2003 in country music

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

See also: 2002 in country music, 2003 in music, other events of 2003, 2004 in country music and the List of years in Country Music

Contents

[edit] Events

  • March 10 – During a concert in London, England, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines said that the band was "ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas" (referring to Maines' hometown of Lubbock and President Bush hailing from the same state). The comment sparked intense controversy and outrage among Americans, including a large share of country music fans.
Those who took offense to Maines' comments based their feelings on a number of grounds, including that the country was then on the verge of declaring war on Iraq (which happened less than two weeks later) and that Maines made the comments on foreign soil. Chicks' supporters, meanwhile, cited their right to free speech. Radio stations – perhaps riding the wave of fan sentiment – refuse to play their music on the air, including their then-current hit, "Travelin' Soldier" (which ironically was about a soldier who is about to go to war); some even sponsor anti-Dixie Chicks promotional events, such as disposing and destroying Chicks' compact discs and other merchandise. Maines, meanwhile, defended her stance during a televised interview with Diane Sawyer
Maines and her bandmates – Emily Robison and Martie Maguire – appeared nude (with private parts strategically covered) on the May 2 cover of Entertainment Weekly. Their bodies were covered with words such as "Saddam's Angels" and "Traitor." [1]


[edit] No dates

  • Throughout the year, country music was beset by the deaths of numerous legends. Headlining the list was Johnny Cash, whose vastly influential musicianship transcended genres. His wife of 35 years (and longtime singing partner), June Carter Cash, had passed away just four months earlier. Both had appeared in a CMT-aired interview, discussing their lives and careers; it was taped earlier in the year.
Other notables that died during the year: Johnny Paycheck, Felice Bryant, Floyd Tillman, Wilma Burgess, Don Gibson, Dave Dudley and Gary Stewart.

[edit] Top hits of the year

[edit] Number one hits

(As certified by Billboard magazine)

Date Song Name Artist Wks. No. 1 Spec.
Note
January 11 19 Somethin' Mark Wills 6 B
February 22 The Baby Blake Shelton 3
March 15 Man to Man Gary Allan 1 A
March 22 Travelin' Soldier Dixie Chicks 1 B
  • After falling to No. 3 after just one week atop the chart, the song disappeared from the Billboard charts as part of the radio backlash to Natalie Maines' controversial remarks made about President Bush during a concert a few weeks earlier in London.
March 29 Brokenheartsville Joe Nichols 1 A
April 5 Have You Forgotten? Darryl Worley 7 Reached #1 in its fifth chart week.
Contains references to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and Iraq War.
May 24 Three Wooden Crosses Randy Travis 1 B
  • This song marked Travis' return to No. 1 after nine years, as his last chart-topper was "Whisper My Name" in 1994.
May 31 I Believe Diamond Rio 2 B
June 14 Beer for My Horses Toby Keith (with Willie Nelson) 6 B - Willie Nelson
  • At age 70 years, one month and four days, Willie Nelson became the oldest country singer to have a No. 1 hit on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, smashing a three-year old record set by 61-year-old Kenny Rogers. The "Red-Headed Stranger" becomes one of the few septegenerians to top the charts in any format in Billboard.
July 26 My Front Porch Looking In Lonestar 1
  • Stayed at #2 for six weeks before reaching #1.
August 2 Red Dirt Road Brooks & Dunn 1
August 9 It's Five O'Clock Somewhere Alan Jackson (with Jimmy Buffett) 8 1, 2
C - Jimmy Buffett
  • This song became just the second song since 1966 to spend eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart; the last song being Lonestar's 1999 hit "Amazed."
September 27 What Was I Thinkin' Dierks Bentley 1 A
October 11 Real Good Man Tim McGraw 2
October 25 Tough Little Boys Gary Allan 2
November 8 Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me Keith Urban 1
November 15 I Love This Bar Toby Keith 5
December 20 There Goes My Life Kenny Chesney 7
  • 1 – No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard magazine.
  • 2 – Song dropped from No. 1 on September 27 and later returned to top spot on October 4.
  • A - First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • B - Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
  • C - Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.

[edit] Other major hits

[edit] Top new album releases

[edit] Other top albums

[edit] Births

[edit] Deaths

[edit] Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

[edit] Major Awards

[edit] Grammy awards

  • Best Female Country Vocal Performance -- "Keep on the Sunny Side," June Carter Cash
  • Best Male Country Vocal Performance -- "Next Big Thing," Vince Gill
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal -- "A Simple Life," Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
  • Best Country Collaboration with Vocals -- "How's the World Treating You," Alison Krauss and James Taylor
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance -- "Cluck Old Hen," Alison Krauss & Union Station
  • Best Country Song -- "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Jim "Moose" Brown and Don Rollins
  • Best Country Album -- Livin', Lovin', Losin' – Songs of the Louvin Brothers, Various Artists (Producer: Carl Jackson)
  • Best Bluegrass Album -- Live, Alison Krauss & Union Station

[edit] Academy of Country Music

[edit] Country Music Association

[edit] Further reading

  • Kingsbury, Paul, "The Grand Ole Opry: History of Country Music. 70 Years of the Songs, the Stars and the Stories," Villard Books, Random House; Opryland USA, 1995
  • Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947-1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 (ISBN 0-8118-3572-3)
  • Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-06-273244-7)
  • Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944-2005 - 6th Edition." 2005.

[edit] Other links

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://india.smashits.com/wikipedia/2003_in_country_music"
Views
Personal tools

Toolbox