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1985 in country music

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1985.

Contents

No dates

  • A story published in the New York Times declares that country music is "dead." However, a number of new acts – Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam among them – are working behind the scenes to change the trend.
  • The Country Music Association Awards introduced a new award, Music Video of the Year. The first recipient was Hank Williams Jr.'s video for, "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight."

    • Regular series

  • Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)
  • That Nashville Music (1970-1985, syndicated)

    • Births

  • January 30 – Brantley Gilbert, singer of the 2010s best known for "Country Must Be Country Wide" and "You Don't Know Her Like I Do"
  • May 20 – Jon Pardi, country singer of the 2010s
  • June 12 – Chris Young, winner on the fourth season of Nashville Star
  • August 26 – Brian Kelley, member of Florida Georgia Line, a duo of the 2010s.
  • September 1 — Charlie Worsham, singer/multi-instrumentalist honored by the Mississippi state senate

    • Deaths

  • August 8 - Benny Barnes, 51, former rhythm guitarist for George Jones, best known for his 1956 hit "Poor Man's Riches"

    • Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

  • Flatt and Scruggs (Lester Flatt 1914-1979 and Earl Scruggs 1924–2012)

    • Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

  • Don Messer
  • Hank Snow

    • Grammy Awards

  • Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me," Rosanne Cash
  • Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "Lost in the Fifties Tonight," Ronnie Milsap
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "Why Not Me," The Judds
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Cosmic Square Dance," Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler
  • Best Country Song — "Highwayman," Jimmy Webb (Performer: The Highwaymen)

    • Juno Awards

  • Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Murray McLauchlan
  • Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Anne Murray
  • Country Group or Duo of the Year — Family Brown

    • Academy of Country Music

  • Entertainer of the Year — Alabama
  • Song of the Year — "Lost in the Fifties Tonight," Fred Parris, Mike Reid and Troy Seals (Performer: Ronnie Milsap)
  • Single of the Year — "Highwayman," The Highwaymen
  • Album of the Year — Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind, George Strait
  • Top Male Vocalist — George Strait
  • Top Female Vocalist — Reba McEntire
  • Top Vocal Duo — The Judds
  • Top Vocal Group — Alabama
  • Top New Male Vocalist — Randy Travis
  • Top New Female Vocalist — Judy Rodman
  • Video of the Year — "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?," George Jones (Directors: Marc Ball)

    • Canadian Country Music Association

  • Entertainer of the Year — Dick Damron
  • Male Artist of the Year — Terry Carisse
  • Female Artist of the Year — Carroll Baker
  • Group of the Year — The Mercey Brothers
  • SOCAN Song of the Year — "Counting the I Love You's," Terry Carisse, Bruce Rawlins (Performer: Terry Carisse)
  • Single of the Year — "Riding on the Wind," Gary Fjellgaard
  • Album of the Year — Closest Thing to You, Terry Carisse
  • Top Selling Album — Once Upon a Christmas, Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers
  • Vista Rising Star Award — Ginny Mitchell
  • Duo of the Year — Anita Perras and Tim Taylor

    • Country Music Association

  • Entertainer of the Year — Ricky Skaggs
  • Song of the Year — "God Bless the USA," Lee Greenwood (Performer: Lee Greenwood)
  • Single of the Year — "Why Not Me," The Judds
  • Album of the Year — Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind, George Strait
  • Male Vocalist of the Year — George Strait
  • Female Vocalist of the Year — Reba McEntire
  • Vocal Duo of the Year — Dave Loggins and Anne Murray
  • Vocal Group of the Year — The Judds
  • Horizon Award — Sawyer Brown
  • Music Video of the Year — "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight," Hank Williams Jr. (Director: John Goodhue)
  • Instrumentalist of the Year — Chet Atkins
  • Instrumental Group of the Year — Ricky Skaggs Band

    • References

    1985 in country music Wikipedia
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