This Day in Country History: November 4

Nov. 4 saw some incredible country music moments, including the 49th Annual Country Music Association Awards, which had some big winners. Also, a country star’s exhibit closed at the Country…

Kristina Hall

Published Nov 4, 2026 3:00 AM EST

Nov. 4 saw some incredible country music moments, including the 49th Annual Country Music Association Awards, which had some big winners. Also, a country star’s exhibit closed at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani officially announced they were dating. Continue reading to learn more about noteworthy events from this day in country music history.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

These significant milestones occurred on Nov. 4:

• 2008: The late Toby Keith, known for songs such as “American Soldier” and “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” received the Will Rogers Spirit Award from the Will Rogers Rotary Club. This award is presented to an artist who embodies the Western spirit and culture.
• 2015: At the CMA Awards, Little Big Town won Single of the Year for their hit song “Girl Crush,” Chris Stapleton won New Artist of the Year, and Florida Georgia Line received an award for \Vocal Duo of the Year. Performers included Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, and Blake Shelton.
• 2015: Country met pop-punk at the CMA Awards, when Thomas Rhett teamed up with Fall Out Boy to perform rocking renditions of “Crash and Burn” and “Uma Thurman.” Stage dancers contributed to the unusual performance at the awards show.

Cultural Milestones

From the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, these cultural milestones happened on Nov. 4:

• 2007: On the final day of the Johnny Cash Flower-Pickin Festival in Starkville, Mississippi, organizers created a Redemption Service as a nod to forgiving Cash for the night he spent in the Starkville City Jail for public drunkenness in 1965. Cash’s sister Joanne and other locals sang some of Johnny’s favorite gospel tunes at the close of this festival.
• 2010: Sam Harris, Jamie Oldaker, Jean Shepard, and Les Gilliam were inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame at the Muskogee Civic Center in Oklahoma. There were performances by Vince Gill, Toby Keith, and Merle Haggard.
• 2012: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum closed Taylor Swift’s exhibit, Taylor Swift: Speak Now — Treasures from the World Tour. This special exhibit opened in June and showcased some of Swift’s instruments, costumes, and props from her 2011/2012 mega tour, Speak Now World Tour.
• 2012: Carrie Underwood performed at the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina for a stop on her Blown Away Tour, with Hunter Hayes as her opener. Underwood generously donated $1 for every ticket sold to the American Red Cross for its disaster relief work.
• 2023: The Crossroads Arena in Corinth, Mississippi, hosted the Oak Ridge Boys for their American Made: Farewell Tour, celebrating the end of their 50 years of touring together as a band.

Notable Recordings and Performances

There were many interesting performances and festivals on Nov. 4, including:

• 1997: Mercury Records released Shania Twain’s album, Come on Over. Hit songs from this album include “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “You’re Still the One,” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” In 2004, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gave this album a 2x Diamond certification.
• 2016: The Lyric Oxford in Oxford, Mississippi, hosted Cole Swindell for the CMT On Tour Presents Cole Swindell Down Home. At this venue, Jon Langston was Swindell’s supporting musical artist.
• 2018: Zac Brown Band paid homage to Disney’s Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday celebration by singing “The Bare Necessities.” This televised show, Mickey’s 90th Spectacular, featured other special guests, including Meghan Trainor and Josh Groban.
• 2022: Reba McEntire brought Terri Clark on her Reba: Live in Concert tour, with a stop at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
• 2022: Keith Urban took his Speed of Now World Tour to the Peoria Civic Center in Illinois. Throughout Urban’s tour, he had Ingrid Andress as his musical support.
• 2022: The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, hosted Luke Combs for his Middle of Somewhere Tour. Jordan Davis and Lainey Wilson were Combs’ special musical guests.
• 2023: Americana and folk music fans traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona, for the Dreamy Draw Music Festival’s final day, featuring Jamestown Revival, Lord Huron, and Nolan Taylor.
• 2023: Ashley McBryde brought her The Devil I Know Tour to the Anderson Music Hall in Hiawassee, Georgia.
• 2023: COJO Music / Warner Music Nashville released Cody Johnson’s new album, Leather. In April 2026, the RIAA gave this album a Platinum certification.

Industry Changes and Challenges

From a dating announcement to a death, these industry changes occurred on Nov. 4:

• 2015: Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani announced they were officially dating. The co-stars met on the TV reality show The Voice after Shelton divorced Miranda Lambert and Stefani divorced Gavin Rossdale. They got married in 2021 and are still together.
• 2019: Willard Cox, the father of the GRAMMY Award-winning gospel/bluegrass/country group The Cox Family, died at the age of 82. The Cox Family had numerous award-winning albums and became famous by writing the soundtrack to the 2000 Coen Brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which starred George Clooney.
• 2019: Miley Cyrus’s brother and the son of Billy Ray Cyrus, Braison Cyrus, married his sweetheart Stella McBride in Tennessee.
• 2021: Luke Combs performed the first of two nights at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. This was a stop for the Combs What You See is What You Get Tour. This was a tour that was rescheduled from the 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19, when Drew Parker and Ashley McBryde were to perform with Combs.

Nov. 4 witnessed many notable moments. The music industry was surprised that Shelton and Stefani started dating so soon after Shelton’s divorce. There was also an exciting festival in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Zac Brown Band honored Mickey Mouse on this day. Nov. 4 has earned a special place in country music history.

Ashley McBrydeBlake SheltonCody JohnsonThis Day In History
Kristina HallWriter