1986 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1986.

Events

 * January 18 — "American Country Countdown" with Bob Kingsley expands from three to four hours. Several new features — including a chronological playback of songs reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and a calendar feature (highlighting a birthday, or anniversary of a notable song or event in country music) — are added.
 * June 25 — Jenifer Strait, the 13-year-old daughter of George Strait (who by now is one of country music's top performers) is killed in a car accident in San Marcos, Texas. Her father still refuses to talk about his daughter's death to this day.
 * July 19 — Columbia Records drops Johnny Cash from the label's roster after 28 years.

No dates

 * For the first time in its 42-year history, there is a new No. 1 song for each week of the year, according to Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles Chart.
 * 1986 was a renaissance year in country music, with a host of "A New Traditionalist"-minded artists reinvigorating a genre that critics were saying had grown increasingly stagnant and pop-oriented. Among the most successful new artists: Holly Dunn, Judy Rodman, Ricky Van Shelton, Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam. Keith Whitley, another artist who had been around for a few years, has his first major hit early in the year. They – along with popular newcomers from earlier in the decade such as Alabama, George Strait and Reba McEntire, and longtime artists like George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty – proved not only that country music was the music of the people, but also that the genre had real resiliency.
 * After 17 years of playing co-host to Roy Clark, Buck Owens announces his departure from the still-popular "Hee Haw." Clark would soldier on alone for the next six years, with rotating guest stars each week.

Regular series

 * Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)

Births

 * February 2 — Blaine Larsen, 2000's (decade) singer better known for his single "How Do You Get That Lonely".
 * March 23 — Brett Eldredge, singer of the 2010s best known for hits including "Don't Ya" and "Beat of the Music".
 * April 1 — Hillary Scott, member of Lady Antebellum and daughter of Linda Davis.
 * April 2 — Chris Janson, singer-songwriter known for his 2015 hit "Buy Me a Boat".
 * June 18 — Jimmie Allen, singer-songwriter known for his late 2010s hits "Best Shot" and "Make Me Want To".
 * June 28 — Kellie Pickler, sixth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol.
 * August 16 — Ashton Shepherd, debuted in late 2007-early 2008 with her top 20 single "Takin' Off This Pain".
 * September 10 — Ashley Monroe, singer-songwriter of the 2000s and 2010s and member of the Pistol Annies.
 * September 19 — Chase Rice, singer of the 2010s best known for the hit "Ready Set Roll."

Deaths

 * February 10 — Arthur E. Satherley, 96, music executive.
 * May 30 — "Papa Joe" Brown, 60, founding member of Canadian country group Family Brown.
 * June 20 — Whitey Ford, 85, beloved Grand Ole Opry comedian and storyteller.
 * June 25 — Jenifer Strait, 13, daughter of George Strait (car accident).
 * June 27 — Joe Maphis, 65, prolific guitarist and fiddler, prominently featured on the theme to "Bonanza" (cancer).
 * December 5 — Carmol Taylor, 53, songwriter.

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

 * Duke of Paducah (1901–1986)
 * Wesley Rose (1918–1990)

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

 * Papa Joe Brown

Grammy Awards

 * Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Whoever's in New England", Reba McEntire
 * Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "Lost in the Fifties Tonight", Ronnie Milsap
 * Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)". The Judds
 * Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Raisin' the Dickins", Ricky Skaggs
 * Best Country Song — "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)", Jamie O'Hara (Performer: The Judds)

Juno Awards

 * Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Murray McLauchlan
 * Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Anne Murray
 * Country Group or Duo of the Year — Prairie Oyster

Academy of Country Music

 * Entertainer of the Year — Hank Williams, Jr.
 * Song of the Year — "On the Other Hand", Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz (Performer: Randy Travis)
 * Single of the Year — "On the Other Hand", Randy Travis
 * Album of the Year — Storms of Life, Randy Travis
 * Top Male Vocalist — Randy Travis
 * Top Female Vocalist — Reba McEntire
 * Top Vocal Duo — The Judds
 * Top Vocal Group — The Forester Sisters
 * Top New Male Vocalist — Dwight Yoakam
 * Top New Female Vocalist — Holly Dunn
 * Video of the Year — "Whoever's in New England", Reba McEntire (Directors: Jeff Schock and Jon Small)

Canadian Country Music Association

 * Entertainer(s) of the Year — Family Brown
 * Male Artist of the Year — Terry Carisse
 * Female Artist of the Year — Anita Perras
 * Group of the Year — Family Brown
 * SOCAN Song of the Year — "Now and Forever", David Foster, Jim Vallance, Charles Randolph Goodrum (Performer: Anne Murray)
 * Single of the Year — "Now and Forever," Anne Murray
 * Album of the Year — Feel the Fire, Family Brown
 * Top Selling Album — Hymns of Gold, Carroll Baker
 * Vista Rising Star Award — J. K. Gulley
 * Duo of the Year — Anita Perras and Tim Taylor

Country Music Association

 * Entertainer of the Year — Reba McEntire
 * Song of the Year — "On the Other Hand", Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz (Performer: Randy Travis)
 * Single of the Year — "Bop", Dan Seals
 * Album of the Year — Lost in the Fifties Tonight, Ronnie Milsap
 * Male Vocalist of the Year — George Strait
 * Female Vocalist of the Year — Reba McEntire
 * Vocal Duo of the Year — Marie Osmond and Dan Seals
 * Vocal Group of the Year — The Judds
 * Horizon Award — Randy Travis
 * Music Video of the Year — "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?", George Jones (Director: Marc Ball)
 * Instrumentalist of the Year — Johnny Gimble
 * Instrumental Group of the Year — The Oak Ridge Boys

Other links

 * Country Music Association
 * Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame