1988 in country music explained
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1988.
Events
No dates
- 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.
Top hits of the year
See also: List of number-one country singles of 1988 (U.S.) and List of number-one country hits of 1988 (Canada).
Singles released by American artists
Singles released by Canadian artists
Top new album releases
See also: List of number-one country albums of 1988 (U.S.).
Other top albums
On television
Regular series
- Dolly (1987–1988, ABC)
- Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)
Specials
Births
Deaths
- August 24 – Nat Stuckey, 54, singer-songwriter whose biggest hit-making time was the 1960s and 1970s (lung cancer).
- 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.
Hall of Fame inductees
Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
Major awards
Grammy Awards
Juno Awards
Academy of Country Music
ARIA Awards
(presented in Sydney on February 29, 1988)
Canadian Country Music Association
- 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
Country Music Association
Further reading
- 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
- Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.
Other links
External links
Notes and References
- December 9, 1988. Universal Label Makes Big Nashville Splash. Radio & Records. 1, 30.
- News: Is 'The King' back? New song may be by Elvis or may be a 'very cruel hoax' . . December 23, 1988 . March 8, 2023 . Dan Rosenfeld . 15.
