2022 in country music

• January 8 – Morgan Wallen's performance with Ernest on the Grand Ole Opry leads to criticism from fans and other country music artists, following the controversy that surrounded Wallen after he was filmed using a racial slur eleven months prior as well as an anti-racism tweet made by the institution.[1]
• January 15 – Jay Barker, husband of Sara Evans, is arrested on domestic violence charges against Evans. At the time of the charge, reports indicate that the couple are separated.[2]
• February 6 – Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line announce they are "taking a break" from recording music together and will be in an indefinite hiatus from touring after several 2022 shows while they pursue solo careers.[3]
• February 19 – Brad Paisley scores his 20th number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart as featured on Jimmie Allen's "Freedom Was a Highway", tying him with Brooks & Dunn and Toby Keith for the tenth most number ones on that chart since its inception in January 1990.[4]
• March 29 – Eric Church made headlines after cancelling a show at the AT&T Center in order to attend a college basketball game in North Carolina. Church released a statement announcing his intention to watch the Tar Heels vs Blue Devils, longtime rivals who have never faced off in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, with his family, expressing that it is the most "selfish" thing he has ever done. The decision drew intense criticism from fans who had paid to attend the concert.[5]
• April 7 – Stevie Woodward takes over as lead singer of Runaway June, replacing Naomi Cooke who left two months prior.[6]
• April 10 - Tanya Tucker celebrates the 50th anniversary of her first single, "Delta Dawn", with an all-star concert at the Ryman Auditorium. Guests included Brenda Lee, T. Graham Brown, Delbert McClinton, Paul Overstreet, Jessi Colter, LeAnn Rimes, Ty Herndon and Brandi Carlile.[7]
• April 11 –
  • "Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)" by Elle King and Miranda Lambert reaches number one on the Country Airplay chart, becoming the first female duet to reach the top spot in almost thirty years, following "Does He Love You" by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis in November 1993.[8]
  • To celebrate their pending induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Naomi and Wynonna Judd reunited to perform their 1990 hit song "Love Can Build a Bridge" at the 2022 CMT Music Awards. Their appearance marked the first time the duo had performed together as The Judds on a televised awards show in more than twenty years.[9] The performance would be the duo's last before the death of Naomi on April 30.[10]

The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, or Canada Country charts in 2022:

• January 11 – Jerry Crutchfield, 87, American record producer (Anne Murray, Lee Greenwood, Tanya Tucker)[96]
• January 14 – Dallas Frazier, 82, American singer-songwriter ("Elvira", "Beneath Still Waters" and "There Goes My Everything")[97]
• January 15 – Ralph Emery, 88, American disc jockey and television host (Pop! Goes the Country, Nashville Now)[98]
• January 30 – Hargus "Pig" Robbins, 84, session pianist[99]
• February 17 – Dallas Good, 48, member of Canadian band The Sadies.[100][101]
• February 18 – Scotty Wray, former member of The Wrays, brother of Collin Raye, and guitarist for Miranda Lambert.[102]
• March 1 – Warner Mack, 86, American country singer-songwriter ("Is It Wrong (For Loving You)", "The Bridge Washed Out").[103]
• March 4 – Jimbeau Hinson, 70, American songwriter (stroke)[104]
• March 10 – Bobbie Nelson, 91, American pianist and singer; sister of Willie Nelson.[105]
• March 11 – Brad Martin, 48, American country singer-songwriter ("Before I Knew Better"). [106]
• March 12 – Bruce Burch, 69, songwriter ("It's Your Call", "Rumor Has It")[107]
• March 26 – Jeff Carson, 58, singer-songwriter ("Not on Your Love", "The Car") (heart attack)[108]
• April 1 – C. W. McCall, 93, singer ("Convoy") (cancer)[109]
• April 25 – Shane Yellowbird, 42, Canadian country singer[110]
• April 30 – Naomi Judd, 76, one-half of The Judds and mother of Wynonna Judd (suicide)[10][111]