This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2006.
Events January 14 – With the song, "She Let Herself Go", George Strait scores his 40th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, all of them solo. It ties a 20-year-old record for most No. 1's on the country chart, held by Conway Twitty (35 solo, five duet with Loretta Lynn). January 21 – Kix Brooks, one half of the country superstar duo Brooks & Dunn, takes over as host of "American Country Countdown," succeeding longtime host Bob Kingsley. February 4 – Gretchen Wilson guest Miranda Lambert at the Austin City Limits. April – Hank Williams Jr. is arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, for assault after attempting to choke a teenage waitress at a hotel there. April 10 – Carrie Underwood and Gretchen Wilson at the CMT Music Awards. Miranda Lambert and Jack Ingram at the CMT Music Awards. May – People reports on the engagement of Keith Urban and actress Nicole Kidman. The two are married on June 25. Also during the month, Little Big Town members Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild are wed; their marriage was announced in July. May 3 – Lynn Anderson arrested in New Mexico after causing a traffic accident at a local intersection due to drunk driving. She was released the next day on bond. Anderson was taken to court later that year where all her previous charges were dropped, as long as she didn't commit any more offenses. May 21 – Grand Ole Opry mainstay Billy Walker is killed in a car accident near Fort Deposit, Alabama, when the van he was riding in overturned along Interstate 65. Also killed in the wreck are Walker's wife, Bettie; and two member of his band. His 21-year-old grandson, Joshua Brooks, is critically injured. Walker was returning home from a show near Gulf Shores, Alabama.News of Billy Walker's death from CMT.com May 23 – The Tennessean of Nashville reports plans by Academy of Country Music to move its awards show to April, after consistently being drubbed in the ratings by powerhouse American Idol. The ACMs, which aired May 23 on CBS, appeared opposite Fox's American Idol for the fourth year in a row.ACMs eager to end role as 'Idol' sacrifice, The Tennessean, May 23, 2006 (accessed May 24, 2006) Kenny Chesney and Sara Evans at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. June 24 – The first Midsummer Day country music festival in Drottningstorp is held. July 4 – Johnny Cash releases American V which instantly hits #1. August 4 – Jimmy C. Newman celebrates his 50th Grand Ole Opry Anniversary August 17 – Los Angeles' lone country music station, KZLA-FM, switches its format to urban pop.L.A. loses lone country music station August 19 – Keith Urban's "Once in a Lifetime" becomes the highest-ever debuting song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart during the Broadcast Data Systems-era, ranking at No. 17 in its first week. "Lifetime" breaks the 10-month-old BDS-era standard set by "Good Ride Cowboy" by Garth Brooks. August 25 – George Jones Celebrates his 50th Grand Ole Opry anniversary September 5 – Kellie Pickler and Aaron Tippin in a Carolina country music. September 12 – Sara Evans and professional partner Tony Dovolani begin competing on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, to rousing reviews. Evans' gig will last four weeks. September 18 – Willie Nelson and several of his band members are charged with misdemeanor drug possession in Louisiana. State police had pulled Nelson's tour bus over for a routine commercial inspection and, after smelling a suspicious odor inside, searched the bus and found marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. September 30 George Strait finally breaks Conway Twitty's record by scoring his record 41st No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with "Give It Away". The documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing is released. The film chronicles the lives of the Dixie Chicks band members and the fallout that resulted after lead singer Natalie Maines made critical remarks about U.S. President George W. Bush during a 2003 concert in London, England. October 13 – One day after abruptly leaving Dancing with the Stars, news breaks that Sara Evans was seeking a divorce from her husband, Craig Schelske. Allegations Evans levied against Schelske included his affair with the family's ex-nanny, that he watched and downloaded pornography in the house, and his removal of $275,000 from the couple's joint bank account on the day the divorce decree was filed.Country Singer Sara Evans Cites Porn, Adultery and Abuse in Divorce Papers October 19 – Keith Urban checks himself into a rehabilitation center for alcohol abuse.Keith Urban Enters Rehab , WCBS-TV, October 20, 2006 (accessed November 8, 2006) October 20 – Flicka, an adaptation of the 1941 children's novel, hits the movie theaters. Tim McGraw is in the leading adult male role as Wyoming rancher Rob McLaughlin. November 3 – Stonewall Jackson celebrates his 50th Grand Ole Opry Aniversary November 6 The Country Music Association Awards airs for the first time on ABC. The awards show had been on CBS since 1972. Keith Urban, who won the Male Vocalist of the Year, is absent due to his rehab stint, and co-host Ronnie Dunn read Urban's acceptance letter. Hall of Fame inductee Kris Kristofferson presented the inductions for 2006 inductees George Strait, Harold Bradley and Sonny James, each of whom gave brief acceptance speeches; Strait also performed his No. 1 hit "Give It Away."Strait, James and Bradley tapped for Country Hall of Fame, CMT.com (accessed August 30, 2006) Controversy reigned when Faith Hill appeared to react angrily after Carrie Underwood won the Female Vocalist of the Year award. Billy Currington quest Kellie Pickler and Carrie Underwood at the 2006 CMA Awards. December 3 – The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honors Dolly Parton for her lifetime contributions to the arts.
No dates No less than nine acts achieved their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart during 2006, the most since 1991. Those artists were Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Bon Jovi along with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Jack Ingram, Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, The Wreckers, Heartland and Sugarland. Four of those acts – Bon Jovi, Nettles, The Wreckers and Heartland – turned the trick with their first charted country single. (Although she previously had two Top 5 hits and a Top 10 hit as a member of Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles made her first entry on the Hot Country Songs chart under her own name as part of a collaboration with Bon Jovi, which, in turn, also made their first Hot Country Songs chart entry. Their collaboration, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", ultimately peaked at No. 1 on that chart – a first for both Nettles and Bon Jovi – and as of late, it is the only No. 1 hit for either act there. Sugarland, Nettles' group, would eventually score their first career No. 1 hit on the same chart by the end of the year.) During that same 12-month time span, chart veteran George Strait extended his No. 1 string to a Billboard-best 41, beating Conway Twitty's record of 40 No. 1's, while Dolly Parton scored her 25th No. 1 (as part of a duet with Brad Paisley) and Kenny Chesney extended his string of No. 1's to 10.
Top hits of the year The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs or Canada Country charts in 2006:
USCANSingleArtistReference18—8th of NovemberBig & Rich11Before He CheatsCarrie Underwood821BelieveBrooks & Dunn915BoondocksLittle Big Town16Brand New GirlfriendSteve Holy413Bring It On HomeLittle Big Town42Building BridgesBrooks & Dunn95Cheatin'Sara Evans1523Crash Here TonightToby Keith1421The DollarJamey Johnson23Don't Forget to Remember MeCarrie Underwood1724Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good)Sugarland19—Drunker Than MeTrent Tomlinson4514Everybody KnowsDixie Chicks12Every Mile a MemoryDierks Bentley715Every Time I Hear Your NameKeith Anderson1931Favorite State of MindJosh Gracin1329Feels Just Like It ShouldPat Green1631Findin' a Good ManDanielle Peck33Get Drunk and Be SomebodyToby Keith11Give It AwayGeorge Strait175A Good ManEmerson Drive28Honky Tonk BadonkadonkTrace Adkins1424How 'Bout YouEric Church1734I Can't Unlove YouKenny Rogers1225I Got YouCraig Morgan19I Loved Her FirstHeartland11If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)Rodney Atkins11Jesus, Take the WheelCarrie Underwood79Just Might (Make Me Believe)Sugarland1525KeroseneMiranda Lambert23Last Day of My LifePhil Vassar11Leave the PiecesThe Wreckers420Life Ain't Always BeautifulGary Allan1810Life Is a HighwayRascal Flatts1514Like Red on a RoseAlan Jackson510Like We Never Loved at AllFaith Hill21A Little Too LateToby Keith11Living in Fast ForwardKenny Chesney2320Love Will Always WinGarth Brookswith Trisha Yearwood1221Love YouJack Ingram51The Lucky OneFaith Hill615Me and My GangRascal Flatts1024MountainsLonestar33My Little GirlTim McGraw64My Old FriendTim McGraw11My WishRascal Flatts47Nobody but MeBlake Shelton16—Nobody Gonna Tell Me What to DoVan Zant3617Not Ready to Make NiceDixie Chicks61Once in a LifetimeKeith Urban117The Seashores of Old MexicoGeorge Strait13Settle for a SlowdownDierks Bentley512She Don't Tell Me ToMontgomery Gentry13She Let Herself GoGeorge Strait96Size Matters (Someday)Joe Nichols714Some People ChangeMontgomery Gentry22Something's Gotta GiveLeAnn Rimes11SummertimeKenny Chesney71Sunshine and SummertimeFaith Hill2033SwingTrace Adkins22Tonight I Wanna CryKeith Urban1931Two Pink LinesEric Church11Want ToSugarland11What Hurts the MostRascal Flatts12When I Get Where I'm GoingBrad Paisleyfeaturing Dolly Parton41When the Stars Go BlueTim McGraw111Wherever You AreJack Ingram13Who Says You Can't Go HomeBon Joviduet with Jennifer Nettles14WhyJason Aldean1330Why, Why, WhyBilly Currington11The WorldBrad Paisley15Would You Go with MeJosh Turner16—Yee HawJake Owen34You Save MeKenny Chesney12Your ManJosh Turner
Top new album releases The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2006: