1983 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1983.

Events

 * March — In a span of two days, two major cable networks signed on the air. Country Music Television (CMT) went on-the-air March 5, while The Nashville Network (TNN) came on two days later on March 7. CMT (originally called "CMTV") was chiefly video-oriented, while TNN offered more feature-oriented programming.

Regular series

 * Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)
 * That Nashville Music (1970–1985, syndicated)

Births

 * January 29 — Eric Paslay, singer-songwriter of the 2010s.
 * March 10 — Carrie Underwood, 2005 American Idol winner, boosting her career.
 * June 20 — Grace Potter, rock singer who crossed-over to country with duets with Kenny Chesney.
 * June 30 — Cole Swindell, singer-songwriter of the 2010s.
 * July 2 — Michelle Branch, member of The Wreckers.
 * July 12 — Kimberly Perry, lead singer of The Band Perry.
 * October 3 — Drake White, singer known for his single Livin' the Dream.
 * November 10 — Miranda Lambert, member of Pistol Annies.
 * December 12 — Katrina Elam, singer-songwriter of the 2000s.
 * December 29 — Jessica Andrews, popular teen singer of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Deaths

 * April 6 — Cliff Carlisle, 79, country yodeler of the 1930s and steel guitar pioneer.
 * October 20 — Merle Travis, 65, singer and composer of classic songs such as "Sixteen Tons", "Dark as a Dungeon", "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed" and "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette." (heart attack)

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

 * Little Jimmy Dickens (1920–2015)

Grammy Awards

 * Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "A Little Good News", Anne Murray
 * Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "I.O.U.", – Lee Greenwood
 * Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "The Closer You Get", Alabama
 * Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Fireball", New South
 * Best Country Song — "Stranger in My House," Mike Reid (Performer: Ronnie Milsap)

Juno Awards

 * Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Eddie Eastman
 * Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Anne Murray
 * Country Group or Duo of the Year — The Good Brothers

Academy of Country Music

 * Entertainer of the Year — Alabama
 * Song of the Year — "The Wind Beneath My Wings", Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar (Performer: Gary Morris)
 * Single of the Year — "Islands in the Stream", Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
 * Album of the Year — The Closer You Get…, Alabama
 * Top Male Vocalist — Lee Greenwood
 * Top Female Vocalist — Janie Fricke
 * Top Vocal Duo — Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
 * Top Vocal Group — Alabama
 * Top New Male Vocalist — Jim Glaser
 * Top New Female Vocalist — Gus Hardin

Canadian Country Music Association

 * Entertainer of the Year — Family Brown
 * Male Artist of the Year — Dick Damron
 * Female Artist of the Year — Marie Bottrell
 * Group of the Year — Family Brown
 * SOCAN Song of the Year — "Raised on Country Music", Family Brown (Performer: Family Brown)
 * Single of the Year — "Raised on Country Music", Family Brown
 * Album of the Year — Raised on Country Music, Family Brown
 * Vista Rising Star Award — Kelita Haverland
 * Duo of the Year — Donna & LeRoy Anderson

Country Music Association

 * Entertainer of the Year — Alabama
 * Song of the Year — "Always on My Mind", Johnny Christopher, Wayne Carson Thompson and Mark James (Performer: Willie Nelson)
 * Single of the Year — "Swingin'", John Anderson
 * Album of the Year — The Closer You Get…, Alabama
 * Male Vocalist of the Year — Lee Greenwood
 * Female Vocalist of the Year — Janie Fricke
 * Vocal Duo of the Year — Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson
 * Vocal Group of the Year — Alabama
 * Horizon Award — John Anderson
 * Instrumentalist of the Year — Chet Atkins
 * Instrumental Group of the Year — Ricky Skaggs Band