This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1988.
May 21 – Country music stars highlight a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. Featured: Alabama, The Judds, George Strait and Randy Travis.
Time-Life Records releases the first volume of its "Country USA" series. The series, which would eventually include 23 volumes, each chronicles one year per volume – 1950 through 1972. Each volume – offered on two record albums, or one cassette or compact disc – contains liner notes from some of country music's most respected historians. In many cases, the songs offered on each volume represented the first time they had ever been re-released on compact disc. "Country USA" was offered through television and magazine advertisements.
The Country Music Association Awards introduced a new award, Vocal Event of the Year, awarding collaborative efforts by two or more artists who normally don't work together (previously such efforts had to be included with Best Duo or Group nominations). The first recipient was the group of Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt for their Trio album.
MTM Records is sold and disestablished after four years. During its short stay in the music business, two songs released by MTM will top the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart: Judy Rodman's "Until I Met You" (1986) and S-K-O's "Baby's Got a New Baby" (1987).
Real Country, a 24-hour satellite music network focusing on classic country and neotraditional country, is planned for a 1989 launch by country star Buck Owens out of his Phoenix Arizona radio studios and carried by the Satellite Music Network. It is heard primarily in smaller- and medium-sized markets. Real Country was later sold to ABC Disney which then moved the operations to its radio headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Real Country was later sold to Citadel and is now owned and distributed by Cumulus Media.
Dolly (1987–1988, ABC)
Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)
April 29 – Michael Ray, singer-songwriter known for his 2015 debut hit "Kiss You in the Morning".
May 24 – Billy Gilman, the youngest artist to ever have a country hit record (2000's "One Voice").
July 20 – Julianne Hough, rising country music star and professional dancer, best known for her appearances on Dancing with the Stars.
August 21 – Kacey Musgraves, rising country music star of the 2010s.
November 17 – Reid Perry, member of The Band Perry.
September 20 – Leon McAuliffe, 71, prominent member of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys and a star in his own right.
December 6 – Roy Orbison, 52, American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll.
Loretta Lynn (born 1932)
Roy Rogers (1911–1998)
Jack Feeney
Best Female Country Vocal Performance – "Hold Me," K. T. Oslin
Best Male Country Vocal Performance – Old 8×10, Randy Travis
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – "Give a Little Love," The Judds
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals – "Crying," Roy Orbison and k.d. lang
Best Country Instrumental Performance – "Sugarfoot Rag," Asleep at the Wheel
Best Country Song – "Hold Me," K. T. Oslin
Best Bluegrass Recording – "Southern Flavor," Bill Monroe
Country Male Vocalist of the Year – Murray McLauchlan
Country Female Vocalist of the Year – k.d. lang
Country Group or Duo of the Year – Family Brown
Entertainer of the Year – Hank Williams Jr.
Song of the Year – "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses," Charles Nelson and Paul Nelson (Performer: Kathy Mattea)
Single of the Year – "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses," Kathy Mattea
Album of the Year – This Woman, K. T. Oslin
Top Male Vocalist – George Strait
Top Female Vocalist – K. T. Oslin
Top Vocal Duo – The Judds
Top Vocal Group – Highway 101
Top New Male Vocalist – Rodney Crowell
Top New Female Vocalist – Suzy Bogguss
Video of the Year – "Young Country," Hank Williams Jr. (Director: Bill Fishman)
Entertainer of the Year – k.d. lang
Male Artist of the Year – Ian Tyson
Female Artist of the Year – k.d. lang
Group of the Year – Family Brown
SOCAN Song of the Year – "One Smokey Rose," Tim Taylor (Performer: Anita Perras)
Single of the Year – "One Smokey Rose," Anita Perras
Album of the Year – Shadowland, k.d. lang
Top Selling Album – Always & Forever, Randy Travis
Vista Rising Star Award – Blue Rodeo
Duo of the Year – Anita Perras and Tim Taylor
Entertainer of the Year – Hank Williams Jr.
Song of the Year – "80's Ladies," K. T. Oslin (Performer: K. T. Oslin)
Single of the Year – "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses," Kathy Mattea
Album of the Year – Born to Boogie, Hank Williams Jr.
Male Vocalist of the Year – Randy Travis
Female Vocalist of the Year – K. T. Oslin
Vocal Duo of the Year – The Judds
Vocal Group of the Year – Highway 101
Horizon Award – Ricky Van Shelton
Vocal Event of the Year – Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt
Musician of the Year – Chet Atkins
Country Music Association
Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame
1988 in country music Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA