LimeWire Music Blog

As we approach the end of 2009, not only are we ending a year, but a full decade. Here are some of the top country music-related news stories of 2000-2009.

Vince Gill and Amy Grant

2000: The year was one to remember for two of the top couples in country music. Vince Gill and Amy Grant tied the knot in Nashville in March. The two have been one of Nashville’s power couples ever since, supporting a wide variety of charities and causes, such as the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Another couple that made headlines was Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, who embarked on the Soul II Soul Tour. It was the first series of concerts together for the two since the Spontaneous Combustion tour in 1996, where the two began their love story.

Artists who passed away: “Tennessee Waltz” co-writer Pee Wee King (86), Bakersfield musical personality Tommy Collins (69), Jordanaires member Neal Matthews, Jr. (70), and singer/Louisiana Governor Jimmie Davis (101)

2001: The biggest news for country music was, as it was everywhere, the events that happened on September 11. Many artists had their thoughts and opinions on the tragedy, but it was Alan Jackson that brought people together with the tender “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning),” which became an instant hit after his performance of the song on the CMA Awards. The award show themselves was the source of some discussion, as several awards went to music associated with the George Clooney film O’Brother Where Art Thou?, which barely made a ripple on the mainstream country radio lists.

Artists who passed away: Singing cowgirl Dale Evans (88), Blackhawk member Van Stephenson (47), “Gentle On My Mind” writer John Hartford (63), Guitar legend Chet Atkins (77), “Act Naturally” writer Johnny Russell (61)

Waylon Jennings

2002: It had been no secret that Waylon Jennings wasn’t in the best of health, having suffered from diabetes for several years, but still the Nashville music scene felt a huge shock one afternoon in February when it was announced that Jennings had passed away at his Arizona home at the age of 64. That weekend, an all-star guitar pull—featuring Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams, Jr., and Travis Tritt—all paid tribute to Jennings on a special performance of the Grand Ole Opry. One of the other major stories that year included the beginning of the feud between Toby Keith and Natalie Maines, due to her comments about his song “Courtesy Of The Red, White, and Blue.”

Artists Who Passed Away: Legendary “Outlaw” Waylon Jennings (64), songwriter Harlan Howard (74)

The Dixie Chicks

2003: The Dixie Chicks, not ones to shy away from hot topics, caused the stir of the decade this year. While on stage in France, Natalie Maines said that they were ashamed that President George W. Bush was from Texas. The fallout unfortunately ended the groups’ reign on the charts and award shows. Looking back, I think the Chicks got the raw end of the deal. Natalie Maines has a big mouth, but in my opinion, she has said taken knocks at her fellow artists that are far worse than what she said about the President. I’m not going to get into agreeing or disagreeing with her, but the radio conglomerate that was the first to ban their music just also happened to have ties to a certain political party. Both sides were at fault here, but the saddest thing to me is that the country music business slammed the door on the most talented act in the format this decade. In other news from 2003, one artist who stood for tolerance of ideas other than your own, Johnny Cash, enjoyed success one last time with his unlikely cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt.” It was the best part of the year for “The Man In Black,” who lost his beloved June Carter Cash in May. Then, not four months after her death, Nashville woke up to the sad news that Johnny Cash was dead at the age of 71.

Artists who passed away: Honky-tonk master Johnny Paycheck (64), “Rocky Top” co-writer Felice Bryant (77), June Carter Cash (73), 1940s pioneer Floyd Tillman (88), 1960s vocalist Wilma Burgess (64), Johnny Cash (71), songwriter/singer Don Gibson (75), singer Gary Stewart (58), truck-driving singer Dave Dudley (75)

Loretta Lynn

2004: In the same way that Rick Rubin had helped to re-energize Johnny Cash in his twilight years, Jack White had a similar impact on the career of Loretta Lynn. Van Lear Rose, her first album of all-new material since 1988, topped many lists of the year’s best releases. The album later won Lynn her first Grammy in decades. Many eyes were on the career progress of Buddy Jewell, who was the first winner of the Nashville Star show. After securing a contract with Sony, the 40-something singer hit the top ten with his first two releases, and promptly (and unfortunately) faded from sight.

Artists who passed away: Ray Charles (73), Grand Ole Opry star Skeeter Davis (72), singer Roy Drusky (73), guitarist Hank Garland (74)

Martina McBride

2005: Two of the top female artists of the decade figured prominently in the news this year. Martina McBride took country music fans back in time with her terrific Timeless album, which became one of her top sellers ever. The project featured her covering such legendary acts as Hank Williams, Ray Price, and Buck Owens, who wrote the liner notes for the album. After the first few winners of American Idol made their marks on the pop charts, the world of country music got a little love from the show with the emergence of Carrie Underwood. She hit the scene with a bang! Her first single to country radio, “Jesus Take The Wheel,” went all the way to the top as has every release since!

