This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2012.
Overview of the events of 2012 in country music
February 29 – Branson, Missouri , a city famous for its country music-oriented tourist attractions, sustained damage from the Leap Day tornadoes . Three of Branson's 50-plus theaters are extensively damaged.[ 1]
May 11 – ABC picks up Malibu Country , starring Reba McEntire , to series.[ 2] The new series debuts in November but is later cancelled in May 2013 after 18 episodes.[ 3]
May 21 – Scott Borchetta announces the signing of Tim McGraw to Big Machine Records .[ 4]
June 4 – Sony Music Nashville closes its BNA Records division after 21 years of operation; all its artists and staff are transferred to Columbia Nashville .[ 5]
June 18 – Gail Gellman, manager for Sugarland , confirms that member Jennifer Nettles is expecting a baby in November with husband Justin Miller.[ 6]
August – Randy Travis is involved in a number of legal incidents, including a drunk driving incident where he was found sitting nude outside his wrecked vehicle and – as police officers were trying to take him into custody – making verbal threats to injure and kill the officers,[ 7] [ 8] and a domestic disturbance approximately two weeks later.[ 9]
August 14 – George Jones announces plans for a 60-date farewell tour, titled The Grand Tour , for 2013.[ 10]
August 18 – Wynonna Judd 's husband Scott "Cactus" Moser, who plays drums in both her road band and Highway 101 , is involved in a motorcycle crash in South Dakota which results in the amputation of a leg.[ 11]
September 25 – Country legend Loretta Lynn celebrates her 50th Anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
September 26 – George Strait announces plans for a farewell tour, titled The Cowboy Rides Away , for 2013 and 2014.[ 12] Strait revealed he will continue recording and will perform on special occasions.[ 12]
October 11 – Billboard changes its Hot Country Songs from an airplay-only chart to one that reflects both airplay and music downloads , similarly to the Hot 100. The airplay-only methodology is transferred to a new chart called Country Airplay .[ 13] As a result of the new methodology, Taylor Swift 's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together " – which had previously peaked at No. 13 – rebounds back up the chart and becomes the first No. 1 single under the new methodology. In the process, the song becomes the first to top both the country and Billboard Hot 100 charts since "Amazed " by Lonestar in March 2000 and – with nine weeks at No. 1 – is the longest running chart-topper on the country chart since "Almost Persuaded " by David Houston in 1966. The song also is the longest-running No. 1 country song ever by a female artist, topping Connie Smith 's "Once a Day " (which logged eight weeks at No. 1 in 1964–1965).
November 1 – Luken Communications and Jim Owens Entertainment relaunch The Nashville Network (TNN) as a digital broadcast television network.[ 14]
Top hits of the year [ edit ]
The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs , Country Airplay or Canada Country charts in 2012:
Top new album releases [ edit ]
The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2012:
January 20 – Larry Butler , 69, producer for Kenny Rogers and other artists (natural causes)[ 150]
March 28 – Earl Scruggs , 88, Bluegrass musician. (natural causes)[ 151]
April 25 – Mark McCoy, bassist for Micky & the Motorcars . (drowning)[ 152]
April 29 – Kenny Roberts , 84, American country singer and yodeler "I Never See Maggie Alone" (natural causes)
May 6 – George Lindsey , 83, comedian-actor, co-star of Hee Haw
May 29 – Doc Watson , 89, folk-styled singer and guitarist whose music spanned into country and bluegrass, among many other genres (complications from a fall and colon surgery).[ 153]
June 13 – Frances W. Preston , 83, music executive. President and CEO of Broadcast Music, Inc. from 1986 to 2004 (heart failure).[ 154]
July 3 – Andy Griffith , 86, comedian-actor and country-gospel singer. Best known for the TV series The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock .[ 155]
July 16 – Kitty Wells , 92, pioneering female country music superstar, best known for hits such as "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels " (complications from a stroke).[ 156]
September 7 – Rollin "Oscar" Sullivan , 93, American country music entertainer that was the "Oscar" half of Lonzo and Oscar .
September 30 – Raylene Rankin, 52, member of Canadian country group The Rankin Family . (breast cancer)[ 157]
October 21 – Tim Johnson , 52, songwriter best known for his number one hit "Do You Believe Me Now " for Jimmy Wayne and for his work with Rory Lee Feek of Joey + Rory (cancer).[ 158]
October 30 – Jan Crutchfield , 74, songwriter best known for "Statue of a Fool "[ 159]
November 21 – Phil Stone, 57,[ 160] disc jockey at KMOD-FM in Tulsa, Oklahoma , co-creator of the Roy D. Mercer character (heart attack)[ 161]
November 23 – Frank Dycus , 72, songwriter of over 500 songs including the hits "Unwound " and "Gonna Get a Life ".
Hall of Fame Inductees [ edit ]
Bluegrass Hall of Fame Inductees [ edit ]
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees [ edit ]
Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees [ edit ]
American Country Awards [ edit ]
(presented December 10 in Las Vegas , Nevada )
Artist of the Year – Luke Bryan
Male Artist of the Year – Luke Bryan
Female Artist of the Year – Carrie Underwood
Group/Duo of the Year – Lady Antebellum
Touring Artist of the Year – Jason Aldean
Album of the Year – Tailgates & Tanlines , Luke Bryan
Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Jake Owen
New Artist of the Year – Lauren Alaina
Single of the Year – "I Don't Want This Night to End ", Luke Bryan
Male Single of the Year – "I Don't Want This Night to End", Luke Bryan
Female Single of the Year – "Over You ", Miranda Lambert
Duo/Group Single of the Year – "We Owned the Night ", Lady Antebellum
Breakthrough Single of the Year – "You Don't Know Her Like I Do ", Brantley Gilbert
New Artist Single of the Year – "Wanted ", Hunter Hayes
Single by a Vocal Collaboration – "Remind Me ", Brad Paisley feat. Carrie Underwood
Music Video of the Year – "I Don't Want This Night to End", Luke Bryan
Male Music Video of the Year – "I Don't Want This Night to End", Luke Bryan
Female Music Video of the Year – "Over You", Miranda Lambert
Duo/Group Music Video of the Year – "Pontoon ", Little Big Town
New Artist Music Video of the Year – "Wanted", Hunter Hayes
Song of the Year – "Springsteen ", Eric Church
Academy of Country Music [ edit ]
(presented April 7, 2013 in Las Vegas , Nevada )
ACM Honors
Americana Music Honors & Awards[ edit ]
American Music Awards [ edit ]
(presented November 18 in Los Angeles )
(presented in Sydney on November 29, 2012)
Canadian Country Music Association [ edit ]
(presented September 9 in Saskatoon )
Country Music Association [ edit ]
(presented November 1 in Nashville )
(presented June 6 in Nashville )
CMT Artists of the Year
(presented December 9 in Nashville) [ 162]
(presented February 10, 2013)
(presented April 21, 2013 in Regina )
^ "Tornado tears through country music town of Branson, Mo" . USA Today . February 29, 2012. Retrieved February 29, 2012 .
^ "ABC Picks Up Reba McEntire Comedy Pilot 'Malibu Country' To Series" . 12 May 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012 .
^ Etkin, Jaimie (2013-05-10). " 'Malibu Country' Canceled: ABC Will Not Order Season 2 Of Reba McEntire-Fronted Comedy" . The Huffington Post . AOL-HuffPost TV Group. Retrieved 2013-05-11 .
^ "Tim McGraw Signs With Big Machine" . Billboard . Retrieved June 24, 2012 .
^ "Kenny Chesney Renews Deal With Sony, BNA Imprint Retired" . Retrieved June 24, 2012 .
^ "Jennifer Nettles pregnant: Sugarland singer expecting first child" . Archived from the original on June 21, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012 .
^ Martinez, Michael; Arioto, David (August 8, 2012). "Country singer Randy Travis arrested, accused of DWI" . CNN . Retrieved August 8, 2012 .
^ "Randy Travis Threatened to SHOOT, KILL ... Cops Say" . TMZ . August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012 .
^ Staff, TMZ. "Randy Travis Cited in Church Fight" . TMZ . Retrieved September 4, 2012 .
^ "George Jones Planning Farewell Tour" . ABC News . Retrieved September 4, 2012 .
^ D'Zurilla, Christie (20 August 2012). "Wynonna Judd's husband, Cactus Moser, loses leg in motorcycle wreck" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 21 August 2012 .
^ a b "George Strait Announces His Final Tour" . Billboard . Retrieved October 2, 2012 .
^ "Billboard Shakes Up Genre Charts With New Methodology | Billboard" . Billboard.biz. 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2015-04-29 .
