This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2003.
Events March 10 – During a concert in London, England, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines said that the band was "ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas" (referring to Maines' hometown of Lubbock and President Bush hailing from the same state). The comment sparked intense controversy and outrage among Americans, including a large share of country music fans. Those who took offense to Maines' comments based their feelings on a number of grounds, including that the country was then on the verge of declaring war on Iraq (which happened less than two weeks later) and that Maines made the comments on foreign soil. Chicks' supporters, meanwhile, cited their right to free speech. Radio stations – perhaps riding the wave of fan sentiment – refuse to play their music on the air, including their then-current hit, "Travelin' Soldier" (which ironically was about a soldier who is about to go to war); some even sponsor anti-Dixie Chicks promotional events, such as disposing and destroying Chicks' compact discs and other merchandise. Maines, meanwhile, defended her stance during a televised interview with Diane Sawyer. Maines and her bandmates – Emily Robison and Martie Maguire – appeared nude (with private parts strategically covered) on the May 2 cover of Entertainment Weekly. Their bodies were covered with words such as "Saddam's Angels" and "Traitor."'Dixie sluts' fight on with naked defiance June - Ashley Gearing charts with "Can You Hear Me When I Talk to You?" at the age of twelve years and one month, breaks a record set by Brenda Lee in 1957 as the youngest female artist to have a single on the country charts. June 11 – Country Music magazine announces that it will cease publication, effective with the August/September 2003 issue. The final issue's cover artist was Martina McBride, as part of a salute to women in country music. The magazine's sister publication, Country Weekly, which had largely taken over the market for country music-related journalism, picks up part of the slack left by the closure of Country Music, both of which were published by American Media Inc.CMT News: "Country Music Magazine Closes," June 11, 2003. Accessed 02-05-2012. July – The Rascal Flatts video, "I Melt", comes under fire by conservative groups because it contains brief scenes of nudity, in particular sex scenes featuring band member Joe Don Rooney and model Christina Auria. Groups called for the video to be banned from airplay on CMT and Great American Country. Eventually, Rascal Flatts released an edited version of the video, which aired during daytime hours on the two country music-oriented networks.Rascal Flatts – Saucy Country Video Creates a Storm of Controversy August 22 Goldie Hill celebrates her 50 Grand Ole Opry anniversary September 22 - The Trace Adkins video, "Hot Mama", gained notoriety for its risqué content involving a brief strip tease sequence despite that the song itself being a hit at the time. The song became controversial over 2 decades later due to an incident caused by DHS secretary Kristi Noem. December – The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honors Loretta Lynn for her lifetime contributions to the arts.
No dates Throughout the year, country music was beset by the deaths of notable figures, including Johnny Cash, whose vastly influential musicianship transcended genres. His wife of 35 years (and longtime singing partner), June Carter Cash, had died four months earlier. Both had appeared in a CMT-aired interview, discussing their lives and careers; it was taped earlier in the year. Other notables that died during the year: Johnny Paycheck, Felice Bryant, Floyd Tillman, Wilma Burgess, Don Gibson, Dave Dudley and Gary Stewart.
Top hits of the year The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs charts in 2003:
