How House Fires Shaped The Careers Of Two Country Singers

Believe it or not, two country singers who lost everything in a house fire were better for it. Well, they were better for it professionally — the personal cost is more difficult to calculate. One all-time great was laboring as a songwriter prior to a pre-Christmas house fire. A second country newcomer penned a song about the experience and several years later celebrated as it became his first No. 1 hit.

Fortunately, nobody was killed in any of the 14 country star house fires described below, although there was at least one injury. Most recent was a fire at Carrie Underwood's house. In fact, that blaze is pretty representative of what several singers have experienced. Electric or liquid fuel was the source for about half of these flames. Chris Janson believes a computer battery overheated, causing a room in his Nashville-area home to burn. Trace Adkins believes an exposed wire may have been to blame for a fire that leveled his land.

Natural forces only caused one of these fires, but it is by far the worst of the infernos. In 2018, a historic wildfire ripped through Northern California, taking over 18,000 structures down in its path. One of those belonged to a contemporary radio mainstay. Scroll through to read each tragic story and look for inspiration when you see names like Willie Nelson and Caylee Hammack. Memories last with or without physical reminders. Furniture, mementos, and clothing are all replaceable. Several artists on this list have learned that who you become after great loss is what truly matters.