# 1988 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1988.

## Events

* May 21 – Country music stars highlight a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Featured: Alabama, The Judds, George Strait and Randy Travis.
* December –
** Record producer Jimmy Bowen establishes the Universal Records label.
** LS Records releases "Spelling on the Stone", a song about Elvis Presley without an artist credit. The song's lyrics, which call the singer's 1977 death into question, are sung by a vocalist whom many believe to be Presley himself.

### No dates

* Time-Life Records releases the first volume of its "Country USA" series. The series, which would eventually include 23 volumes, each chronicles one year per volume – 1950 through 1972. Each volume – offered on two record albums, or one cassette or compact disc – contains liner notes from some of country music's most respected historians. In many cases, the songs offered on each volume represented the first time they had ever been re-released on compact disc. "Country USA" was offered through television and magazine advertisements.
* The Country Music Association Awards introduced a new award, Vocal Event of the Year, awarding collaborative efforts by two or more artists who normally don't work together (previously such efforts had to be included with Best Duo or Group nominations). The first recipient was the group of Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt for their Trio album.
* MTM Records is sold and disestablished after four years. During its short stay in the music business, two songs released by MTM will top the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart: Judy Rodman's "Until I Met You" (1986) and S-K-O's "Baby's Got a New Baby" (1987).
* Real Country, a 24-hour satellite music network focusing on classic country and neotraditional country, is planned for a 1989 launch by country star Buck Owens out of his Phoenix Arizona radio studios and carried by the Satellite Music Network. It is heard primarily in smaller- and medium-sized markets. Real Country was later sold to ABC Disney which then moved the operations to its radio headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Real Country was later sold to Citadel and is now owned and distributed by Cumulus Media.

## Top hits of the year
### Singles released by American artists

| US | CAN | Single | Artist |
| 1 | 1 | Addicted | Dan Seals |
| 9 | 5 | Always Late with Your Kisses | Dwight Yoakam |
| 8 | — | Americana | Moe Bandy |
| 5 | — | Another Place, Another Time | Don Williams |
| 1 | 3 | Baby Blue | George Strait |
| 2 | 1 | Baby I'm Yours | Steve Wariner |
| 15 | 33 | The Best I Know How | The Statler Brothers |
| 10 | 18 | Blue Love | The O'Kanes |
| 5 | 8 | Blue to the Bone | Sweethearts of the Rodeo |
| 1 | 2 | The Bluest Eyes in Texas | Restless Heart |
| 10 | 10 | Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues | Charlie Daniels Band |
| 4 | 4 | Button Off My Shirt | Ronnie Milsap |
| 9 | 12 | Chill Factor | Merle Haggard |
| 6 | 3 | Chiseled in Stone | Vern Gosdin |
| 1 | 1 | Cry, Cry, Cry | Highway 101 |
| 4 | 8 | Crying Shame | Michael Johnson |
| 1 | 1 | Darlene | T. Graham Brown |
| 7 | 5 | Desperately | Don Williams |
| 4 | 13 | Do You Believe Me Now | Vern Gosdin |
| 1 | 1 | (Do You Love Me) Just Say Yes | Highway 101 |
| 1 | 2 | Don't Close Your Eyes | Keith Whitley |
| 10 | — | Don't Give Candy to a Stranger | Larry Boone |
| 1 | 1 | Don't We All Have the Right | Ricky Van Shelton |
| 1 | 1 | Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses | Kathy Mattea |
| 52 | 18 | Every Step of the Way | The Wagoneers |
| 11 | 3 | Everybody's Sweetheart | Vince Gill |
| 1 | 1 | Face to Face | Alabama |
| 6 | 3 | The Factory | Kenny Rogers |
| 1 | 1 | Fallin' Again | Alabama |
| 1 | 1 | Famous Last Words of a Fool | George Strait |
| 4 | 2 | The Gift | The McCarters |
| 2 | 1 | Give a Little Love | The Judds |
| 8 | 8 | Givers and Takers | S-K-B |
| 1 | 3 | Goin' Gone | Kathy Mattea |
| 1 | 1 | Gonna Take a Lot of River | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 7 | 11 | Goodbye Time | Conway Twitty |
| 4 | 13 | Heaven Can't Be Found | Hank Williams Jr. |
| 1 | 1 | He's Back and I'm Blue | The Desert Rose Band |
| 14 | 12 | High Ridin' Heroes | David Lynn Jones with Waylon Jennings |
| 1 | 1 | Honky Tonk Moon | Randy Travis |
| 1 | 1 | I Can't Get Close Enough | Exile |
| 1 | 1 | I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried | Rodney Crowell |
| 12 | 14 | I Didn't (Every Chance I Had) | Johnny Rodriguez |
| 8 | 34 | I Don't Have Far to Fall | Skip Ewing |
| 28 | 16 | I Give You Music | The McCarters |
| 7 | 44 | I Have You | Glen Campbell |
| 1 | 1 | I Know How He Feels | Reba McEntire |
| 2 | 1 | I Should Be with You | Steve Wariner |
| 12 | 18 | I Still Believe | Lee Greenwood |
| 1 | 1 | I Told You So | Randy Travis |
| 1 | 1 | I Wanna Dance with You | Eddie Rabbitt |
| 18 | 41 | I Want a Love Like That | Judy Rodman |
| 7 | 19 | I Will Whisper Your Name | Michael Johnson |
| 5 | 2 | I Wish That I Could Fall in Love Today | Barbara Mandrell |
| 1 | 10 | I Won't Take Less Than Your Love | Tanya Tucker with Paul Davis and Paul Overstreet |
| 9 | 7 | I Wouldn't Be a Man | Don Williams |
| 1 | 1 | I'll Always Come Back | K. T. Oslin |
| 6 | 12 | I'll Give You All My Love Tonight | The Bellamy Brothers |
| 1 | 1 | I'll Leave This World Loving You | Ricky Van Shelton |
| 5 | 17 | I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow | Billy Joe Royal |
| 1 | 1 | I'm Gonna Get You | Eddy Raven |
| 13 | 33 | I'm Gonna Love Her on the Radio | Charley Pride |
| 3 | 4 | I'm Gonna Miss You, Girl | Michael Martin Murphey |
| 18 | 6 | I'm Tired | Ricky Skaggs |
| 2 | 1 | I've Been Lookin' | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| 1 | — | If It Don't Come Easy | Tanya Tucker |
| 10 | 9 | If My Heart Had Windows | Patty Loveless |
| 16 | 37 | If Ole Hank Could Only See Us Now | Waylon Jennings |
| 8 | 22 | If the South Woulda Won | Hank Williams Jr. |
| 1 | 1 | If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin') | George Strait |
| 1 | 1 | If You Change Your Mind | Rosanne Cash |
| 67 | 9 | If You're Gonna Tell Me Lies | Rosemary Sharp |
| 17 | 15 | It Keeps Right on Hurtin' | Billy Joe Royal |
| 8 | 5 | It's Only Make Believe | Ronnie McDowell |
| 1 | 1 | It's Such a Small World | Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash |
| 1 | 1 | Joe Knows How to Live | Eddy Raven |
| 5 | 9 | Just Lovin' You | The O'Kanes |
| 9 | 3 | Just One Kiss | Exile |