SingleArtistReference119 Somethin'Mark Wills1099.9% Sure (I've Never Been Here Before)Brian McComas6Almost HomeCraig Morgan18At the End of the DayKellie Coffey1The BabyBlake Shelton16Backseat of a Greyhound BusSara Evans16Beautiful GoodbyeJennifer Hanson1Beer for My HorsesToby Keithduet with Willie Nelson2Big StarKenny Chesney1BrokenheartsvilleJoe Nichols3CelebrityBrad Paisley5Chicks Dig ItChris Cagle10ChromeTrace Adkins5Concrete AngelMartina McBride2Cowboys Like UsGeorge Strait3Fall into MeEmerson Drive9A Few QuestionsClay Walker4Forever and for AlwaysShania Twain1Have You Forgotten?Darryl Worley4Hell YeahMontgomery Gentry3Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacey's Song)Buddy Jewell1I BelieveDiamond Rio16I Can't Be Your FriendRushlow2I Just Wanna Be MadTerri Clark1I Love This BarToby Keith2I MeltRascal Flatts15I WishJo Dee Messina7I Wish You'd StayBrad Paisley14I'm Gonna Take That MountainReba McEntire1It's Five O'Clock SomewhereAlan Jacksonand Jimmy Buffett6A Lot of Things DifferentKenny Chesney8The Love SongJeff Bates3Love You Out LoudRascal Flatts18Lovin' All NightPatty Loveless1Man to ManGary Allan1My Front Porch Looking InLonestar17Next Big ThingVince Gill2No Shoes, No Shirt, No ProblemsKenny Chesney19On a MissionTrick Pony3Raining on SundayKeith Urban1Real Good ManTim McGraw1Red Dirt RoadBrooks & Dunn13Rock You BabyToby Keith17She Only Smokes When She DrinksJoe Nichols2She's My Kind of RainTim McGraw5SpeedMontgomery Gentry3Stay GoneJimmy Wayne18Streets of HeavenSherrié Austin11Tell Me Something Bad About TulsaGeorge Strait2That'd Be AlrightAlan Jackson9Then They DoTrace Adkins1There Goes My LifeKenny Chesney17There's More to Me Than YouJessica Andrews14There's No LimitDeana Carter17This Is GodPhil Vassar3This One's for the GirlsMartina McBride1Three Wooden CrossesRandy Travis1Tough Little BoysGary Allan1Travelin' SoldierDixie Chicks13The Truth About MenTracy Byrd12Unusually UnusualLonestar12Up!Shania Twain8Walk a Little StraighterBilly Currington8Walking in MemphisLonestar3Wave on WavePat Green4What a Beautiful DayChris Cagle14What the World NeedsWynonna Judd1What Was I Thinkin'Dierks Bentley1Who Wouldn't Wanna Be MeKeith Urban16WrinklesDiamond Rio4You Can't Hide BeautifulAaron Lines
Top new album releases The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2003:
Album Artist Record label Release date Reference 5 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection Toby Keith Mercury Nashville 6 20th Century Masters: The Best of Brenda Lee - The Christmas Collection Brenda Lee MCA Nashville 4 All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan Kenny Chesney BNA 6 The American Farewell Tour Alabama RCA Nashville 5 And the Crowd Goes Wild Mark Wills Mercury Nashville 10 Best of Jeff Foxworthy: Double Wide, Single Minded Jeff Foxworthy Warner Bros. 1 Buddy Jewell Buddy Jewell Columbia 1 Chris Cagle Chris Cagle Capitol Nashville 3 Comin' On Strong Trace Adkins Capitol Nashville 4 Dierks Bentley Dierks Bentley Capitol Nashville 2 The Dreamer Blake Shelton Warner Bros. 3 A Few Questions Clay Walker RCA Nashville 2 For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome George Strait MCA Nashville 1 From There to Here: Greatest Hits Lonestar BNA 1 Greatest Hits Jo Dee Messina Curb 3 Greatest Hits LeAnn Rimes Asylum-Curb 1 Greatest Hits Collection, Vol. 1 Trace Adkins Capitol Nashville 2 Greatest Hits Volume II Alan Jackson Arista Nashville 1 Greatest Hits Volume II (And Some Other Stuff) Alan Jackson Arista Nashville 1 Have You Forgotten? Darryl Worley DreamWorks Nashville 1 Honkytonkville George Strait MCA Nashville 6 I'm Just a Girl Deana Carter Arista Nashville 4 In the Mood: The Love Songs Alabama RCA Nashville 7 Jimmy Wayne Jimmy Wayne DreamWorks Nashville 6 Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton Various Artists Sugar Hill 4 Live and Kickin' Willie Nelson Lost Highway 9 Living Out Loud Aaron Lines RCA Nashville 3 Long Black Train Josh Turner MCA Nashville 1 Martina Martina McBride RCA Nashville 1 Mud on the Tires Brad Paisley Arista Nashville 7 My Baby Don't Tolerate Lyle Lovett Lost Highway 4 Next Big Thing Vince Gill MCA Nashville 4 Now Jessica Andrews DreamWorks Nashville 7 On Your Way Home Patty Loveless Epic 5 Pain to Kill Terri Clark Mercury Nashville 8 Population Me Dwight Yoakam Audium 1 Red Dirt Road Brooks & Dunn Arista Nashville 8 Remembering Patsy Cline Various Artists MCA Nashville 3 Restless Sara Evans RCA Nashville 4 Room to Breathe Reba McEntire MCA Nashville 2 See If I Care Gary Allan MCA Nashville 1 Shock'n Y'all Toby Keith DreamWorks Nashville 6 Stumble into Grace Emmylou Harris Nonesuch 3 Top of the World Tour: Live Dixie Chicks Open Wide 2 Totally Country Vol. 3 Various Artists Warner Bros. 5 The Truth About Men Tracy Byrd RCA Nashville 2 Wave on Wave Pat Green Republic 1 What the World Needs Now Is Love Wynonna Judd Asylum-Curb 9 Worship & Faith Randy Travis Word/Curb
Other top albums