Artists who passed away: Merle Kilgore (70), singer Sammi Smith (61) cowboy singer Chris LeDoux (56), bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin (77), fiddler Vassar Clements (77)

Buck Owens

2006: A Washington family was responsible for one last performance from Buck Owens. As the legend was not feeling well, and was in the process of leaving his Crystal Palace showplace, he bumped into a family in the parking lot that had travelled all the way to Bakersfield to see him perform. Hearing that was all he needed to go in and work a Friday night gig with the Buckaroos. Just a few hours later, Owens would be dead, dying in his sleep. The next week, several of country’s legends descended upon Bakersfield to bid farewell to one of country’s all-time greatest stylists. One of the other major stories of the year surrounded what was once considered one of the happiest marriages in Nashville, Sara Evans and her husband Craig. The union came to an end amid accusations galore, landing them in court, as well as the front page. Things were eventually settled, and Evans later found happiness with former Alabama QB Jay Barker.

Artists who passed away: “You Don’t Know Me” writer Cindy Walker (87), Buck Owens (76), singer Bonnie Owens (76), singer Billy Walker (77), singer Johnny Duncan (67), Tex-Mex singer Freddy Fender (69), “Burning Love” tunesmith Dennis Linde (63)

Garth Brooks

2007: Garth Brooks tends to do things his own way. The singer teamed up with Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records for a compilation of his best-known records. As usual, fans flocked to the store to buy the two-CD set, which included the single “More Than A Memory,” the first country single to debut at #1 on the charts. Another celebrity that did things in her own way was actress/model Anna Nicole Smith. Her death in February may always be a mystery, but there was a country tie to her passing. Before her death, she had met her favorite country singer, Joe Nichols, at the Grand Ole Opry. The singer performed at her funeral in the Bahamas. Although the media was everywhere wanting to talk with the singer, in one of the classiest moves in the decade, he declined to speak to the press.

Artists who passed away: singer Del Reeves (74), Buckaroos bass player Doyle Holly (70), harmonica wizard Terry McMillan (53), “Skip A Rope” singer Henson Cargill (66), Saxophone player Boots Randolph (80), Emerson Drive bass player Patrick Bourque (29), Porter Wagoner (80), singer Hank Thompson (82), longtime Conway Twitty and Vince Gill steel player John Hughey (73)

Eddy Arnold

2008: Though his name wasn’t mentioned by many of the day’s top country singers, the numbers speak for themselves. Nobody, with possibly the lone exception of Garth Brooks, had made the musical impact of Eddy Arnold. Known as “The Tennessee Plowboy,” his chart reign started in 1944, and didn’t end until one week shy of his 90th birthday in May. Placing 92 records in the top ten and selling over 85 million records, the 1966 Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee’s place in history is secure! Arnold would have had an interesting take on one of the year’s biggest water cooler topics in country music—pop/rock acts who were trying to cross over into country. Acts like Jessica Simpson, Kid Rock, Jewel, and Darius Rucker attempted career shifts into country, with varying degrees of success. Some in Nashville didn’t appreciate those recording efforts, which in my opinion were kind of ironic. If a country artist had a pop hit, you would have thought the record companies wanted to close schools and march down Broadway. Interestingly enough, the music that the aforementioned artists released to country radio wasn’t bad, and though Kid Rock typically isn’t my cup of tea, nobody outside of the format “gets” Country Music any better than Mr. Bob Ritchie.

Artists who passed away: Capitol Records exec Ken Nelson (96), singer-songwriter Paul Davis (60), Hee Haw star Jim Hager (61), singer Jerry Wallace (79), Eddy Arnold (89), Southern Gospel legend Dottie Rambo (74), Drifting Cowboys steel player Don Helms (81), singer/actor/guitarist Jerry Reed (71), singer/radio personality Charlie Walker (81)

Taylor Swift

2009: If the year could be summed up in two words, it would be Taylor Swift. The singer was everywhere you turned in 2009. From country to pop radio to Saturday Night Live, her popularity reached a height not seen in the format since Garth Brooks. She stole a page from Brooks’ formula for success by treating everyone around her—from label head Scott Borchetta to the 15-year old who bought Fearless—like a million bucks. In November, the singer made history by becoming the first teenage Entertainer Of The Year from the CMA. Proving how much of a giant she already is, she gathered her band around her as she accepted the trophy. The singer could give lessons on class to all around her. (Speaking of class, when your nickname is “The Voice,” I think that means that you are very much admired by your peers. ) Vern Gosdin was a singer that made you believe every word and every note. His death in the spring leaves a huge void that nobody will ever fill.

Artists who passed away: Hee Haw star Jon Hager (62), singer Molly Bee (69), singer Ernie Ashworth (80), singer Hank Locklin (91), singer Dan Seals (61), singer Vern Gosdin (74), producer Barry Beckett (66), guitarist Les Paul (94), Confederate Railroad member Warren Nichols (65), singer Ruby Wright (69)