2003 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2003.

List of years in country music (table)

Events

  • March 10 – During a concert in London, England, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines said that the band was "ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas" (referring to Maines' hometown of Lubbock and President Bush hailing from the same state). The comment sparked intense controversy and outrage among Americans, including a large share of country music fans.
Those who took offense to Maines' comments based their feelings on a number of grounds, including that the country was then on the verge of declaring war on Iraq (which happened less than two weeks later) and that Maines made the comments on foreign soil. Chicks' supporters, meanwhile, cited their right to free speech. Radio stations – perhaps riding the wave of fan sentiment – refuse to play their music on the air, including their then-current hit, "Travelin' Soldier" (which ironically was about a soldier who is about to go to war); some even sponsor anti-Dixie Chicks promotional events, such as disposing and destroying Chicks' compact discs and other merchandise. Maines, meanwhile, defended her stance during a televised interview with Diane Sawyer.
Maines and her bandmates – Emily Robison and Martie Maguire – appeared nude (with private parts strategically covered) on the May 2 cover of Entertainment Weekly. Their bodies were covered with words such as "Saddam's Angels" and "Traitor."[1]
  • June 11 – Country Music magazine announces that it will cease publication, effective with the August/September 2003 issue. The final issue's cover artist was Martina McBride, as part of a salute to women in country music. The magazine's sister publication, Country Weekly, which had largely taken over the market for country music-related journalism, picks up part of the slack left by the closure of Country Music, both of which were published by American Media Inc.[2]
  • July – The Rascal Flatts video, "I Melt," comes under fire by conservative groups because it contains brief scenes of nudity, in particular lovemaking scenes featuring band member Joe Don Rooney and model Christina Auria. Groups called for the video to be banned from airplay on CMT and Great American Country. Eventually, Rascal Flatts released an edited version of the video, which aired during daytime hours on the two country music-oriented networks.[3]
  • December – The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honors Loretta Lynn for her lifetime contributions to the arts.

No dates

  • Throughout the year, country music was beset by the deaths of notable figures, including Johnny Cash, whose vastly influential musicianship transcended genres. His wife of 35 years (and longtime singing partner), June Carter Cash, had died four months earlier. Both had appeared in a CMT-aired interview, discussing their lives and careers; it was taped earlier in the year.
Other notables that died during the year: Johnny Paycheck, Felice Bryant, Floyd Tillman, Wilma Burgess, Don Gibson, Dave Dudley and Gary Stewart.

Top hits of the year

The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs charts in 2003:

US Single Artist Reference
1 19 Somethin' Mark Wills
10 99.9% Sure (I've Never Been Here Before) Brian McComas
6 Almost Home Craig Morgan
18 At the End of the Day Kellie Coffey
1 The Baby Blake Shelton
16 Backseat of a Greyhound Bus Sara Evans
16 Beautiful Goodbye Jennifer Hanson
1 Beer for My Horses Toby Keith
duet with Willie Nelson
2 Big Star Kenny Chesney
1 Brokenheartsville Joe Nichols
3 Celebrity Brad Paisley
5 Chicks Dig It Chris Cagle
10 Chrome Trace Adkins
5 Concrete Angel Martina McBride
2 Cowboys Like Us George Strait
3 Fall into Me Emerson Drive
9 A Few Questions Clay Walker
4 Forever and for Always Shania Twain
1 Have You Forgotten? Darryl Worley
4 Hell Yeah Montgomery Gentry
3 Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacey's Song) Buddy Jewell
1 I Believe Diamond Rio
16 I Can't Be Your Friend Rushlow
2 I Just Wanna Be Mad Terri Clark
1 I Love This Bar Toby Keith
2 I Melt Rascal Flatts
15 I Wish Jo Dee Messina
7 I Wish You'd Stay Brad Paisley
14 I'm Gonna Take That Mountain Reba McEntire
1 It's Five O'Clock Somewhere Alan Jackson
and Jimmy Buffett
6 A Lot of Things Different Kenny Chesney
8 The Love Song Jeff Bates
3 Love You Out Loud Rascal Flatts
18 Lovin' All Night Patty Loveless
1 Man to Man Gary Allan
1 My Front Porch Looking In Lonestar
17 Next Big Thing Vince Gill
2 No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems Kenny Chesney
19 On a Mission Trick Pony
3 Raining on Sunday Keith Urban
1 Real Good Man Tim McGraw
1 Red Dirt Road Brooks & Dunn
13 Rock You Baby Toby Keith
17 She Only Smokes When She Drinks Joe Nichols
2 She's My Kind of Rain Tim McGraw
5 Speed Montgomery Gentry
3 Stay Gone Jimmy Wayne
18 Streets of Heaven Sherrié Austin
11 Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa George Strait
2 That'd Be Alright Alan Jackson
9 Then They Do Trace Adkins
1 There Goes My Life Kenny Chesney
17 There's More to Me Than You Jessica Andrews
14 There's No Limit Deana Carter
17 This Is God Phil Vassar
3 This One's for the Girls Martina McBride
1 Three Wooden Crosses Randy Travis
1 Tough Little Boys Gary Allan
1 Travelin' Soldier Dixie Chicks
13 The Truth About Men Tracy Byrd
12 Unusually Unusual Lonestar
12 Up! Shania Twain
8 Walk a Little Straighter Billy Currington
8 Walking in Memphis Lonestar
3 Wave on Wave Pat Green
4 What a Beautiful Day Chris Cagle
14 What the World Needs Wynonna
1 What Was I Thinkin' Dierks Bentley
1 Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me Keith Urban
16 Wrinkles Diamond Rio
4 You Can't Hide Beautiful Aaron Lines

Top new album releases

The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2003:

US Album Artist Record Label
5 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection Toby Keith Mercury Nashville
6 20th Century Masters: The Best of Brenda Lee - The Christmas Collection Brenda Lee MCA Nashville
4 All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan Kenny Chesney BNA
6 The American Farewell Tour Alabama RCA Nashville
5 And the Crowd Goes Wild Mark Wills Mercury Nashville
10 Best of Jeff Foxworthy: Double Wide, Single Minded Jeff Foxworthy Warner Bros.
1 Buddy Jewell Buddy Jewell Columbia
1 Chris Cagle Chris Cagle Capitol Nashville
3 Comin' On Strong Trace Adkins Capitol Nashville
4 Dierks Bentley Dierks Bentley Capitol Nashville
2 The Dreamer Blake Shelton Warner Bros.
3 A Few Questions Clay Walker RCA Nashville
2 For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome George Strait MCA Nashville
1 From There to Here: Greatest Hits Lonestar BNA
1 Greatest Hits Jo Dee Messina Curb
3 Greatest Hits LeAnn Rimes Asylum-Curb
1 Greatest Hits Collection, Vol. 1 Trace Adkins Capitol Nashville
2 Greatest Hits Volume II Alan Jackson Arista Nashville
1 Greatest Hits Volume II (And Some Other Stuff) Alan Jackson Arista Nashville
1 Have You Forgotten? Darryl Worley DreamWorks Nashville
1 Honkytonkville George Strait MCA Nashville
6 I'm Just a Girl Deana Carter Arista Nashville
4 In the Mood: The Love Songs Alabama RCA Nashville
7 Jimmy Wayne Jimmy Wayne DreamWorks Nashville
6 Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton Various Artists Sugar Hill
4 Live and Kickin' Willie Nelson Lost Highway
9 Living Out Loud Aaron Lines RCA Nashville
3 Long Black Train Josh Turner MCA Nashville
1 Martina Martina McBride RCA Nashville
1 Mud on the Tires Brad Paisley Arista Nashville
7 My Baby Don't Tolerate Lyle Lovett Lost Highway
4 Next Big Thing Vince Gill MCA Nashville
4 Now Jessica Andrews DreamWorks Nashville
7 On Your Way Home Patty Loveless Epic
5 Pain to Kill Terri Clark Mercury Nashville
8 Population Me Dwight Yoakam Audium
1 Red Dirt Road Brooks & Dunn Arista Nashville
8 Remembering Patsy Cline Various Artists MCA Nashville
3 Restless Sara Evans RCA Nashville
4 Room to Breathe Reba McEntire MCA Nashville
2 See If I Care Gary Allan MCA Nashville
1 Shock'n Y'all Toby Keith DreamWorks Nashville
6 Stumble into Grace Emmylou Harris Nonesuch
3 Top of the World Tour: Live Dixie Chicks Open Wide
2 Totally Country Vol. 3 Various Artists Warner Bros.
5 The Truth About Men Tracy Byrd RCA Nashville
2 Wave on Wave Pat Green Republic
1 What the World Needs Now Is Love Wynonna Asylum-Curb
9 Worship & Faith Randy Travis Word/Curb

Other top albums

US Album Artist Record Label
12 All the Best Glen Campbell Capitol Nashville
17 Bering Strait Bering Strait Universal South
33 Bill Gaither Presents:
A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming Volume One
Various Artists Gaither
34 Bill Gaither Presents:
A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming Volume Two
Various Artists Gaither
17 Billy Currington Billy Currington Mercury Nashville
15 Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie Soundtrack Various Artists Warner Bros.
48 Bluegrass Today Various Artists Time Life
21 Brian McComas Brian McComas Lyric Street
21 The Christmas Guest: Songs and Stories of Christmas Andy Griffith Sparrow
20 Classic Country: Christmas Various Artists Time Life
45 Classic Country: The '80s Various Artists Time Life
11 CMT Most Wanted Volume 1 Various Artists Capitol Nashville
40 Country Music Marty Stuart Columbia
32 Crazy: The Demo Sessions Willie Nelson Sugar Hill
44 Delbert McClinton Live Delbert McClinton New West
11 Drunk in Public Ron White Hip-O
30 Dusty Drake Dusty Drake Warner Bros.
30 Elvis: Christmas Peace Elvis Presley RCA
41 Elvis: Close Up Elvis Presley RCA
24 The Essential Willie Nelson Willie Nelson Legacy
29 Fate's Right Hand Rodney Crowell Epic
24 Farm Fresh Onions Robert Earl Keen Koch
23 For God and Country Dolly Parton Blue Eye
40 Full Exposure Cory Morrow Write On
28 Further Down the Old Plank Road The Chieftains RCA
44 Genuine The Derailers Lucky Dog
19 The Gospel Collection George Jones Bandit
40 Haggard Like Never Before Merle Haggard Capitol Nashville
46 Heart Full of Country Various Artists Capitol Nashville
37 Here's Your Sign Reloaded Bill Engvall Warner Bros.
50 Honesty Rodney Atkins Curb
24 Horsepower Chris LeDoux Capitol Nashville
16 I Love It Craig Morgan Broken Bow
39 I Want My Money Back Sammy Kershaw Audium
24 I'm One of You Hank Williams, Jr. Asylum-Curb
19 I've Always Been Crazy: A Tribute to Waylon Jennings Various Artists RCA Nashville
37 It'll Come to You… The Songs of John Hiatt Various Artists Vanguard
47 It's Just the Night Del McCoury Band McCoury
20 Jennifer Hanson Jennifer Hanson Capitol Nashville
43 Just an American Boy Steve Earle E-Squared
32 Live at the Charleston Music Hall Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Skaggs Family
44 Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers Various Artists Universal South
47 Lonesome, On'ry and Mean:
A Tribute to Waylon Jennings
Various Artists Razor & Tie
32 The Mavericks The Mavericks Sanctuary
15 Music Through Heartsongs:
Songs Based on the Poems of Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Billy Gilman Epic
25 Nashville Star: The Finalists Various Artists Columbia
14 Nut Sack Rodney Carrington Capitol Nashville
30 One Step Ahead Rhonda Vincent Rounder
18 The Other Side Billy Ray Cyrus Word/Curb
37 Pure Country Classics: The #1 Hits Various Artists UTV
14 Rainbow Man Jeff Bates RCA Nashville
31 Roy D. Mercer Hits the Road Roy D. Mercer Capitol Nashville
16 Rules of Travel Rosanne Cash Capitol Nashville
49 Show Allison Moorer Universal South
19 A Six Pack of Judd Cledus T. Judd Koch
37 The Songs of Hank Williams, Jr. Various Artists Warner Bros.
31 Steal Another Day Steve Wariner Selectone
22 Streets of Heaven Sherrié Austin Broken Bow
24 Three Pickers Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson
& Ricky Skaggs
Rounder
27 The Time-Life Treasury of Bluegrass Various Artists Time Life
39 Ultimate Clint Black Clint Black RCA Nashville
20 Ultimate Dolly Parton Dolly Parton RCA Nashville
33 Unearthed Johnny Cash Lost Highway
11 The Very Best of John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery Warner Bros.
24 A Very Special Acoustic Christmas Various Artists Lost Highway
33 Wildwood Flower June Carter Cash Dualtone
48 You, Me and the Windshield Marcel Mercury Nashville

Deaths

  • February 19 – Johnny Paycheck, 64, legendary singer and songwriter, best known for "Take This Job and Shove It." (complications from asthma and emphysema)
  • March 17 – Bill Carlisle, 94, singer-songwriter and comedian, lead singer of the Carlisles and stalwart of the Grand Ole Opry.
  • April 22 – Felice Bryant, 77, songwriter and wife of collaborator Boudleaux Bryant.
  • May 15 – June Carter Cash, 73, member of the Carter Family and wife of Johnny Cash (complications from heart surgery).
  • June 30 – Sam Phillips, 80, founder of Sun Records and major player in emergence of rock and roll and its cross-genre popularity.
  • August 22 – Floyd Tillman, 88, 1930s and 1940s singer instrumental in creating the genre's western swing and honky-tonk styles.
  • August 26 – Wilma Burgess, 64, country vocalist of the 1960s best known for "Misty Blue."
  • September 12 – Johnny Cash, 71, vastly influential singer/songwriter/guitarist whose music transcended musical boundaries; best known for hits like "Ring of Fire," "I Walk the Line," "Hurt," and "A Boy Named Sue" (diabetic complications).
  • November 17 – Don Gibson, 75, influential songwriter (best known for "I Can't Stop Loving You") and singer who helped introduce the Nashville Sound (natural causes).
  • December 16 – Gary Stewart, 58, rough, outlaw-styled country singer known for his drinking songs ("She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)") (suicide).
  • December 22 – Dave Dudley, 75, best known for his 1960s-era truck driving songs, such as "Six Days on the Road" (heart attack).

Hall of Fame inductees

Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

Major awards

Grammy Awards

Juno Awards

CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards

Americana Music Honors & Awards

Academy of Country Music

ARIA Awards

(presented in Sydney on October 21, 2003)

Canadian Country Music Association

Country Music Association

Further reading

  • Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.

References

  1. 'Dixie sluts' fight on with naked defiance
  2. CMT News: "Country Music Magazine Closes," June 11, 2003. Accessed 02-05-2012.
  3. Rascal Flatts – Saucy Country Video Creates a Storm of Controversy
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