February 11 — It was a big night for country music artists at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, as they swept the awards in four top categories. The Dixie Chicks won three of those awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year (both for "Not Ready to Make Nice," the latter shared with songwriter Dan Wilson) and Album of the Year (Taking the Long Way). Carrie Underwood took the Best New Artist Award.Both Underwood and the Dixie Chicks were winners in country-specific categories. The Dixie Chicks won for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal (for "
Not Ready to Make Nice") and
Best Country Album ("
Taking the Long Way"). Underwood won for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "
Jesus, Take the Wheel"; the song also earned a Best Country Song award for songwriters
Brett James,
Hillary Lindsey and
Gordie Sampson.Also, country music pioneer
Bob Wills - the longtime leader of the Texas Playboys - was a posthumous recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award. Wills was recognized 32 years after his death.
Week of February 12 — Country music stars team with celebrities during a special celebrity week of Wheel of Fortune, which was taped in Charleston, South Carolina. During the game aired February 13, Julie Roberts and contestant partner Peter Buccellato won $124,250 after Buccallato solved the bonus round puzzle for the show's grand prize of $100,000. Roberts donated a matching amount to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.February 17 — Hank Williams, Jr. filed for divorce from his fourth wife, Mary Jane, whom he married in 1990.March 19 — Days after an announcement that Lonestar had parted ways with longtime record label BNA Records, lead singer Richie McDonald announces plans to depart the group at the end of the year, in search of a solo career.March 19 — Professional dancer and country music star-to-be Julianne Hough makes her debut on Dancing with the Stars, a televised dance promotion. Teamed with Olympic gold medal-winning speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, Hough will go on to win the championship for Season 4. Hough will return in the fall to win a second title, this time with two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Hélio Castroneves.April 10 — The former home of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash is destroyed by fire.May 10 — Country music superstar Trisha Yearwood announces she is leaving MCA Records where she had been for 16 years with over 12 million albums sold and 5 number 1 singles. She announced she was signing with Big Machine Records. Yearwood and Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta met in her intern days at MTM records. Trisha's last top 10 hit with MCA was "I Would've Loved You Anyway" in 2001.September 4 — Sammy Kershaw enters the Louisiana lieutenant governor's race, running as a Republican.September 15 — Garth Brooks' song, "More Than a Memory" becomes the first song to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Songs chart, since the start of the magazine's all-encompassing country chart in 1958.October 21 — Country music legend Porter Wagoner's publicist Darlene Bieber confirms that Wagoner had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Wagoner dies seven days later.October 30 — The Eagles release their studio album Long Road Out of Eden, their first compilation of all-new material in 28 years. The album sells over a million copies in its first two weeks.The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs charts in 2007:
The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2007:
January 1 — Del Reeves, 74, best known for his "girl-watching" novelty-type songs (e.g., "Girl on the Billboard"). (emphysema)January 6 — Sneaky Pete Kleinow, 72, pedal steel guitarist for the Flying Burrito Brothers. (complications from Alzheimer's disease)January 13 — Doyle Holly, 70, member of Buck Owens' Buckaroos; he also had a string of minor hits in the early to mid-1970s. (prostate cancer)February 2 — Terry McMillan, 53, veteran Nashville session harmonica player and percussionist. (natural causes)March 24 — Henson Cargill, 66, country performer best known for 1968 smash "Skip a Rope." (surgical complications)April 17 — Glenn Sutton, 69, songwriter and producer best known for the hit "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden"; a chief architect of the countrypolitan sound of the late 1960s/early 1970s. (heart attack)July 3 — Boots Randolph, 80, member of Nashville's famed "A-Team" of musicians; he was the saxophonist (subdural hematoma)September 26 — Patrick Bourque, 29, bass guitarist for the group Emerson Drive. (suicide)October 28 — Porter Wagoner, 80, rhinestone-suited country music icon, television program host of the 1960s and 1970s, duet partner of Dolly Parton. (lung cancer)November 6 — Hank Thompson, 82, Western-swing styled artist best known for "The Wild Side of Life", 1960's "A Six Pack to Go", and others. (lung cancer)November 18 — John Hughey, 73, steel guitarist known for his "crying steel" style of playing (Heart complications)November 29 — Jim Nesbitt, 75, best known for the hits "Please Mr. Kennedy", "A Tiger in My Tank" and "Runnin' Bare". (Extended battle with a heart condition)November 30 — Ralph Ezell, 54, bass guitarist and co-founding member of the 1980s and 1990s group Shenandoah. (heart attack)December 16 — Dan Fogelberg, 56, Many pop hits with a few minor country hits, including "Same Old Lang Syne" (prostate cancer)Ralph Emery (born 1933), disc jockey and television host from the 1960s onward.Vince Gill (born 1957), singer-songwriter and musician who rose to prominence in the 1980s.Mel Tillis (born 1932), singer and songwriter who rose to fame in the 1950s.John Allan CameronSheila HamiltonCliff Dumas(presented February 10, 2008 in Los Angeles)
Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Before He Cheats", Carrie UnderwoodBest Male Country Vocal Performance — "Stupid Boy", Keith UrbanBest Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "How Long", EaglesBest Country Collaboration with Vocals — "Lost Highway", Willie Nelson and Ray PriceBest Country Instrumental Performance — "Throttleneck", Brad PaisleyBest Country Song — "Before He Cheats", Josh Kear and Chris TompkinsBest Country Album — These Days, Vince GillBest Bluegrass Album — The Bluegrass Diaries, Jim Lauderdale(presented April 6, 2008 in Calgary)
Country Recording of the Year — Risk, Paul Brandt(presented April 16 in Nashville)
Video of the Year — "Before He Cheats," Carrie UnderwoodMale Video of the Year — "You Save Me," Kenny ChesneyFemale Video of the Year — "Before He Cheats," Carrie UnderwoodGroup Video of the Year — "What Hurts the Most," Rascal FlattsDuo Video of the Year — "Want To," SugarlandBreakthrough Video of the Year — "Tim McGraw," Taylor SwiftWide Open Country Video of the Year — "Love You," Jack IngramVideo Director of the Year — "Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood (Director: Roman White)Johnny Cash Visionary Award — Kris Kristofferson(presented May 18, 2008 in Las Vegas)
Entertainer of the Year — Kenny ChesneySong of the Year — "Stay", SugarlandSingle of the Year — "Stay", SugarlandAlbum of the Year — Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Miranda LambertTop Male Vocalist — Brad PaisleyTop Female Vocalist — Carrie UnderwoodTop Vocal Duo — Brooks & DunnTop Vocal Group — Rascal FlattsTop New Male Vocalist — Jack IngramTop New Female Vocalist — Taylor SwiftTop New Duo or Group — Lady AntebellumVideo of the Year — "Online", Brad PaisleyVocal Event of the Year — "Find out Who Your Friends Are", Tracy Lawrence, Tim McGraw and Kenny ChesneyACM/Home Depot Humanitarian Award — Rascal FlattsCliffie Stone Pioneer Award — Brenda Lee, The Oak Ridge Boys, Conway Twitty, Porter WagonerCrystal Milestone Award — Garth BrooksPoets Award — Bill Anderson and Fred Rose(presented September 10 in Regina)
Kraft Cheez Whiz Fans' Choice Award — Terri ClarkMale Artist of the Year — Brad JohnerFemale Artist of the Year — Carolyn Dawn JohnsonGroup or Duo of the Year — Emerson DriveSOCAN Song of the Year — "Hold My Beer", Mitch Merrett, Aaron Pritchett, and Deric RuttanSingle of the Year — "Moments", Emerson DriveAlbum of the Year — Doc Walker, Doc WalkerTop Selling Album — Taking the Long Way, Dixie ChicksCMT Video of the Year — "Moments", Emerson DriveChevy Trucks Rising Star Award — Shane YellowbirdRoots Artist or Group of the Year — Corb Lund(presented November 7 in Nashville)
Entertainer of the Year — Kenny ChesneySong of the Year — "Give It Away", Bill Anderson, Jamey Johnson and Buddy CannonSingle of the Year — "Before He Cheats", Carrie UnderwoodAlbum of the Year — It Just Comes Natural, George StraitMale Vocalist of the Year — Brad PaisleyFemale Vocalist of the Year — Carrie UnderwoodVocal Duo of the Year — SugarlandVocal Group of the Year — Rascal FlattsHorizon Award — Taylor SwiftVideo of the Year — "Online", Brad Paisley (Director: Jason Alexander)Vocal Event of the Year — "Find Out Who Your Friends Are", Tracy Lawrence with Tim McGraw and Kenny ChesneyMusician of the Year — Jerry DouglasCountry Music AssociationInductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame 