January 18 — "
American Country Countdown" with
Bob Kingsley expands from three to four hours. Several new features — including a chronological playback of songs reaching No. 1 on the
Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and a calendar feature (highlighting a birthday, or anniversary of a notable song or event in country music) — are added.
June 25 — Jenifer Strait, the 13-year-old daughter of
George Strait (who by now is one of country music's top performers) is killed in a
car accident in
San Marcos, Texas. Her father still refuses to talk about his daughter's death to this day.
For the first time in its 42-year history, there is a new No. 1 song for each week of the year, according to
Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles Chart.
1986 was a renaissance year in country music, with a host of "A New Traditionalist"-minded artists reinvigorating a genre that critics were saying had grown increasingly stagnant and pop-oriented. Among the most successful new artists:
Holly Dunn,
Judy Rodman,
Ricky Van Shelton,
Randy Travis and
Dwight Yoakam.
Keith Whitley, another artist who had been around for a few years, has his first major hit early in the year. They – along with popular newcomers from earlier in the decade such as
Alabama,
George Strait and
Reba McEntire, and longtime artists like
George Jones,
Merle Haggard and
Conway Twitty – proved not only that country music was the
music of the people, but also that the genre had real resiliency.
After 17 years of playing co-host to
Roy Clark,
Buck Owens announces his departure from the still-popular "Hee Haw." Clark would soldier on alone for the next six years, with rotating guest stars each week.
Kingsbury, Paul, "The Grand Ole Opry: History of Country Music. 70 Years of the Songs, the Stars and the Stories," Villard Books, Random House; Opryland USA, 1995
Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947–1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 (
ISBN0-8118-3572-3)
Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (
ISBN0-06-273244-7)
Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.
January 18 — "
American Country Countdown" with
Bob Kingsley expands from three to four hours. Several new features — including a chronological playback of songs reaching No. 1 on the
Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and a calendar feature (highlighting a birthday, or anniversary of a notable song or event in country music) — are added.
June 25 — Jenifer Strait, the 13-year-old daughter of
George Strait (who by now is one of country music's top performers) is killed in a
car accident in
San Marcos, Texas. Her father still refuses to talk about his daughter's death to this day.
For the first time in its 42-year history, there is a new No. 1 song for each week of the year, according to
Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles Chart.
1986 was a renaissance year in country music, with a host of "A New Traditionalist"-minded artists reinvigorating a genre that critics were saying had grown increasingly stagnant and pop-oriented. Among the most successful new artists:
Holly Dunn,
Judy Rodman,
Ricky Van Shelton,
Randy Travis and
Dwight Yoakam.
Keith Whitley, another artist who had been around for a few years, has his first major hit early in the year. They – along with popular newcomers from earlier in the decade such as
Alabama,
George Strait and
Reba McEntire, and longtime artists like
George Jones,
Merle Haggard and
Conway Twitty – proved not only that country music was the
music of the people, but also that the genre had real resiliency.
After 17 years of playing co-host to
Roy Clark,
Buck Owens announces his departure from the still-popular "Hee Haw." Clark would soldier on alone for the next six years, with rotating guest stars each week.
Kingsbury, Paul, "The Grand Ole Opry: History of Country Music. 70 Years of the Songs, the Stars and the Stories," Villard Books, Random House; Opryland USA, 1995
Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947–1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 (
ISBN0-8118-3572-3)
Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (
ISBN0-06-273244-7)
Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.