April 1, 2007 in Saskatoon)[11]

  • Country Recording of the Year – Somebody Wrote Love, George Canyon

CMT Music Awards[]

(presented April 10 in Nashville)[12]

  • Video of the Year – "Better Life", Keith Urban
  • Male Video of the Year – "Who You'd Be Today", Kenny Chesney
  • Female Video of the Year – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Carrie Underwood
  • Group/Duo Video of the Year – "Skin (Sarabeth)", Rascal Flatts
  • Breakthrough Video of the Year – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Carrie Underwood
  • Collaborative Video of the Year – "Who Says You Can't Go Home", Bon Jovi Featuring Jennifer Nettles
  • Hottest Video of the Year – "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right", Billy Currington
  • Most Inspiring Video of the Year – "When I Get Where I'm Going", Brad Paisley Featuring Dolly Parton
  • Video Director of the Year – "Like We Never Loved at All", Faith Hill Featuring Tim McGraw (Director: Sophie Muller)
  • Johnny Cash Visionary Award – Hank Williams, Jr.

Americana Music Honors & Awards[]

  • Album of the Year – Childish Things ()
  • Artist of the Year – Neil Young
  • Duo/Group of the Year – Drive-By Truckers
  • Song of the Year – "We Can't Make It Here" ()
  • Emerging Artist of the Year – The Greencards
  • Instrumentalist of the Year – Kenny Vaughan
  • Spirit of Americana/Free Speech Award – Charlie Daniels
  • Lifetime Achievement: Songwriting – Rodney Crowell
  • Lifetime Achievement: Performance – Alejandro Escovedo
  • Lifetime Achievement: Instrumentalist – Kenny Vaughan
  • Lifetime Achievement: Executive – Barry Poss
  • Lifetime Achievement: Producer/Engineer – Allen Toussaint

Academy of Country Music[]

(presented May 15, 2007 in Las Vegas)[13]

  • Entertainer of the Year – Kenny Chesney
  • Song of the Year – "Give It Away", Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon and Jamey Johnson
  • Single of the Year – "Give It Away", George Strait
  • Album of the Year – Some Hearts, Carrie Underwood
  • Top Male Vocalist – Brad Paisley
  • Top Female Vocalist – Carrie Underwood
  • Top Vocal Duo – Brooks & Dunn
  • Top Vocal Group – Rascal Flatts
  • Top New Male Vocalist – Rodney Atkins
  • Top New Female Vocalist – Miranda Lambert
  • Top New Duo or Group – Little Big Town
  • Video of the Year – "Before He Cheats", Carrie Underwood (Director: Roman White)
  • Vocal Event of the Year – "Building Bridges", Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow
  • ACM/Home Depot Humanitarian of the Year – Brooks & Dunn
  • Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award – Dolly Parton, Don Williams and the late Harlan Howard and Waylon Jennings
  • Jim Reeves International Award – Buck Owens
  • Mae Boren Axton Award – Jack Lameier

ARIA Awards[]

(presented in Sydney on October 29, 2006)

Canadian Country Music Association[]

(presented September 11 in Saint John)[14]

  • Kraft Cheez Whiz Fans' Choice Award – Terri Clark
  • Male Artist of the Year – George Canyon
  • Female Artist of the Year – Carolyn Dawn Johnson
  • Group or Duo of the Year – The Road Hammers
  • SOCAN Song of the Year – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson
  • Single of the Year – "Somebody Wrote Love", George Canyon
  • Album of the Year – Hair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer, Corb Lund
  • Top Selling Album – The Legend of Johnny Cash, Johnny Cash
  • CMT Video of the Year – "East Bound and Down", The Road Hammers
  • Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award – Johnny Reid
  • Roots Artist or Group of the Year – Corb Lund

Country Music Association[]

(presented November 6 in Nashville, Tennessee)[15]

  • Entertainer of the Year – Kenny Chesney
  • Song of the Year – "Believe", Craig Wiseman and Ronnie Dunn
  • Single of the Year – "Believe", Brooks & Dunn
  • Album of the Year – Time Well Wasted, Brad Paisley
  • Male Vocalist of the Year – Keith Urban
  • Female Vocalist of the Year – Carrie Underwood
  • Vocal Duo of the Year – Brooks & Dunn
  • Vocal Group of the Year – Rascal Flatts
  • Horizon Award – Carrie Underwood
  • Video of the Year – "Believe", Brooks & Dunn (Directors: Robert Deaton and George J. Flanigen IV)
  • Vocal Event of the Year – "When I Get Where I'm Going", Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton
  • Musician of the Year – Randy Scruggs

References[]

  1. ^ News of Billy Walker's death from CMT.com
  2. ^ ACMs eager to end role as 'Idol' sacrifice, The Tennessean, May 23, 2006 (accessed May 24, 2006)
  3. ^ Peter Gustafsson (22 June 2008). "Det har blivit en tradition att åka hit" (in Swedish). J-nytt. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  4. ^ L.A. loses lone country music station
  5. ^ Willie Nelson Cited for Drug Possession
  6. ^ Country Singer Sara Evans Cites Porn, Adultery and Abuse in Divorce Papers
  7. ^ Keith Urban Enters Rehab Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, WCBS-TV, October 20, 2006 (accessed November 8, 2006)
  8. ^ Strait, James and Bradley tapped for Country Hall of Fame, CMT.com (accessed August 30, 2006)
  9. ^ "Faith Hill Reaction Makes Headlines". Archived from the original on 2007-03-17. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  10. ^ Grammy Award Winners
  11. ^ 2007 Juno Award Winners Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ 2006 CMT Music Awards Winners
  13. ^ Academy of Country Music
  14. ^ "2006 CCMA Awards Winners" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  15. ^ 42nd Annual CMA Awards

Other links[]

External links[]

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