Having multiple songs certified by the Recording Industry Association of America is a tremendous honor and validates an artist’s impact on fans and the music industry. Big-name figures in country music received this honor on Sept. 5. This day also saw benefit concerts, a notable Grand Ole Opry performance, and the death of a well-known country soul singer and songwriter.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The following country music icons achieved significant milestones on Sept. 5:
- 2012: Eric Church received five nominations for the 46th Annual Country Music Association Awards. His nominations were for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Chief, and Single, Song, and Music Video of the Year for his hit “Springsteen.”
- 2017: Nine Zac Brown Band singles received RIAA Platinum certifications, including “As She’s Walking Away” (featuring Alan Jackson), “Colder Weather” (2x Platinum), “Free,” “Goodbye In Her Eyes,” “Highway 20 Ride,” “Keep Me In Mind,” “Knee Deep” (featuring Jimmy Buffett) — which achieved 3x Platinum status — “Toes” (3x Platinum), and “Whatever It Is” (2x Platinum).
- 2017: Luke Bryan’s singles “All My Friends Say” and “Home Alone Tonight” achieved RIAA Platinum status. In addition, his album Crash My Party earned a 4x Platinum certification, and his singles “That’s My Kind of Night” and “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” achieved 4x Platinum and 5x Platinum status, respectively.
- 2024: Dan + Shay returned to touring with a stop in Phoenix, Arizona, for their Heartbreak on a Map Summer Tour. They hit the road for their tour after being judges on Season 25 of The Voice.
Cultural Milestones
On Sept. 5, a documentary about The Band aired, two songwriters were inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and 92-year-old Willie Nelson still toured for his Outlaw Music Festivals.
- 2019: The Toronto International Film Festival aired the documentary Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band on this date. This documentary highlights the highs and lows of the time that Robertson spent with The Band and Bob Dylan.
- 2019: Folk/country songwriters Ian Tyson and Sylvia Tyson were inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. The couple is known for writing songs like “Four Strong Winds,” “When First Unto This Country,” and “Crazy Arms.”
- 2025: The annual Outlaw Music Festival was held at the Maine Savings Amphitheater in Bangor, Maine. Willie Nelson & Friends, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Waxahatchee, and Madeline Edwards all performed at this traveling concert. Nelson was 92 for this show that started in 2016.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Significant benefit concerts and performances occurred on Sept. 5, including:
- 2012: The RIAA gave Dustin Lynch’s “Cowboys and Angels” a Gold certification.
- 2013: Jason Aldean received Gold certifications for “Until We Cried” and “Johnny Cash” from the RIAA.
- 2014: Miranda Lambert performed at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey, on a stop for her Platinum Tour. She sang songs such as “Priscilla,” “Famous in a Small Town,” and “Me and Charlie Talking.”
- 2016: “Storm Warning” singer Hunter Hayes performed at the Louisiana Rising: A Benefit Concert for Flood Relief at the River Center Theatre in Baton Rouge, with proceeds going to the American Red Cross Louisiana Flood Relief.
- 2016: Chris Young headlined the Labor of Love benefit concert at Racine Festival Park in Racine, Wisconsin. The event, hosted by CASE Construction Company, raised money and awareness for Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization.
- 2019: Thompson Square, known for songs like “Are You Going to Kiss Me or Not” and “Glass,” went to Europe for their first international tour. On this date, the duo stopped at the Blue Shell in Cologne, Germany.
- 2020: Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood performed at the Grand Ole Opry. Paisley and Underwood have toured together several times and are widely considered one of the most popular and successful hosting duos in the event’s history.
- 2023: Ashley McBryde stopped at the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
- 2024: Capitol Records Nashville released Jon Pardi’s new single “Friday Night Heartbreaker” to country radio.
- 2025: The Midland County Horseshoe in Midland, Texas, was the venue for Cody Jinks’ stop on his The Hippies and Cowboys Tour: The Outlaw Shows with Ward Davis as his special musical guest.
- 2025: Cody Johnson played at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. Scotty McCreery and Emily Ann Roberts were Johnson’s special musical guests.
- 2025: Brooks & Dunn had a show at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They thrilled the fans with songs such as “Neon Moon,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” and “My Maria.”
Industry Changes and Challenges
Sept. 5 saw weather impact a concert and an industry death:
- 2008: Tim McGraw had to postpone his Swampstock 2008 charity concert due to the effects of Hurricane Gustav on the state of Louisiana.
- 2012: Joe South died at the age of 72. South was known for hits such as “(I Never Promised You) a Rose Garden” and “Games People Play.” He was also a skilled session musician who worked in studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Sept. 5 marks a day of celebration for the country music industry, with Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood performing together and Zac Brown Band and Luke Bryan receiving RIAA certifications.