1980s

## 1980

* March 1 – John Jacob Niles died, aged 87.
* March 11 – Dan Uggla born.
* April 30 – Gooch House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* May 18 – Matt Long born.
* May 20 – Austin Kearns born.
* June 13 – Blake Judd born.
* July 17 – Derek Smith born.
* August 11 – Bray Place listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* August 12 – Maggie Lawson born.
* September 2 – Joey Goebel born.
* October 15 – A. W. Hamilton born.
* November 29 – Whitney Westerfield born.
* December 5 – Dawn Landes born.
* December 5 – Abell House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Aydelott House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Patrick Bannon House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Barber-Barbour House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Levin Bates House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Beech Lawn listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Bellevoir-Ormsby Village listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Bingham-Hillard Doll House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Blankenbaker Station listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – William Bull House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Cardinal Hill Reservoir listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Chenoweth House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Chrisler House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 5 – Cooper Memorial Church listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 16 – Harland Sanders died, aged 90.
* December 16 – Burks' Distillery designated a National Historic Landmark.
* December 21 – Philip Lemont Barbour died, aged 82.
* December 22 – Earl Grace died, aged 73.

## 1981

* January 10 – Lena Beatrice Morton died, aged ~79.
* February 17 – Norris Embry died, aged 60.
* March 14 – George Wilson born.
* March 30 – Edith Wilson died, aged 84.
* April 11 – Caroline Gordon died, aged 85.
* June 30 – Desi Lydic born.
* July 11 – Susan Clay Sawitzky died, aged 83.
* September 1 – Boyd Holbrook born.
* September 15 – Marquis Estill born.
* December 5 – Henry Faulkner died, aged 57.
* December 9 – Kevin Groob born.

## 1982

* January 31 – C. W. Grafton died, aged 72.
* March 27 – Iman Crosson born.
* March 28 – Rex Alexander died, aged 57.
* April 3 – Warren Oates died, aged 53.
* May 6 – Cornelia Bush House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* June 8 – Irv Jeffries died, aged 76.
* June 22 – Adath Israel Cemetery listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 13 – John Alexander died, aged 84.
* August 9 – Tyson Gay born.
* August 10 – Josh Anderson born.
* October 6 – Bradford Mills listed on National Register of Historic Places.

## 1983

* February 27 – Jared Champion born.
* March 9 – Logan English died, aged 54.
* March 22 – Blanton Collier died, aged 76.
* April 12 – Charles Burke Elbrick died, aged 75.
* June 6 – Dave Reffett born.
* June 23 – Eric Shelton born.
* July 10 – Mona von Bismarck died, aged 86.
* July 12 – Allison-Barrickman House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – Ashbourne listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – Bank of Middletown listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – Beechland listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – Berry Hill listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – James Brown House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – Theodore Brown House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – Carmichael House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* July 12 – Waverly Hills Sanatorium listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* August 3 – Mark Reynolds born.
* August 16 – Atherton Carriage House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* August 29 – Clifton Historic District listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* October 7 – Bo Otto died, aged 80.
* October 20 – Merle Travis died, aged 65.
* October 23 – Matt Shultz born.
* November 27 – Donta Smith born.
* November 29 – Pamela Brown born.
* December 8 – Rogers Clark Ballard Memorial School listed on National Register of Historic Places.

## 1984

* February 10 – Brent Weedman born.
* February 17 – Jesse Stuart died, aged 77.
* March 4 – Jewel Carmen died, aged 86.
* April 27 – John Michael Hayden born.
* May 1 – Farah Fath born.
* May 12 – Douglas Lucas born.
* May 31 – Beynroth House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* June 7 – Rabbit Benton died, aged 82.
* July 10 – James Blake Miller born.
* August 4 – Edmon Ryan died, aged 79.
* August 20 – Jeff Hughes born.
* October 2 – Ray Burse born.
* November 13 – Charles E. Sellers died, aged 61.
* November 15 – James Clore House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* December 1 – Joe Rue died, aged 86.

## 1985

* February 5 – Harry Lancaster died, aged 73.
* February 14 – Tyler Clippard born.
* March 3 – Sarah Gibson Blanding died, aged 86.
* March 20 – Jonny Venters born.
* March 28 – Odie Spears died, aged 59.
* March 29 – Temple Bodley Summer House listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* April 30 – Verlin Adams died, aged 66.
* May 10 – Rice Mountjoy died, aged 84.
* May 12 – Junie Browning born.
* June 16 – John Y. Brown, Sr. died, aged 85.
* July 4 – Sean Cunningham born.
* July 14 – Lily May Ledford died, aged 68.
* July 26 – J. D. Grey died, aged 78.
* July 29 – Martha-Bryan Allen died, aged 82.
* August 8 – T. J. Taylor born.
* September 23 – Brian Brohm born.
* November 12 – John Lair died, aged 91.
* December 4 – Forest Sale died, aged 74.

## 1986

* January 2 – Una Merkel died, aged 82.
* February 22 – Rajon Rondo born.
* March 22 – Harriette Simpson Arnow died, aged 77.
* March 27 – Chris Lofton born.
* April 16 – Scott Kuhn born.
* May 14 – Nelson Stacy died, aged 64.
* May 18 – John W. Bubbles died, aged 84.
* May 22 – Collin Cowgill born.
* June 24 – Jessamyn Duke born.
* August 10 – Candyce Bingham born.
* August 17 – Shipwreck Kelly died, aged 76.
* December 28 – Aaron Parker born.

## 1987

* January 9 – Arthur Lake died, aged 81.
* June 22 – Dom Fucci died, aged 58.
* August 4 – Kenny Price died, aged 56.

## 1988

* January 7 – La Meri died, aged 89.
* January 12 – Justin Marks born.
* January 16 – Harlan Hubbard died, aged 88.
* January 28 – Luska Twyman died, aged 74.
* February 23 – Clark Burckle born.
* February 25 – Nate Adcock born.
* June 5 – Clarence M. Pendleton, Jr. died, aged 57.
* June 26 – Dakota Meyer born.
* August 15 – Barry Bingham, Sr. died, aged 82.
* August 16 – Rumer Willis born.
* September 4 – Adam Duvall born.
* October 11 – Trevor Mann born.
* November 3 – Joseph E. Carrico died, aged ~63.
* November 10 – Bowman Field Historic District listed on National Register of Historic Places.
* November 12 – The Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedicated.

## 1989

* January 28 – Clarence R. Graham died, aged 81.
* February 12 – Keith Tandy born.
* February 24 – Trace Cyrus born.
* March 22 – Jazzmarr Ferguson born.
* March 29 – Preston Knowles born.
* March 31 – Chase Minnifield born.
* April 2 – Edwin E. Ellis died, aged 64.
* April 6 – John Paul Riddle died, aged 87.
* April 29 – Richard C. Lord died, aged 78.
* May 9 – Keith Whitley died, aged 34.
* June 7 – Dean Kiekhefer born.
* June 24 – Robbie Ross, Jr. born.
* August 18 – Daniel Webb born.
* September 15 – Robert Penn Warren died, aged 84.
* September 23 – Bradley Kincaid died, aged 94.
* October 4 – Secretariat died, aged 19.
* October 4 – Woodridge Spears died, aged 76.
* November 22 – Natalie Novosel born.