| 4 | 4 | The Last Resort | T. Graham Brown |
| 9 | 7 | Letter Home | The Forester Sisters |
| 1 | 1 | Life Turned Her That Way | Ricky Van Shelton |
| 18 | — | A Little Bit Closer | Tom Wopat |
| 2 | — | A Little Bit in Love | Patty Loveless |
| 20 | — | Louisiana Rain | John Wesley Ryles |
| 3 | 9 | Love Helps Those | Paul Overstreet |
| 4 | 3 | Love of a Lifetime | Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers |
| 1 | 1 | Love Will Find Its Way to You | Reba McEntire |
| 5 | 5 | Lyin' in His Arms Again | The Forester Sisters |
| 5 | 4 | Mama Knows | Shenandoah |
| 14 | 16 | Midnight Highway | Southern Pacific |
| 13 | 11 | Money | K. T. Oslin |
| 11 | 5 | My Baby's Gone | Sawyer Brown |
| 2 | 1 | New Shade of Blue | Southern Pacific |
| 7 | 2 | No More One More Time | Jo-El Sonnier |
| 22 | 7 | Nobody's Angel | Crystal Gayle |
| 5 | — | Oh What a Love | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| 2 | 12 | Old Folks | Ronnie Milsap & Mike Reid |
| 1 | 1 | One Friend | Dan Seals |
| 2 | 15 | One Step Forward | The Desert Rose Band |
| 4 | 5 | One True Love | The O'Kanes |
| 11 | 18 | Only Love Can Save Me Now | Crystal Gayle |
| 10 | 7 | Out of Sight and on My Mind | Billy Joe Royal |
| 6 | 2 | Please, Please Baby | Dwight Yoakam |
| 9 | 4 | Real Good Feel Good Song | Mel McDaniel |
| 9 | 19 | Rebels Without a Clue | The Bellamy Brothers |
| 1 | 2 | Runaway Train | Rosanne Cash |
| 5 | 2 | Santa Fe | The Bellamy Brothers |
| 5 | 11 | Satisfy You | Sweethearts of the Rodeo |
| 9 | 19 | Saturday Night Special | Conway Twitty |
| 1 | 2 | Set 'Em Up Joe | Vern Gosdin |
| 9 | 36 | She Doesn't Cry Anymore | Shenandoah |
| 17 | 8 | She's No Lady | Lyle Lovett |
| 81 | 9 | She's Sittin' Pretty | Billy Parker |
| 5 | 29 | Shouldn't It Be Easier Than This | Charley Pride |
| 16 | 32 | Some Old Side Road | Keith Whitley |
| 8 | 3 | Spanish Eyes | Willie Nelson with Julio Iglesias |
| 5 | 47 | Still Within the Sound of My Voice | Glen Campbell |
| 7 | 36 | Strangers Again | Holly Dunn |
| 1 | 1 | Streets of Bakersfield | Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens |
| 1 | 2 | Strong Enough to Bend | Tanya Tucker |
| 2 | 2 | Summer Wind | The Desert Rose Band |
| 5 | 9 | Sunday Kind of Love | Reba McEntire |
| 8 | 8 | Sure Thing | Foster & Lloyd |
| 16 | 23 | Talkin' to Myself Again | Tammy Wynette |
| 4 | 1 | Talkin' to the Wrong Man | Michael Martin Murphey (with Ryan Murphey) |
| 9 | 5 | Tear-Stained Letter | Jo-El Sonnier |
| 8 | 2 | Tell Me True | Juice Newton |
| 1 | 2 | A Tender Lie | Restless Heart |
| 1 | 1 | Tennessee Flat Top Box | Rosanne Cash |
| 18 | — | Texas in 1880 | Foster & Lloyd |
| 17 | 10 | Thanks Again | Ricky Skaggs |
| 6 | 4 | That's My Job | Conway Twitty |
| 9 | 8 | That's That | Michael Johnson |
| 5 | 6 | That's What Your Love Does to Me | Holly Dunn |
| 2 | 1 | This Missin' You Heart of Mine | Sawyer Brown |
| 5 | 6 | Timeless and True Love | The McCarters |
| 1 | 1 | Too Gone Too Long | Randy Travis |
| 5 | 3 | Touch and Go Crazy | Lee Greenwood |
| 5 | 21 | True Heart | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 1 | 5 | Turn It Loose | The Judds |
| 1 | 1 | Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star | Merle Haggard |
| 4 | 13 | Untold Stories | Kathy Mattea |
| 1 | 1 | The Wanderer | Eddie Rabbitt |
| 1 | 1 | We Believe in Happy Endings | Earl Thomas Conley with Emmylou Harris |
| 7 | 2 | We Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right | Eddie Rabbitt |
| 6 | 17 | What Do You Want from Me This Time | Foster & Lloyd |
| 1 | 2 | What She Is (Is a Woman in Love) | Earl Thomas Conley |
| 1 | 1 | Wheels | Restless Heart |
| 26 | 16 | When You Put Your Heart in It | Kenny Rogers |
| 1 | 1 | When You Say Nothing at All | Keith Whitley |
| 1 | 1 | Where Do the Nights Go | Ronnie Milsap |
| 9 | 7 | Wilder Days | Baillie & the Boys |
| 6 | 8 | Wildflowers | Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris |
| 4 | 6 | Workin' Man (Nowhere to Go) | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| 72 | 10 | You Are My Angel | Billy Parker |
| 20 | 21 | You Can't Fall in Love When You're Cryin' | Lee Greenwood |
| 2 | 2 | Young Country | Hank Williams Jr. |
| 17 | — | Your Memory Wins Again | Skip Ewing |

### Singles released by Canadian artists

| US | CAN | Single | Artist |
| — | 8 | Angelina | George Fox |
| — | 7 | Cheater's Moon | Carroll Baker |
| — | 15 | Cinderella/Gingerbread Man | Dick Damron |
| — | 18 | The Circle of Wood | Wayne Pronger |
| 61 | 10 | Do You Have Any Doubts | Alibi |
| — | 8 | Fifty Years Ago | Ian Tyson |
| — | 17 | The Gift | Ian Tyson |
| — | 12 | Give In | Terry Carisse |
| — | 8 | Gone So Long | The Good Brothers |
| — | 10 | Highway to Heaven | Stoker Bros |
| — | 14 | I Still Think of You | Colleen Peterson & Gilles Godard |
| 21 | 7 | I'm Down to My Last Cigarette | k.d. lang |
| — | 17 | If You're Up for Love | Ronnie Prophet |
| — | 10 | Isn't That the Strangest Thing | Anita Perras & Tim Taylor |
| — | 9 | Leanna | Ken Harnden |
| — | 15 | Listening to the Singer | Cindi Cain |
| — | 15 | The Music Still in Me | Cindi Cain |
| — | 9 | One Smokey Rose | Anita Perras |
| — | 9 | The Rhythm of Romance | Michelle Wright |
| — | 8 | She Knows I Can't Say No | Ken Harnden |
| — | 14 | Straight to Your Heart | Mercey Brothers |
| — | 10 | Thank You for Being My Friend | The Ellis Family Band |
| — | 8 | Thought Leaving Would Be Easy | Terry Carisse |
| — | 1 | Til I Find My Love | Family Brown |
| — | 7 | Town of Tears | Family Brown |
| — | 14 | You Won't Fool This Fool This Time | The Good Brothers |
| — | 7 | You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' | Carroll Baker |

## Top new album releases

| US | Album | Artist | Record Label |
| 8 | 101² | Highway 101 | Warner Bros. |
| 1 | Alabama Live | Alabama | RCA |
| 25 | All Keyed Up | Becky Hobbs | MTM |
| 4 | Big Dreams in a Small Town | Restless Heart | RCA |
| 1 | Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room | Dwight Yoakam | Reprise |
| 7 | Chiseled in Stone | Vern Gosdin | Columbia |
| 22 | Come as You Were | T. Graham Brown | Capitol |
| 12 | Comin' Home to Stay | Ricky Skaggs | Epic |
| 7 | Copperhead Road | Steve Earle | MCA |
| 8 | Diamonds & Dirt | Rodney Crowell | Columbia |
| 8 | Don't Close Your Eyes | Keith Whitley | RCA |
| 1 | Greatest Hits | The Judds | Curb/RCA |
| 16 | Homesick Heroes | The Charlie Daniels Band | Epic |
| 7 | Honky Tonk Angel | Patty Loveless | MCA |
| 20 | I Should Be with You | Steve Wariner | MCA |
| 1 | If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin' | George Strait | MCA |
| 1 | Loving Proof | Ricky Van Shelton | Columbia |
| 9 | Monongahela | The Oak Ridge Boys | MCA |
| 1 | Old 8×10 | Randy Travis | Warner Bros. |
| 11 | One Time, One Night | Sweethearts of the Rodeo | Columbia |
| 12 | Pontiac | Lyle Lovett | Curb/MCA |
| 6 | Rage On | Dan Seals | Capitol |
| 1 | Reba | Reba McEntire | MCA |
| 11 | River of Time | Michael Martin Murphey | Warner Bros. |
| 9 | Shadowland | k.d. lang | Sire |
| 21 | The Statlers Greatest Hits | The Statler Brothers | Mercury |
| 9 | Strong Enough to Bend | Tanya Tucker | Capitol |
| 25 | This Is My Country | Lee Greenwood | MCA |
| 2 | This Woman | K. T. Oslin | RCA |
| 21 | Tired of the Runnin' | The O'Kanes | Columbia |
| 6 | What a Wonderful World | Willie Nelson | Columbia |
| 1 | Wild Streak | Hank Williams Jr. | Curb/Warner Bros. |

### Other top albums

| US | Album | Artist | Record Label |
| 51 | 10 | John Anderson | MCA |
| 26 | Across the Rio Grande | Holly Dunn | MTM |
| 46 | Alive & Well | Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers | Columbia |
| 29 | All in Love | Marie Osmond | Capitol/Curb |
| 29 | As I Am | Anne Murray | Capitol |
| 36 | The Best of Eddy Raven | Eddy Raven | RCA |
| 60 | Brand New | Gary Stewart | Hightone |
| 52 | Chasing Rainbows | Mickey Gilley | Airborne |
| 61 | A Christmas Tradition, Vol. II | Various Artists | Warner Bros. |
| 29 | The Coast of Colorado | Skip Ewing | MCA |
| 56 | Every Christmas | Gary Morris | Warner Bros. |
| 33 | Exchange of Hearts | David Slater | Capitol |
| 36 | Full Circle | Waylon Jennings | MCA |
| 36 | The Gift | The McCarters | Warner Bros. |
| 66 | Greatest Hits | Kenny Rogers | RCA |
| 27 | Greatest Hits Volume Two | Lee Greenwood | MCA |
| 33 | The Heart of It All | Earl Thomas Conley | RCA |
| 49 | Higher Ground | John Denver | Windstar |
| 37 | Hot Dog! | Buck Owens | Capitol |
| 51 | I Guess I Just Missed You | Canyon | 16th Avenue |
| 52 | I Never Made a Record I Didn't Like | Ray Stevens | MCA |
| 34 | I Wanna Dance With You | Eddie Rabbitt | RCA |
| 35 | I'll Be Your Jukebox Tonight | Barbara Mandrell | Capitol |
| 36 | I'm Gonna Love Her on the Radio | Charley Pride | 16th Avenue |
| 45 | I'm Still Missing You | Ronnie McDowell | Curb |
| 33 | If My Heart Had Windows | Patty Loveless | MCA |
| 64 | Just Enough Love | Ray Price | Step One |
| 58 | Light Years | Glen Campbell | MCA |
| 27 | Little Love Affairs | Nanci Griffith | MCA |
| 60 | Live at the Opry | Patsy Cline | MCA |
| 62 | Making Believe | Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn | MCA |
| 64 | New Faces of Country | Various Artists | K-Tel |
| 28 | No Regrets | Moe Bandy | Curb |
| 63 | Nobody's Angel | Crystal Gayle | Warner Bros. |
| 51 | Now You're Talkin' | Mel McDaniel | Capitol |
| 43 | One Fair Summer Evening | Nanci Griffith | MCA |
| 45 | Rebels Without a Clue | The Bellamy Brothers | Curb/MCA |
| 26 | Running | The Desert Rose Band | Curb/MCA |
| 64 | Saddle the Wind | Janie Frickie | Columbia |
| 30 | Sincerely | The Forester Sisters | Warner Bros. |
| 28 | Still in Your Dreams | Conway Twitty | MCA |
| 47 | Stout & High | The Wagoneers | A&M |
| 47 | Swingin' Doors, Sawdust Floors | Larry Boone | Mercury |
| 39 | View from the House | Kim Carnes | MCA |
| 48 | Water from the Wells of Home | Johnny Cash | Mercury |
| 34 | Western Standard Time | Asleep at the Wheel | Epic |
| 33 | Wide Open | Sawyer Brown | Capitol/Curb |
| 63 | Who Was That Stranger | Loretta Lynn | MCA |
| 33 | Workin' Band | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | Warner Bros. |
| 27 | Zuma | Southern Pacific | Warner Bros. |

## On television
### Regular series

* Dolly (1987–1988, ABC)
* Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)

### Specials
## Births

* March 24 – Blanco Brown, country rap/trap performer best known for 2019's "The Git Up."
* March 30 – Jordan Davis, singer of the 2010s ("Singles You Up")
* April 29 – Michael Ray, singer-songwriter known for his 2015 debut hit "Kiss You in the Morning".
* May 24 – Billy Gilman, the youngest artist to ever have a country hit record (2000's "One Voice").
* July 20 – Julianne Hough, rising country music star and professional dancer, best known for her appearances on Dancing with the Stars.
* August 21 – Kacey Musgraves, rising country music star of the 2010s.
* November 17 – Reid Perry, member of The Band Perry.

## Deaths

* August 24 – Nat Stuckey, 54, singer-songwriter whose biggest hit-making time was the 1960s and 1970s (lung cancer).
* September 20 – Leon McAuliffe, 71, prominent member of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys and a star in his own right.
* December 6 – Roy Orbison, 52, American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll.

## Hall of Fame inductees
### Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

* Loretta Lynn (1932–2022)
* Roy Rogers (1911–1998)

### Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

* Jack Feeney

## Major awards
### Grammy Awards

* Best Female Country Vocal Performance – "Hold Me", K. T. Oslin
* Best Male Country Vocal Performance – Old 8×10, Randy Travis
* Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – "Give a Little Love". The Judds
* Best Country Collaboration with Vocals – "Crying", Roy Orbison and k.d. lang
* Best Country Instrumental Performance – "Sugarfoot Rag", Asleep at the Wheel
* Best Country Song – "Hold Me", K. T. Oslin
* Best Bluegrass Recording – "Southern Flavor", Bill Monroe

### Juno Awards

* Country Male Vocalist of the Year – Murray McLauchlan
* Country Female Vocalist of the Year – k.d. lang
* Country Group or Duo of the Year – Family Brown

### Academy of Country Music

* Entertainer of the Year – Hank Williams Jr.
* Song of the Year – "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses", Charles Nelson and Paul Nelson (Performer: Kathy Mattea)
* Single of the Year – "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses," Kathy Mattea
* Album of the Year – This Woman, K. T. Oslin
* Top Male Vocalist – George Strait
* Top Female Vocalist – K. T. Oslin
* Top Vocal Duo – The Judds
* Top Vocal Group – Highway 101
* Top New Male Vocalist – Rodney Crowell
* Top New Female Vocalist – Suzy Bogguss
* Video of the Year – "Young Country", Hank Williams Jr. (Director: Bill Fishman)

### ARIA Awards

(presented in Sydney on February 29, 1988)
* Best Country Album – This Town (Flying Emus)
* ARIA Hall of Fame – Slim Dusty

### Canadian Country Music Association

* Entertainer of the Year – k.d. lang
* Male Artist of the Year – Ian Tyson
* Female Artist of the Year – k.d. lang
* Group of the Year – Family Brown
* SOCAN Song of the Year – "One Smokey Rose", Tim Taylor (Performer: Anita Perras)
* Single of the Year – "One Smokey Rose", Anita Perras
* Album of the Year – Shadowland, k.d. lang
* Top Selling Album – Always & Forever, Randy Travis
* Vista Rising Star Award – Blue Rodeo
* Duo of the Year – Anita Perras and Tim Taylor

### Country Music Association

* Entertainer of the Year – Hank Williams Jr.
* Song of the Year – "80's Ladies", K. T. Oslin (Performer: K. T. Oslin)
* Single of the Year – "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses", Kathy Mattea
* Album of the Year – Born to Boogie, Hank Williams Jr.
* Male Vocalist of the Year – Randy Travis
* Female Vocalist of the Year – K. T. Oslin
* Vocal Duo of the Year – The Judds
* Vocal Group of the Year – Highway 101
* Horizon Award – Ricky Van Shelton
* Vocal Event of the Year – Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt
* Musician of the Year – Chet Atkins