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1996 in country music

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1996.

Events

  • June 28 — First annual Country Stampede Music Festival begins
  • October 6 — Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are married, and quickly become country music's most visible couple. Their friendship grew into romance during their successful "Spontaneous Combustion" tour that year.

Top hits of the year

Singles released by American artists

USCANSingleArtistReference
2118[4 to 1 in Atlanta](4-to-1-in-atlanta)Tracy Byrd
153Ain't Got Nothin' on UsJohn Michael Montgomery
52All I Want Is a LifeTim McGraw
1315All You Ever Do Is Bring Me DownThe Mavericks
(feat. Flaco Jiménez)
1114Almost a Memory NowBlackHawk
2418Are We in Trouble NowRandy Travis
11The Beaches of CheyenneGarth Brooks
11Believe Me Baby (I Lied)Trisha Yearwood
178Big GuitarBlackHawk
11Bigger Than the BeatlesJoe Diffie
101BlueLeAnn Rimes
11Blue Clear SkyGeorge Strait
1214Born in the DarkDoug Stone
1824Bury the ShovelClay Walker
1821By My SideLorrie Morgan & Jon Randall
12Carried AwayGeorge Strait
198The ChangeGarth Brooks
1030Change My MindJohn Berry
44Cowboy LoveJohn Michael Montgomery
13Daddy's MoneyRicochet
62Deep DownPam Tillis
29Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on YouToby Keith
18Don't Get Me StartedRhett Akins
310Every Light in the HouseTrace Adkins
22Every Time I Get Around YouDavid Lee Murphy
3417Every Time My Heart Calls Your NameJohn Berry
21The Fear of Being AloneReba McEntire
1210Givin' Water to a Drowning ManLee Roy Parnell
644Goodnight SweetheartDavid Kersh
2317Grandpa Told Me SoKenny Chesney
11Guys Do It All the TimeMindy McCready
23Heads Carolina, Tails CaliforniaJo Dee Messina
2112Heart Half EmptyTy Herndon featuring Stephanie Bentley
33Heart's DesireLee Roy Parnell
145Heaven Help My HeartWynonna Judd
1434Heaven in My Woman's EyesTracy Byrd
121High Lonesome SoundVince Gill
620Holdin' Onto SomethingJeff Carson
34HomeAlan Jackson
238Honky Tonkin's What I Do BestMarty Stuart & Travis Tritt
26Hypnotize the MoonClay Walker
23I Am That ManBrooks & Dunn
42I Can Still Make CheyenneGeorge Strait
28I Don't Think I WillJames Bonamy
58I Know She Still Loves MeGeorge Strait
32I Think About YouCollin Raye
15I'll TryAlan Jackson
42I'm Not Supposed to Love You AnymoreBryan White
44If You Loved MeTracy Lawrence
12It Matters to MeFaith Hill
1917It WorksAlabama
74It Wouldn't Hurt to Have WingsMark Chesnutt
1517It's All in Your HeadDiamond Rio
1421It's Lonely Out TherePam Tillis
52It's Midnight CinderellaGarth Brooks
511It's What I DoBilly Dean
66Jacob's LadderMark Wills
228Learning as You GoRick Trevino
11Like the RainClint Black
31Like There Ain't No YesterdayBlackHawk
12Little BittyAlan Jackson
11Living in a MomentTy Herndon
13Lonely Too LongPatty Loveless
44Long as I LiveJohn Michael Montgomery
910Love Is Stronger Than PrideRicochet
1220Love RemainsCollin Raye
413The Maker Said Take HerAlabama
138Mama Don't Get Dressed Up for NothingBrooks & Dunn
26Me and YouKenny Chesney
54Meant to BeSammy Kershaw
37More Than You'll Ever KnowTravis Tritt
11My MariaBrooks & Dunn
11No NewsLonestar
34Not Enough Hours in the NightDoug Supernaw
310Not That DifferentCollin Raye
22On a Good NightWade Hayes
14One Way Ticket (Because I Can)LeAnn Rimes
57Only on Days That End in "Y"Clay Walker
135Out with a BangDavid Lee Murphy
2014Ready, Willing and AbleLari White
12Rebecca LynnBryan White
18Redneck 12 Days of ChristmasJeff Foxworthy
914Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her HandsReba McEntire
814The River and the HighwayPam Tillis
512The Road You Leave BehindDavid Lee Murphy
1919'Round HereSawyer Brown
89Runnin' Away with My HeartLonestar
3818Say IAlabama
15She Never Lets It Go to Her HeartTim McGraw
1720She Said YesRhett Akins
2620She's Got a Mind of Her OwnJames Bonamy
11So Much for PretendingBryan White
1313Some Things Are Meant to BeLinda Davis
38Someone Else's DreamFaith Hill
242Stars over TexasTracy Lawrence
1926Starting Over AgainReba McEntire
11Strawberry WineDeana Carter
613Ten Thousand AngelsMindy McCready
43That Girl's Been Spyin' on MeBilly Dean
43That Ol' WindGarth Brooks
1834That's Enough of ThatMila Mason
419That's What I Get for Lovin' YouDiamond Rio
47Then You Can Tell Me GoodbyeNeal McCoy
2033There's a Girl in TexasTrace Adkins
1327A Thousand Times a DayPatty Loveless
11Time Marches OnTracy Lawrence
13To Be Loved by YouWynonna Judd
410Too Much FunDaryle Singletary
319Treat Her RightSawyer Brown
107VidaliaSammy Kershaw
22Walkin' AwayDiamond Rio
521What Do I KnowRicochet
515What I Meant to SayWade Hayes
1221When a Woman Loves a ManLee Roy Parnell
4518When Cowboys Didn't DanceLonestar
15Wild AngelsMartina McBride
610A Woman's TouchToby Keith
56Worlds ApartVince Gill
2518Would IRandy Travis
3713Wrong Place, Wrong TimeMark Chesnutt
11You Can Feel BadPatty Loveless
61You Can't Lose MeFaith Hill
313You Gotta Love ThatNeal McCoy
722You're Not in Kansas AnymoreJo Dee Messina

