1988 In Country Music ,
1989 In Music ,
Other Events Of 1989 ,
1990 In Country Music and the List Of Years In Country Music
- May 9 – Rising country star Keith Whitley is found dead at his home, a victim of alcohol poisoning. News of his death sent shockwaves through the industry, given that he had been hailed as a future superstar who helped bring neotraditionalism to the forefront during the 1980s. His widow, Lorrie Morgan , would become a major superstar after his death.
- 1989 was one of two years during the 1980s which sprouted the most prolific class of newcomers in country music history (1986 being the other), a trend that had not been seen since the mid-1950s (when artists such as Elvis Presley, George Jones and Johnny Cash first rose to fame). Clint Black was at the head of the class early on, given that he had two of the year's most memorable singles – "A Better Man" and "Killin' Time" – and one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year ('' Killin' Time ''), and was already selling out shows nationwide. However, Garth Brooks proved to be the 1989 newcomer that stood head and shoulders above everyone else, eventually selling millions of albums, taking worldwide tours and creating some of the most influential music of the 1990s and beyond.
:Another newcomer, Alan Jackson , had a minor hit with his first release that fall, "Blue Blooded Woman;" future singles – all featuring the neotraditional style, would do considerably better, to say the least. Travis Tritt contributed with his brand of rock-influenced country, while Lorrie Morgan (daughter of Grand Ole Opry legend George Morgan) became a star in her own right following the alcohol-poisoning death of her husband, Keith Whitley.
:Other top newcomers of the year were Suzy Bogguss , Lionel Cartwright and Mary Chapin Carpenter .
''(As certified by Billboard Magazine )''
- 1 - No. 1 song of the year, as determined by '' Billboard Magazine ''.
- A - First ''Billboard'' No. 1 hit for that artist.
- B - Last ''Billboard'' No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
- '' Hee Haw '' (1969-1993, syndicated)
- March 8 – Stuart Hamblen , 80, one of radio's first country music superstars, whose later works reflected his religious convictions.
- May 9 - Keith Whitley , 33, honky tonk-styled singer who rose to fame in the mid-1980s (alcohol poisoning)
- 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 (ISBN 0-8118-3572-3)
- Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-06-273244-7)
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944-2005 - 6th Edition." 2005.
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