2018 Year In Review - May & June

Audio By Carbonatix

MAY

• The Country Music Hall of Fame opened a new exhibit, “Outlaws & Armadillos: Country's Roaring '70s,” paying tribute to country music’s renegades.
• Shania Twain kicked off her “Now Tour” in Tacoma, Washington.
• Brantley Gilbert took the stage Ascend Amphitheater for a special show that had him backed by an orchestra.
• Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood gave the commencement speech at University of Georgia graduation. Both singers earned Bachelor of Business Administration degrees from the school. 
• Johnny Cash’s boyhood home n Dyess, Arkansas, where Johnny lived from age three until high school, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
• Lady Antebellum showed their support for the Nashville Predators by performing the National Anthem before game five of the playoffs, but the usually flawless group had a little bit of a misstep. The group had a little flub during their performance, with Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood singing different verses at one point
• Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line and Carrie Underwood led the pack of this year’s CMT Nominees with four nods each. Coming in a close second is Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, Lauren Alaina and Thomas Rhett, who each had three.
• Carrie Underwood sat down with “Today” for her first TV interview since her fall six months before that left her with a fractured wrist and an injury to her face that required stiches.
• Carrie Underwood returned to “American Idol” to serve as a mentor for the semifinals. In exchange, she got to perform “See You Again” with the remaining five contestants and her new single, “Cry Pretty.”
• Carrie Underwood returned to the Grand Ole Opry on celebrate the 10^th anniversary of her becoming a member.
• Kacey Musgraves made her “Saturday Night Live” debut, performing two songs from her most recent album “Golden Hour
• Brad Paisley headlined a benefit concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl, which benefited those still recovering from the December Thomas Fire and January mudslides in Montecito, California.
• Sam Hunt dropped the new single “Downtown’s Dead,” the first new music from Sam since 2017’s “Body Like A Back Road.”
• Chris Stapleton was the night’s big winner at the Billboard Music Awards. Chris nabbed the big honor of Top Country Artist, as well as Top Male Artist and Top Country Album for “From A Room: Volume 1.” Sam Hunt won the only country award actually handed out on the show, nabbing Top Country Song for "Body Like A Back Road."
• Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha’s “Meant to Be” spent its 25th week on top the Hot Country Songs chart, surpassing FGL's "Cruise" for their second-longest reign on that chart. "Cruise" topped the "Hot Country Songs" chart for 24 weeks back in 2012-2013.
• Carrie Underwood’s hubby Mike Fisher announced on Instagram that he was once again retiring from the NHL.
• Willie Nelson was forced to bail on a performance at his Outlaw Music Festival date in Charlotte, North Carolina due to illness. Willie took the stage and looked ready to perform, even strapping on his guitar, but quickly took it off and walked off the stage.
• Sam Hunt headlined the Firestone Legends Day concert at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

JUNE 

• Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Marlow revealed she got engaged to boyfriend Jonah Font. 
• A historical marker on the west lawn of the Simpson County Courthouse in Franklin, Kentucky was dedicated to mark the place where Johnny Cash and Roseanne Cash got hitched in 1968. 
• Florida Georgia Line announced a five-date “limited residency” at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. 
• Dolly Parton confirmed that she’s going to a be developing a series on Netflix. The series is expected to have each episode based around one of the singer’s classic songs. Plus, Dolly is expected to appear in some episodes.
• Darius Rucker hosted his ninth annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, featuring special guests Brad Paisley, Lauren Alaina and Trace Adkins, as well as Backstreet Boy AJ McLean, Edwin McCain, Ashley McBryde and Rachel Wammack.
• Brad Paisley, Chris Young and Chase Bryant were a few of the artists who participated in the “Dance Party to End Alz,” which raised more than $340,000, which went to the Alzheimer's Association research programs.
• Blake Shelton was the big winner at the CMT Awards, taking home two trophies, Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year for “I’ll Name The Dogs.” Carrie Underwood was also a big winner, extending her record for the most CMT Music Award wins, now with 18. Carrie took home the trophy for Female Video of the Year for her song “Champions,” featuring Ludacris.
• Sugarland dropped their first album in eight years, “Bigger”
• Blake Shelton opened his Ole Red bar in Nashville with a star-studded concert that featured appearances by Kelly Clarkson, Michael Ray, Lauren Alaina, Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, Hunter Hayes, Jon Pardi, Devin Dawson, Trace Adkins, Chris Janson, Dan + Shay and Raelynn.
• Walker Hayes announced on social media that he and his wife Laney lost their seventh child shortly after the baby was born.
• CMA Fest took over Nashville, with performances by artists such as Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton and more.
• Garth Brooks surprised fans by performing on the CMA Close Up Stage at Xfinity Fan Fair X inside Music City Center. Garth performed a medley of hits, including “Friends In Low Places,” “The Dance,” “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” and “The River.”
• Sugarland dropped their “Mad Men” inspired video for “Babe,” featuring appearances by Taylor Swift and “Superman” star Brandon Routh.
• Vince Gill made a surprise appearance at Ty Herndon’s third annual Concert for Love and Acceptance at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon.
• Luke Combs lost his voice and was forced to take ten days off to rest his vocal cords, affecting shows in Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and more.
• Martina McBride, her husband John and Blackbird Studios were sued by a former employee who claimed he was fired in retaliation for reporting them to the Department of Labor.
• Little Big Town’s Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit, “Little Big Town: The Power of Four” opened. 
• Kenny Chesney announced he planned to donate the proceeds from his upcoming album, “Songs For The Saints,” to help the Virgin Islands continue to recover from Hurricane Irma. 
• Alan Jackson, along with country singer/songwriter Bill Andersonand Steve Dorff, were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
• Kid Rock apologized for his fake Senate run.
• Elvis Presley’s drummer D.J. Fontana passed away in his sleep at the age of 87. 
• Randy Travis was honored during CMA Fest with the inaugural Cracker Barrel Legend Award, honoring his impact and longevity in country music.
• Scotty McCreery married his longtime girlfriend, Gabi Dugal, in a ceremony in the North Carolina mountains that was officiated by Scotty’s childhood pastor.
• Jason Aldean opened the doors of his new Nashville restaurant and bar, Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar.
• Luke Combs and Leon Bridges collaborated on an episode of "CMT Crossroads" 
• Jana Kramer announced that she and hubby Michael Caussin were expecting their second child.
• The Recording Academy announced that starting with the 61^stAnnual GRAMMY Awards in 2019, there will now be eight, instead of five, nominees in their four major categories – Record, Song and Album of the Year, as well as Best New Artists.
• Wynonna Judd’s daughter Grace Pauline Kelley was sentenced to eight years behind bars for a probation violation. 
• Dolly Parton was honored in California with the Bill Rosendahl Public Service Award. Dolly was recognized for her philanthropic efforts of her Imagination Library, as well as her “Smoky Mountains Rise telethon, and more.