Singles released by Canadian artists

USCANSingleArtistReference
18All She WantsRena Gaile
4All the WayJason McCoy
5Ancient HistoryPrairie Oyster
1Anita Got MarriedDuane Steele
1CandleJason McCoy
10Cloud of DustRena Gaile
1Cornfields or CadillacsFarmer's Daughter
1Crank My TractorMichelle Wright
20A Fine LineLawnie Wallace
10FoolproofDesert Dolphins
18Forty Days and NightsThe Rankin Family
287Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)Shania Twain
21I DoPaul Brandt
4I WaitedChris Cummings
81If I Were YouTerri Clark
11(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!Shania Twain
1It's Lonely I Can't StandCharlie Major
3Keep Me Rockin'Patricia Conroy
13Love Music Loves to DanceCalvin Wiggett
51My Heart Has a HistoryPaul Brandt
11No One Needs to KnowShania Twain
501Nobody's GirlMichelle Wright
4One Step BackJamie Warren
51Poor Poor Pitiful MeTerri Clark
16Rhythm of Your WingsGary Fjellgaard
9Roving Gypsy BoyThe Rankin Family
14Sittin' PrettyThomas Wade & Wayward
18So, So LongRachel Matkin
2Stuck on Your LoveDuane Steele
3411Suddenly SingleTerri Clark
1Sure EnoughChris Cummings
13Take You by the HeartThe Cruzeros
1Tell Me Something I Don't KnowCharlie Major
8Thought I Was DreamingLawnie Wallace
3The Trouble with LoveDuane Steele
1Unbelievable LovePrairie Oyster
2Waiting on YouCharlie Major
12Watching Her SleepJamie Warren
33When Boy Meets GirlTerri Clark
15Wild and FreeJoan Kennedy
15Windows to the PastThe Neilsons
11You Win My LoveShania Twain
8Zero to SixtyThomas Wade & Wayward

Top new album releases

USCANAlbumArtistRecord label
21*All the Good 'Uns (The Best of Ian Tyson)*Ian TysonStony Plain
10*Anne Murray*Anne MurraySBK/Capitol
13*The Best of Country Heat*Various ArtistsBMG
179*The Best of Country Sing the Best of Disney*Various ArtistsWalt Disney
73*Between Now and Forever*Bryan WhiteAsylum
1218*Big Love*Tracy ByrdMCA Nashville
13*The Birth of a Star*Patsy ClineRazor & Tie
11*Blue*LeAnn RimesCurb
13*Blue Clear Sky*George StraitMCA Nashville
6*Blue Moon*Toby KeithA&M
5*Blue Plate Special*Prairie OysterVelvel
11*Borderline*Brooks & DunnArista Nashville
3312*BR5-49*BR5-49Arista Nashville
141*Calm Before the Storm*Paul BrandtReprise
23*Christmas: The Gift*Collin RayeEpic
18*Christmas Vol. II*AlabamaRCA Nashville
1*CMT Canada '96*Various ArtistsBMG
1*Collection*The Rankin FamilyEMI
3*Crank It Up: The Music Album*Jeff FoxworthyWarner Bros.
21*Did I Shave My Legs for This?*Deana CarterCapitol Nashville
616*Dreamin' Out Loud*Trace AdkinsCapitol Nashville
622*Everybody Knows*Trisha YearwoodMCA Nashville
11*Everything I Love*Alan JacksonArista Nashville
99*Faces*John BerryCapitol Nashville
746*For Me It's You*Michelle WrightArista Nashville
4*Friends & Lovers*Various ArtistsSony
910*Full Circle*Randy TravisWarner Bros.
126*Gettin' Out the Good Stuff*David Lee MurphyMCA Nashville
10*The Gift*Kenny RogersMagnatone
21*Goodnight Sweetheart*David KershCurb
89*Greater Need*Lorrie MorganBNA
25*Greatest Hits*Clint BlackRCA Nashville
1814*Greatest Hits*Mark ChesnuttDecca Nashville
35*High Lonesome Sound*Vince GillMCA Nashville
2721*Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best*Marty StuartMCA Nashville
23*I Stoled This Record*Cledus T. JuddRazor & Tie
18*It's What I Do*Billy DeanCapitol Nashville
144*IV*Diamond RioArista Nashville
228*Jo Dee Messina*Jo Dee MessinaCurb
103*Just the Same*Terri ClarkMercury/PolyGram
17*Learning as You Go*Rick TrevinoColumbia
7418*Lisa Brokop*Lisa BrokopCapitol Nashville
618*Living in a Moment*Ty HerndonEpic
11*Makin' Hay*Farmer's DaughterUniversal
9*Me and You*Kenny ChesneyBNA
42*Measure of a Man*Kevin SharpAsylum
77*Neal McCoy*Neal McCoyAtlantic
3*New Country 3*Various ArtistsWarner
1911*Not Fade Away (Remembering Buddy Holly)*Various ArtistsDecca Nashville
11*On a Good Night*Wade HayesColumbia
6114*One Ride in Vegas*Deryl DoddColumbia
313*A Place in the World*Mary Chapin CarpenterColumbia
17*Politics, Religion and Her*Sammy KershawMercury/PolyGram
3613*Reflections: Songs of Love*John DenverRCA
78*The Restless Kind*Travis TrittWarner Bros.
21*Revelations*Wynonna JuddCurb/MCA Nashville
1412*Ricochet*RicochetColumbia
4*The Road to Ensenada*Lyle LovettCurb
19*Shady Grove*Jerry Garcia & David GrismanAcoustic Disc
7211*Solid Ground*Ricky SkaggsAtlantic
13*Somebody New*Rhett AkinsDecca Nashville
21*Somewhere Inside*Chris CummingsWarner
204*Spirit*Willie NelsonIsland
1211*Stars and Stripes Vol. 1*The Beach BoysRiver North
21*Steppin' Country 2*Various ArtistsColumbia
51*Ten Thousand Angels*Mindy McCreadyBNA
33*Tennessee Moon*Neil DiamondColumbia
4320*That's Enough of That*Mila MasonAtlantic
44*Time Marches On*Tracy LawrenceAtlantic
2014*Trail of Tears*Billy Ray CyrusMercury/PolyGram
2124*Treasures*Dolly PartonRising Tide
1016*The Trouble with the Truth*Patty LovelessEpic
8*Untamed and True 3*Various ArtistsMCA
20*Used Heart for Sale*Gary AllanDecca Nashville
514*What I Do the Best*John Michael MontgomeryAtlantic
16*What I Live to Do*James BonamyEpic
13*What If It's You*Reba McEntireMCA Nashville

