Billy Currington photo by Danny Clinch, courtesy of UMG Nashville.
#9 on GAC’s Top Stories of 2009 | View all »
People, Billy Currington noted in his award-nominated story song, are crazy. Sometimes Mother Nature is, too, and she left Billy black and blue in the most shocking of a bunch of country-music health stories that made headlines in 2009.
Billy’s weather disaster — which occurred in Camrose, Alberta, on Aug. 1 — was a doozy. A major storm toppled the outdoor stage. One fan died when a speaker fell on her, Billy was hospitalized with a concussion, and bass player Alex Stevens needed surgery for a severed artery after he was pinned for 30 minutes beneath the stage.
Among other prominent health-related moments of country music in 2009:
- Eric Church fractured a foot during an enthusiastic set at the Syracuse State Fair in September. He continued to tour, playing on a stool for several shows, but aggravated the injury and had to postpone a pair of shows after doctors gave him a hard cast in late October. It wasn’t long before he was back on the road again and standing center stage.
- Tracy Lawrence was forced to cancel some dates this summer after a bout with the flu. He might have been country’s first H1N1 victim. Others hit with flu bugs during the year included Chuck Wicks, Loretta Lynn and Julianne Hough.
- Buddy Miller was the top winner during the Americana Music Awards in the fall, but months before claiming his honors, he underwent triple-bypass heart surgery in the midst of a tour. Billy Burnette, who authored George Strait’s “River Of Love,” also had quintuple bypass surgery in December.
- Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens had surgery after developing blood on the brain. He was eventually able to return to performing and made a comedic appearance during the Country Music Association Awards. Beth Nielsen Chapman, who wrote Faith Hill’s “This Kiss,” also had brain surgery to remove a tumor.
- Jewel worked vigorously to compete on “Dancing With The Stars” — too vigorously, in fact. She fractured her leg and was forced to back out of the TV competition.
- Opry star Mel McDaniel was placed temporarily in a doctor-induced coma after suffering a heart attack this summer. Ferlin Husky was likewise hospitalized several times with heart problems.
- Darryl Worley had a herniated disc removed from his neck in November, Jack Ingram was rushed to a Nashville emergency room after he was thrown by a bull, Gary Allan tore ligaments in his hand, and James Otto had shoulder surgery to repair a rotator cuff that had restricted his movement for more than six months. Mickey Gilley continues to recover from major back surgery following an accident while moving furniture last spring.
- Singers’ biggest physical challenge is keeping the throat healthy, and several artists were set back by vocal problems ranging from laryngitis to the surgical removal of nodes. Among them: Keith Anderson, Glen Campbell, Levon Helm, Miley Cyrus and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles.
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