This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1997.
Events April 22 - George Strait releases his 17th studio album, Carrying Your Love with Me. The album went on to be nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 1998 Grammy Awards. June 27- Pee Wee King celebrates his 60th Grand Ole Opry Anniversary July 12 — The song, "It's Your Love," by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill becomes the first song in 20 years to spend six weeks atop Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The last song to do so was 1977's "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" by Waylon Jennings. In that span, more than 750 songs had reached No. 1 on the country chart, a majority of them for just one week. The song sparked a renewed wave of songs that spend at least five weeks at No. 1, thanks in part to newer chart tracking methods and programming changes at country radio stations. August 7 - Garth Brooks plays a free concert at New York's Central Park, drawing over 1 million fans, with many dubbing it "Garthstock"; the special is broadcast on HBO, with its audience drawing 14.6 million. Billy Joel and Don McLean make special guest appearances. November 4 - Shania Twain releases her third studio album, Come On Over. The album becomes the best-selling country album of all time, best-selling studio album by a female act, best-selling album by a Canadian and ninth best-selling album in the United States and worldwide. December 10 – Faith Hill and LeAnn Rimes at the Christmas Time with Eddy Arnold.
No dates Jimmie Rodgers is elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as an early influence). Trisha Yearwood and LeAnn Rimes both record the song "How Do I Live" for the movie Con Air. Producers from the film ask Rimes to record it first but feel her version is not what they have in mind due to the performance itself and her young age. Yearwood then records the song and releases at the same time Rimes releases her song. Although Rimes' version peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, her version is shunned from the country charts yet reaches No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Yearwood's version, meanwhile, peaks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and also makes the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, as well as reaching No. 1 in Canada and No. 1 on the US Radio & Records chart.
Top hits of the year
Singles released by American artists USCANSingleArtistReference2116455 RocketKathy Mattea44All the Good Ones Are GonePam Tillis22Amen Kind of LoveDaryle Singletary314Another YouDavid Kersh23Better Man, Better OffTracy Lawrence35Big LoveTracy Byrd11Carrying Your Love with MeGeorge Strait3016Cold OutsideBig House13Come Cryin' to MeLonestar57Count Me InDeana Carter34Dancin', Shaggin' on the BoulevardAlabama2112Dark HorseMila Mason1112Day In, Day OutDavid Kersh1713Don't Love Make a Diamond ShineTracy Byrd44Don't Take Her She's All I GotTracy Byrd32Drink, Swear, Steal & LieMichael Peterson2022Ease My Troubled MindRicochet31Everybody KnowsTrisha Yearwood96Everything I LoveAlan Jackson12EverywhereTim McGraw25The FoolLee Ann Womack21FriendsJohn Michael Montgomery111From Here to EternityMichael Peterson44A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)Mindy McCready33Go AwayLorrie Morgan417Good as I Was to YouLorrie Morgan62Half Way UpClint Black1814He Left a Lot to Be DesiredRicochet1822Heartbroke Every DayLonestar1821Helping Me Get Over YouTravis Tritt featuring Lari White79Her ManGary Allan45Holdin'Diamond Rio33Honky Tonk TruthBrooks & Dunn45How a Cowgirl Says GoodbyeTracy Lawrence12How Do I Get ThereDeana Carter21How Do I LiveTrisha Yearwood11How Was I to KnowReba McEntire28How Was I to KnowJohn Michael Montgomery11How Your Love Makes Me FeelDiamond Rio811I Can't Do That AnymoreFaith Hill1714I Have to SurrenderTy Herndon21I Left Something Turned On at HomeTrace Adkins65I Miss You a LittleJohn Michael Montgomery726I Only Get This Way with YouRick Trevino1918I Will, If You WillJohn Berry22I'd Rather Ride Around with YouReba McEntire912If She Don't Love YouThe Buffalo Club47If You Love SomebodyKevin Sharp22In Another's EyesTrisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks21Is That a TearTracy Lawrence15It's a Little Too LateMark Chesnutt1914It's All the Same to MeBilly Ray Cyrus11It's Your LoveTim McGraw (with Faith Hill)1927King of the MountainGeorge Strait516Land of the LivingPam Tillis816Let It RainMark Chesnutt115Let Me into Your HeartMary Chapin Carpenter513The Light in Your EyesLeAnn Rimes26A Little More LoveVince Gill98Little ThingsTanya Tucker11Longneck BottleGarth Brooks43Love Is the Right PlaceBryan White22Loved Too MuchTy Herndon14A Man This LonelyBrooks & Dunn1811Maybe He'll Notice Her NowMindy McCready featuring Lonestar's Richie McDonald41Maybe We Should Just Sleep on ItTim McGraw16Me TooToby Keith11Nobody KnowsKevin Sharp22On the VergeCollin Raye11One Night at a TimeGeorge Strait1812One, Two, I Love YouClay Walker57Places I've Never BeenMark Wills722PleaseThe Kinleys23Pretty Little AdrianaVince Gill45The Rest of MineTrace Adkins11Rumor Has ItClay Walker16Running Out of Reasons to RunRick Trevino21Sad Lookin' MoonAlabama57The ShakeNeal McCoy42She Drew a Broken HeartPatty Loveless2119She Wants to Be Wanted AgainTy Herndon2417She's Going Home with MeTravis Tritt11She's Got It AllKenny Chesney34She's Sure Taking It WellKevin Sharp22She's Taken a ShineJohn Berry1421Shut Up and DriveChely Wright11Sittin' on GoBryan White139Six Days on the RoadSawyer Brown23Something That We DoClint Black111Still Holding OnClint Black & Martina McBride3116The SwingJames Bonamy27Thank God for BelieversMark Chesnutt1510That's Another SongBryan White11There GoesAlan Jackson11(This Ain't) No Thinkin' ThingTrace Adkins611This Night Won't Last ForeverSawyer Brown37Today My World Slipped AwayGeorge Strait1524The Trouble with the TruthPatty Loveless33Unchained MelodyLeAnn Rimes413Watch ThisClay Walker11We Danced AnywayDeana Carter22We Were in LoveToby Keith2619What If I DoMindy McCready1526What If It's YouReba McEntire22What the Heart WantsCollin Raye1012Whatever Comes FirstSons of the Desert24When I Close My EyesKenny Chesney136When Love Starts Talkin'Wynonna Judd68Where Corn Don't GrowTravis Tritt22Who's Cheatin' WhoAlan Jackson89Why Would I Say GoodbyeBrooks & Dunn88You and You AloneVince Gill1437You Don't Seem to Miss MePatty Loveless
Singles released by Canadian artists USCANSingleArtistReference—10Ain't No JusticeGreg Hanna—3Almost AlwaysChris Cummings—4The Answer Is YesMichelle Wright—3Born Again in DixielandJason McCoy—9The Craziest ThingRick Tippe—19A Dozen Red RosesJoan Kennedy101Emotional GirlTerri Clark—10Girl Out of the OrdinaryBeverley Mahood487God Bless the ChildShania Twain—11Heaven Help Her HeartJason McCoy—7I Give You My WordGeorge Fox391I Meant to Do ThatPaul Brandt—1I'm Feeling Kind of Lucky TonightCharlie Major—20Indian WomanMontgomery Steele4916Just the SameTerri Clark—3Let It RainShirley Myers451A Little in LovePaul Brandt—1Little Ol' KissesJulian Austin—12A Little Thing Called LoveBeverley Mahood—15Lonely Gypsy WindFarmer's Daughter11Love Gets Me Every TimeShania Twain—19Lying Here with YouThomas Wade & Wayward—17The Night the Barn Burned DownGeorge Fox—10Now That I'm On My OwnFarmer's Daughter—4One Way TrackPrairie Oyster—15The Real ThingRick Tippe—12She Won't Be Lonely LongPrairie Oyster—6She's Getting SeriousThomas Wade & Wayward—10She's ToughDuane Steele—20Slow TurningSean Hogan—4Somewhere InsideChris Cummings381Take It from MePaul Brandt—9Tell the GirlDuane Steele—8This Crazy Heart of MineCharlie Major—19Tonight There's a Blue MoonPrairie Oyster—4What Love Looks LikeMichelle Wright—19What's It Gonna TakeDenise Murray—19Wild RoseSean Hogan—8You SaidFarmer's Daughter
Top new album releases
US CAN Album Artist Record label 45 8 An Intimate Evening with Anne Murray Anne Murray Capitol 24 Back to You Anita Cochran Warner Bros. 23 31 Be Good at It Neal McCoy Atlantic 23 11 The Best of Billy Ray Cyrus: Cover to Cover Billy Ray Cyrus Mercury Nashville 4 3 The Best of Collin Raye: Direct Hits Collin Raye Epic 8 The Best of John Denver Live John Denver Legacy 7 26 Big Time Trace Adkins Capitol Nashville 24 Blink of an Eye Ricochet Columbia 1 Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) Bob Carlisle DMG 1 1 Carrying Your Love with Me George Strait MCA Nashville 16 A Celebration of Life/The Last Recordings John Denver River North 4 CMT Canada '97 Various Artists BMG 4 6 The Coast Is Clear Tracy Lawrence Atlantic 9 8 Collection Wynonna Judd Curb/MCA Nashville 1 1 Come On Over Shania Twain Mercury/PolyGram 15 11 Complicated Tanya Tucker Capitol Nashville 12 A Country Superstar Christmas Various Artists Hip-O 16 28 Crazy Nights Lonestar BNA 5 2 Dancin' on the Boulevard Alabama RCA Nashville 8 Dream Walkin' Toby Keith Mercury Nashville 11 Everything's Alright Charlie Major ViK. 1 1 Everywhere Tim McGraw Curb 4 7 Evolution Martina McBride RCA Nashville 19 The Gift Jim Brickman Windham Hill 10 Greatest Country Love Songs Various Artists MCA 8 Greatest Hits Diamond Rio Arista Nashville 5 Greatest Hits Neal McCoy Atlantic 5 11 Greatest Hits John Michael Montgomery Atlantic 6 Greatest Hits Pam Tillis Arista Nashville 17 Greatest Hits... And Then Some Aaron Tippin RCA Nashville 2 1 The Greatest Hits Collection Brooks & Dunn Arista Nashville 5 Here's Your Sign Bill Engvall Warner Bros. 24 A Holiday Album to Benefit St. Jude Various Artists BNA 10 I Will Stand Kenny Chesney BNA 12 12 If I Don't Stay the Night Mindy McCready BNA 22 32 Just Between You and Me The Kinleys Epic 11 Kickin' Country 4 Various Artists Sony 5 9 Labor of Love Sammy Kershaw Mercury/PolyGram 1 Leahy Leahy Virgin 9 Lee Ann Womack Lee Ann Womack Decca Nashville 25 23 Let Me In Chely Wright MCA Nashville 8 10 Lila Lila McCann Asylum 9 31 Long Stretch of Lonesome Patty Loveless Epic 8 Love & Gravity BlackHawk Arista Nashville 15 Love Travels Kathy Mattea Mercury/PolyGram 17 13 Michael Peterson Michael Peterson Reprise 1 New Country 4 Various Artists Warner 4 5 Nothin' but the Taillights Clint Black RCA Nashville 15 One of the Fortunate Few Delbert McClinton Rising Tide 5 17 The Other Side Wynonna Judd Curb/Universal 50 1 Outside the Frame Paul Brandt Reprise 17 Playin' for Keeps Jason McCoy Universal 7 15 The Right Place Bryan White Asylum 25 Roots and Wings James Bonamy Epic 4 7 Rumor Has It Clay Walker Giant 1 1 Sevens Garth Brooks Capitol Nashville 9 Shakin' Things Up Lorrie Morgan BNA 8 Six Days on the Road Sawyer Brown Curb 4 So Long So Wrong Alison Krauss & Union Station Rounder 1 1 (Songbook) A Collection of Hits Trisha Yearwood MCA Nashville 22 16 Stone Country: Songs of the Rolling Stones Various Artists Tommy Boy 48 22 Sunday Morning to Saturday Night Matraca Berg Rising Tide 19 Takin' the Country Back John Anderson Mercury Nashville 25 Thank God for Believers Mark Chesnutt Decca Nashville 1 Tremolo Blue Rodeo Warner 1 1 Unchained Melody: The Early Years LeAnn Rimes Curb 8 8 Under the Covers Dwight Yoakam Reprise 9 What My Heart Already Knows Julian Austin ViK. 1 1 You Light up My Life: Inspirational Songs LeAnn Rimes Curb
Other top albums