Other top albums

USCANAlbumArtistRecord label
40*A.K.A. Wham Bam Sam*Hank Williams, Jr.Curb
60*All Because of You*Daryle SingletaryGiant
74*Almost Alone*Chet AtkinsColumbia
53*Don't Fence Me In*Lari WhiteRCA Nashville
73*Elvis: Great Country Songs*Elvis PresleyRCA
51*Give Me Some Wheels*Suzy BoggussCapitol Nashville
56*Greatest Hits*John AndersonBNA
60*Greatest Hits*Confederate RailroadAtlantic
36*Hang of the Heartache*Desert DolphinsQuality
39*Hit Country '96*Various ArtistsK-Tel
43*The Hits*Hal KetchumCurb
26*I Lived to Tell It All*George JonesMCA Nashville
47*I Will Always Love You
and Other Greatest Hits*Dolly PartonColumbia
53*Live*Jeff FoxworthyLaughing Hyena
47*The Luv Collection: Real Luv*Various ArtistsEMI-Capitol
6028*Mandy Barnett*Mandy BarnettAsylum
38*Mark Wills*Mark WillsMercury Nashville
45*"My Roots Are Showing..."*K. T. OslinBNA
38*NASCAR: Hotter Than Asphalt*Various ArtistsColumbia
66*NFL Country*Various ArtistsGridiron
54*Now and Then*ShenandoahCapitol Nashville
40*Paradise*John AndersonBNA
32*P.O. Box 423*Duane SteeleMercury/PolyGram
36*Remembering Stan Rogers:
An East Coast Tribute II*Various ArtistsAtlantica
50*The Rocky Mountain Collection*John DenverRCA
32*Semi Crazy*Junior BrownCurb
37*Smokin' Armadillos*Smokin' ArmadillosCurb
26*Some Things Are Meant to Be*Linda DavisArista Nashville
33*Stampede*Chris LeDouxCapitol Nashville
38*Star of Wonder –
A Country Christmas Collection*Various ArtistsArista Nashville
44*Starlite Lounge*David BallWarner Bros.
46*Super Hits*AlabamaRCA Nashville
66*Super Hits*Waylon JenningsRCA Nashville
51*Super Hits*Keith WhitleyRCA Nashville
29*Three Hanks: Men with Broken Hearts*Hank Williams, Hank Williams, Jr.
& Hank Williams IIICurb
54*Two Ways to Fall*Ty EnglandRCA Nashville
26*Unchained*Johnny CashAmerican
4231*You Still Got Me*Doug SupernawGiant

Births

  • April 2 -- Zach Bryan, nominated for Best Country Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards, was born in Okinawa, Japan.
  • July 23 – Danielle Bradbery, winner of season four of NBC's The Voice.

Deaths

  • February 17 — Gus Hardin, 50, female singer best known for her Earl Thomas Conley duet "All Tangled Up in Love" (automobile accident)
  • March 4 — Minnie Pearl, 83, legendary comedian known for her trademark greeting, "How-dee!" and her straw hat with price tag; a regular on Hee Haw (stroke).
  • May 3 — Patsy Montana, 87, first female country singer to have a single sell one million copies ("I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart").
  • June 16 — Anthony Armstrong Jones, 47, male singer best known for his Top Ten cover version of "Take a Letter Maria"
  • August 22 – Oliver "Doolittle" Lynn, 69, husband of Loretta Lynn and key figure in many aspects of her career.
  • September 9- Bill Monroe, 84, Singer
  • December 10 — Faron Young, 64, Nicknamed "The Hillbilly Heartthrob", and "The Singing Sheriff" he had many hits including "Hello Walls" and "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young" (suicide).

Hall of Fame inductees

Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees

  • Peter V. Kuykendall
  • The Country Gentlemen
    • Charlie Waller
    • John Duffey
    • Eddie Adcock
    • Tom Gray

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

  • Patsy Montana (1908–1996)
  • Buck Owens (1929–2006)
  • Ray Price (1926–2013)

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

  • Myrna Lorrie
  • Larry Delaney

Major awards

Grammy Awards

  • Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Blue," LeAnn Rimes
  • Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "World's Apart", Vince Gill
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "My Maria", Brooks & Dunn
  • Best Country Collaboration with Vocals — "High Lonesome Sound", Vince Gill (featuring Alison Krauss)
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Jam Man", Chet Atkins
  • Best Country Song — "Blue", Bill Mack (Performer: LeAnn Rimes)
  • Best Country AlbumThe Road to Ensenada, Lyle Lovett (Producers: Billy Williams (singer) and Lyle Lovett)
  • Best Bluegrass AlbumTrue Life Blues: The Songs of Bill Monroe, Various Artists (Producer: Todd Phillips)

Juno Awards

  • Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Paul Brandt
  • Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Shania Twain
  • Country Group or Duo of the Year — The Rankin Family

Academy of Country Music

  • Entertainer of the Year — Brooks & Dunn
  • Song of the Year — "Blue", Bill Mack
  • Single of the Year — "Blue," LeAnn Rimes
  • Album of the YearBlue Clear Sky, George Strait
  • Top Male Vocalist — George Strait
  • Top Female Vocalist — Patty Loveless
  • Top Vocal Duo — Brooks & Dunn
  • Top Vocal Group — Sawyer Brown
  • Top New Male Vocalist — Trace Adkins
  • Top New Female Vocalist — LeAnn Rimes
  • Top New Vocal Duo or Group — Ricochet
  • Video of the Year — "I Think About You", Collin Raye (Director: Steven Goldmann)

ARIA Awards

(presented in Sydney on September 30, 1996)

  • Best Country Album - Home Fires (The Dead Ringer Band)

Canadian Country Music Association

  • NCN Fans' Choice Award — Shania Twain
  • Male Artist of the Year — Charlie Major
  • Female Artist of the Year — Shania Twain
  • Group or Duo of the Year — Prairie Oyster
  • SOCAN Song of the Year — "My Heart Has a History," Paul Brandt, Mark D. Sanders
  • Single of the Year — "Better Things to Do," Terri Clark
  • Album of the YearTerri Clark, Terri Clark
  • Top Selling AlbumFresh Horses, Garth Brooks
  • Video of the Year — "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!," Shania Twain
  • Vista Rising Star Award — Terri Clark
  • Vocal Collaboration of the Year — Jim Witter and Cassandra Vasik

Country Music Association

  • Entertainer of the Year — Brooks & Dunn
  • Song of the Year — "Go Rest High on That Mountain," Vince Gill
  • Single of the Year — "Check Yes or No," George Strait
  • Album of the YearBlue Clear Sky, George Strait
  • Male Vocalist of the Year — George Strait
  • Female Vocalist of the Year — Patty Loveless
  • Vocal Duo of the Year — Brooks & Dunn
  • Vocal Group of the Year — The Mavericks
  • Horizon Award — Bryan White
  • Music Video of the Year — "My Wife Thinks You're Dead", Junior Brown (Director: Michael McNamara)
  • Vocal Event of the Year — "I Will Always Love You", Dolly Parton and Vince Gill
  • Musician of the Year — Mark O'Connor

RPM Big Country Awards

  • Canadian Country Artist of the Year — Shania Twain
  • Best Country AlbumThe Woman in Me, Shania Twain
  • Best Country Single — "Any Man of Mine", Shania Twain
  • Top Male Vocalist — Charlie Major
  • Top Female Vocalist — Shania Twain
  • Top Group — Prairie Oyster
  • Outstanding New Artist — Jason McCoy
  • Top Country Composer(s) — Shania Twain

Hollywood Walk of Fame

Stars who were honored in 1996

Clint Black

Kennedy Center Honors

Country stars who were honored in 1996

Johnny Cash

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