^ "Crook and Chase Stars Join Luken Communications at NAB to Announce the Return of The Nashville Network" . Yahoo News . April 16, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "5-1-5-0" " . Billboard . Retrieved 14 May 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "All Too Well" " . Billboard . Retrieved 1 November 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "All Your Life" " . Billboard . Retrieved 30 January 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Alone with You" " . Billboard . Retrieved 9 January 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Angel Eyes" " . Billboard . Retrieved 21 May 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Bait a Hook" " . Billboard . Retrieved 28 December 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "Banjo" " . Billboard . Retrieved 13 March 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Beer Money" " . Billboard . Retrieved 24 September 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Better Than I Used to Be" " . Billboard . Retrieved 14 February 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Blown Away" " . Billboard . Retrieved 6 August 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Come Over" " . Billboard . Retrieved 29 May 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Come Wake Me Up" " . Billboard . Retrieved 27 August 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Cowboys And Angels" " . Billboard . Retrieved 29 May 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Cruise" " . Billboard . Retrieved 1 October 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Dancin' Away With My Heart" " . Billboard . Retrieved 13 March 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Did It For The Girl" " . Billboard . Retrieved 17 September 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Drink in My Hand" " . Billboard . Retrieved 10 October 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "Drink On It" " . Billboard . Retrieved 14 February 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Drunk On You" " . Billboard . Retrieved 2 April 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "El Cerrito Place" " . Billboard . Retrieved 12 November 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" " . Billboard . Retrieved 19 March 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Feel Like a Rock Star" " . Billboard . Retrieved 8 May 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Fly Over States" " . Billboard . Retrieved 5 March 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "For You" " . Billboard . Retrieved 18 June 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Glass" " . Billboard . Retrieved 12 June 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Good Girl" " . Billboard . Retrieved 2 April 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Got My Country On" " . Billboard . Retrieved 2 April 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Hard To Love" " . Billboard . Retrieved 13 August 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Home" " . Billboard . Retrieved 28 December 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "I Almost Do" " . Billboard . Retrieved 1 November 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "I Don't Want This Night to End" " . Billboard . Retrieved 28 December 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "I Like Girls That Drink Beer" " . Billboard . Retrieved 1 October 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" " . Billboard . Retrieved 28 December 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" " . Billboard . Retrieved 4 September 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "(Kissed You) Good Night" " . Billboard . Retrieved 23 April 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Let It Rain" " . Billboard . Retrieved 27 September 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "Lovin' You Is Fun" " . Billboard . Retrieved 31 July 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "The One That Got Away" " . Billboard . Retrieved 27 August 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Ours" " . Billboard . Retrieved 17 January 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Over" " . Billboard . Retrieved 2 July 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Pontoon" " . Billboard . Retrieved 13 August 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Postcard From Paris" " . Billboard . Retrieved 18 June 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Reality" " . Billboard . Retrieved 28 December 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "Red Solo Cup" " . Billboard . Retrieved 13 December 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "Shinin' On Me" " . Billboard . Retrieved 10 September 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Somethin' 'Bout A Truck" " . Billboard . Retrieved 5 March 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Something To Do With My Hands" " . Billboard . Retrieved 18 June 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Storm Warning" " . Billboard . Retrieved 21 November 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for "Take A Little Ride" " . Billboard . Retrieved 31 July 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "This Ole Boy" " . Billboard . Retrieved 13 March 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Time Is Love" " . Billboard . Retrieved 2 April 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "The Trouble with Girls" " . Billboard . Retrieved 30 January 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Truck Yeah" " . Billboard . Retrieved 31 July 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Wanted You More" " . Billboard . Retrieved 4 September 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" " . Billboard . Retrieved 27 August 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "Why Ya Wanna" " . Billboard . Retrieved 14 May 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "A Woman Like You" " . Billboard . Retrieved 6 February 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "You Don't Know Her Like I Do" " . Billboard . Retrieved 13 March 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for "You Gonna Fly" " . Billboard . Retrieved 28 December 2011 .
^ "Chart listing for 3 Pears " . Billboard . Retrieved September 27, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for 100 Proof " . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Act of Valor: The Album " . Billboard . Retrieved May 10, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for All Over the Road " . Billboard . Retrieved September 27, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Back in the Saddle " . Billboard . Retrieved July 5, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Blown Away " . Billboard . Retrieved May 10, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Carry Me Back " . Billboard . Retrieved July 26, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Casey James " . Billboard . Retrieved March 29, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Changed " . Billboard . Retrieved April 12, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Cheers, It's Christmas " . Billboard . Retrieved November 15, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Christmas with Scotty McCreery " . Billboard . Retrieved October 25, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Declaration of Independence " . Billboard . Retrieved August 16, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Edens Edge " . Billboard . Retrieved June 21, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Emotional Traffic " . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Family Man " . Billboard . Retrieved March 22, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for For the Good Times " . Billboard . Retrieved January 19, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Free the Music " . Billboard . Retrieved October 11, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Hard 2 Love " . Billboard . Retrieved May 3, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Here's To The Good Times " . Billboard . Retrieved December 13, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Heroes " . Billboard . Retrieved May 24, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Hillbilly Jedi " . Billboard . Retrieved September 27, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Home " . Billboard . Retrieved February 16, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Hope On The Rocks " . Billboard . Retrieved November 8, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Jana Kramer " . Billboard . Retrieved June 14, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran " . Billboard . Retrieved October 25, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Love and Theft " . Billboard . Retrieved August 2, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Nashville – Original Soundtrack " . Billboard . Retrieved January 24, 2013 .
