When you subscribe to Country News you’ll also have access to over 600+ ever-ready country music quick items alphabetized by artist — great for when you need artist info in a hurry, or need extra for pre-recorded shows!

COUNTRY DATEBOOK: OCTOBER 12, 2022

• 1969: MERLE HAGGARD’s Okie From Muskogee entered the charts.

• 1981: BARBARA MANDRELL was named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association for the second straight year.

• 1993: Common Thread: The Songs Of The Eagles, which showcased country artists like ALAN JACKSON, CLINT BLACK, BROOKS & DUNN and TRISHA YEARWOOD performing Eagles tunes, was released. It won the Country Music Association’s Album of the Year award the following year.

• 1997: JOHN DENVER died at the age of 53 when his experimental plane crashed into the Pacific ocean off the coast of Monterey, California.

• 2005: PATSY CLINE’s Greatest Hits was certified diamond for sales of 10 million copies.

• 2012: DOLLY PARTON’s 9 To 5: The Musical had its U.K. premiere at the Manchester Opera House.

• 2014: JERROD NIEMANN was married to Morgan Petek atop Puerto Rico’s historic fort Castillo de San Cristóbal overlooking the ocean.

• 2018: KANE BROWN married Katelyn Jae in Tennessee

• 2019: TRACE ADKINS married Victoria Pratt in New Orleans with BLAKE SHELTON officiating.

• 2020: PARMALEE drummer Scott Thomas married Lexia Chamryk at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.

CHICKS fiddler Martie Maguire is 53.

THOMAS RHETT and wife Lauren are celebrating 10 years of marriage today (October 12).

KANE BROWN and his wife Katelyn celebrate 4 years of marriage.


LUKE BRYAN and Peyton Manning are co-hosting the CMA Awards this year and the guys have released a “boot camp” video that shows the guys cramming for one of country music’s biggest events. • VIDEO

… In the video we see Luke running Peyton through a stack of country star photo flash cards, and Peyton formulating a football-type play that would involve the guys throwing the CMA Award to a winner.

… The video also pokes fun at the Will Smith Oscars slap.

… The CMA Awards will air live on ABC on November 9.

SCOTTY MCCREERY just received the Randy Owen Angels Among Us award from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for his commitment to furthering their mission. ALABAMA’s Randy Owen was on hand to present Scotty with the trophy at the annual Country Cares Seminar in Memphis. The event brings artists and industry professionals together to raise funds and spread awareness for St. Jude.

… Scotty and his wife Gabi — who is a pediatric nurse — have been longtime supporters of the children’s hospital and their work.

MIRANDA LAMBERT has just released the new music video for her latest single, Strange. The video is a celebration of Miranda’s live Las Vegas show. • VIDEO

JO DEE MESSINA has signed up for TikTok and her latest video features WALKER HAYES and his daughter dancing to Jo Dee’s 1996 hit Heads Carolina Tails California. • VIDEO

HARDY will head for the Florida Panhandle next summer when he joins MORGAN WALLEN and MIRANDA LAMBERT as the third of four headliners at the 11th Annual Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam. Scheduled for June 1-4 at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach, tickets for next year’s festival are currently available at GulfCoastJam.com.

ELLE KING’s debut country album, Come Get Your Wife, is coming January 27. The album blends Elle’s passion for pop and rock with country music.

… The track list includes her hit with MIRANDA LAMBERT, Drunk (And I Don’t Want To Go Home), and her current single with DIERKS BENTLEY, Worth a Shot.

LUKE COMBS says his next radio single will be Going, Going Gone, from his third studio album Growin’ Up. • LISTEN

… Will the tune be Luke’s next No. 1? He’s already had 14 chart-toppers.

OLD DOMINION, BROTHERS OSBORNE and LADY A’s Charles Kelley will all perform at an event celebrating what would have been sourthern rock legend Gregg Allman’s 75th birthday. The December 8 event will take place at one of the Allman Brothers Band frontman’s favorite venues, the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

… Allman passed away in 2017 due to complications from liver cancer.

BONUS! When you subscribe to Country News you’ll also have access to over 600+ ever-ready country music quick items alphabetized by artist. (See below.) This is great for when you need artist info in a hurry, or need extra for pre-recorded shows!