^ "Chart listing for New to This Town " . Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Night Train " . Billboard . Retrieved October 25, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Old School New Rules " . Billboard . Retrieved July 19, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for On This Winter's Night " . Billboard . Retrieved November 1, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Punching Bag " . Billboard . Retrieved June 21, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Real Good Time " . Billboard . Retrieved October 18, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Red " . Billboard . Retrieved November 1, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Release Me " . Billboard . Retrieved March 8, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Road " . Billboard . Retrieved November 22, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Thirty Miles West " . Billboard . Retrieved June 14, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for This Ole Boy " . Billboard . Retrieved March 8, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Tomorrowland " . Billboard . Retrieved September 27, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Tornado " . Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Tuskegee " . Billboard . Retrieved April 5, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Up All Night " . Billboard . Retrieved May 3, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Welcome to the Fishbowl " . Billboard . Retrieved June 28, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Whippoorwill " . Billboard . Retrieved August 23, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for 10 Great Songs " . Billboard . Retrieved May 24, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for 47th Academy of Country Music Awards 2012 " . Billboard . Retrieved April 5, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for 190 Proof " . Billboard . Retrieved April 12, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Adventus " . Billboard . Retrieved November 22, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for And So It Goes " . Billboard . Retrieved June 28, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Ashes And Roses " . Billboard . Retrieved June 21, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Back Home Again: Gospel Favorites " . Billboard . Retrieved May 31, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Beer for Breakfast " . Billboard . Retrieved March 15, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Change My Mind " . Billboard . Retrieved November 1, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Classic Christmas Album " . Billboard . Retrieved November 22, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Classic Christmas Album " . Billboard . Retrieved November 15, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Country Christmas: 10 Great Songs " . Billboard . Retrieved December 6, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Essential Alan Jackson " . Billboard . Retrieved April 26, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Goin' Down Rockin': The Last Recordings " . Billboard . Retrieved October 4, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Good Guys " . Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Goodbye Normal Street " . Billboard . Retrieved May 17, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Greatest: The Number Ones " . Billboard . Retrieved August 16, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for His and Hers " . Billboard . Retrieved August 9, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Hits and More " . Billboard . Retrieved January 26, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for It'z Just What We Do " . Billboard . Retrieved October 4, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for JT Hodges " . Billboard . Retrieved August 30, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for KIN: Songs By Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell " . Billboard . Retrieved June 14, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Little Victories " . Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Long Gone Daddy " . Billboard . Retrieved April 26, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Midnight Special " . Billboard . Retrieved November 29, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Odessa Tapes " . Billboard . Retrieved October 4, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Original Album Series " . Billboard . Retrieved December 27, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Playlist: The Very Best Of Alan Jackson " . Billboard . Retrieved November 29, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Science of Flight " . Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for Surrender " . Billboard . Retrieved January 26, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for The Time Jumpers " . Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2012 .
^ "Chart listing for We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music " . Billboard . Retrieved August 16, 2012 .
^ "Larry Butler, Grammy-winning producer, dies at 69 | Music | The Tennessean" . Blogs.tennessean.com. 2012-01-20. Archived from the original on 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2015-04-29 .
^ "Son: Bluegrass legend, banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs dies in Nashville at age 88; changed music" . The Washington Post . Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012 .
^ "Searchers Find Body of Missing Rafter" . KPVI-DT . 2012-04-25. Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2018-09-13 .
^ Mansfield, Brian, "Doc Watson, folk music legend, dies at 89," USA Today , May 30, 2012. Accessed 05-30-2012. [1]
^ Fox, Margarlit (20 June 2012). "Frances W. Preston, Defender of Songwriters' Copyright, Dies at 83" . The New York Times . p. A13. Retrieved 13 September 2018 .
^ "BREAKING NEWS: Friend Says Andy Griffith Has Died" . WITN-TV . July 3, 2012. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2012 .
^ "Kitty Wells, country music pioneer, dies at 92" . USA Today . July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2012 .
^ "Singer Raylene Rankin dies of cancer" . CBC News . September 30, 2012.
^ Coker, Melissa (October 22, 2012). "Music Loses a Tremendously Talented Songwriter and Wonderful Person" . Angry Country . Archived from the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved October 22, 2012 .
^ Oermann, Robert K. (November 5, 2012). "Songwriting Great Jan Crutchfield Dies" . MusicRow . Retrieved 10 August 2017 .
^ "Cookies Required | Tulsa World" . www.tulsaworld.com . Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2022 .
^ "Former 'Phil and Brent' morning show host Phil Stone dies" . Tulsa World . November 21, 2012. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2012 .
^ "CMT Names 2012 Artists of the Year" .