1945 in country music
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1945.
Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)- February 3 - "I'm Losing My Mind Over YouI'm Losing My Mind Over You"I'm Losing My Mind Over You" is a 1945 song by Al Dexter and His Troppers. The song was Al Dexter's fifth release as well as his fifth number one on the Folk/Juke Box charts. The B-side of the song, entitled, "I'll Wait For You Dear" peaked at number two on the same chart....
" - Al DexterAl DexterAl Dexter was an American country musician and songwriter. He is best known for "Pistol Packin' Mama," a 1944 hit that was one of the most popular recordings of the World War II years and later became a hit again with a cover by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters.-Biography:Born Clarence Albert... - March 17 - "There's a New Moon Over My ShoulderThere's a New Moon Over My Shoulder"There's a New Moon Over My Shoulder" is a 1944 song originally performed by Tex Ritter. The song was the B-side to Tex Ritter's, "I'm Wastin' My Tears on You"...
" - Jimmie DavisJimmie DavisJames Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana... - March 31 - "Shame on YouShame On You (Cooley song)"Shame on You" is a Western Swing song written by Spade Cooley and became his signature song.The title comes from the refrain that starts each verse:In the song, the singer is rebuking his straying girlfriend....
" - Spade CooleySpade CooleyDonnell Clyde Cooley , better known as Spade Cooley, was an American Western swing musician, big band leader, actor, and television personality... - April 14 - "Smoke on the WaterSmoke On The Water (Red Foley song)"Smoke On The Water" is a 1944 song by Red Foley. The patriotic song was Foley's first song to hit No. 1 on the Folk Records charts, spending 13 weeks at the top and a total of 24 weeks on the chart. "Smoke On The Water" also peaked at No. 7 on the pop charts. The B-side of "Smoke On The Water"...
" - (Bob Wills) - May 19 - "At Mail Call TodayAt Mail Call Today"At Mail Call Today" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist Gene Autry. The song would be Gene Autry's most successful song on the Juke Box Folk charts, peaking at number one for eight weeks with a total of twenty-two weeks on the charts...
" - Gene AutryGene AutryOrvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s... - July 7 - "Stars and Stripes on Iwo JimaStars and Stripes on Iwo Jima"Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima" is a 1945 song by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. The song would be Bob Wills second number one on the Juke Box Folk charts, spending a single week at number one and a total of eleven weeks on the chart...
" - Bob Wills and His Texas PlayboysBob WillsJames Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with... - July 28 - "Oklahoma HillsOklahoma Hills"Oklahoma Hills" is a song written by Woody Guthrie.Jack Guthrie, Woody's cousin, later changed the lyrics and music and in 1945 recorded a Western swing version which he took to number one on the Juke Box Folk Records charts...
" - Jack GuthrieJack GuthrieJack Guthrie was a songwriter and performer whose rewritten version of the Woody Guthrie song "Oklahoma Hills" was a hit in 1945. The two musicians were cousins.-Early life:... - August 25 - "You Two-Timed Me One Time Too OftenYou Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often"You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often" is a 1945 song by Tex Ritter. It was Ritter's second number one on the Juke Box Folk chart, spending eleven weeks at the top and a total of twenty weeks on the chart....
" - Tex RitterTex RitterWoodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting... - October 27 - "With Tears in My EyesWith Tears in My Eyes"With Tears in My Eyes" is a 1945 song by Wesley Tuttle and His Texas Stars. The song was Wesley Tuttle's first and most successful entry on the Juke Box Folk Chart. "With Tears in My Eyes" went number one for four weeks with a total of fourteen weeks on the chart ....
" - Wesley TuttleWesley TuttleWesley Tuttle was an American country music singer. He was raised in California and took up music at age four, relearning to play the guitar and ukulele after losing all but the thumb and one finger on his left hand... - November 17 - "Sioux City SueSioux City Sue"Sioux City Sue" is a 1945 song by Dick Thomas. The song was Thomas' first chart entry on the Juke Box Folk Records chart and was also his most successful release: "Sioux City Sue" spent four weeks at number one and a total of twenty-three weeks on the charts....
" - Dick ThomasDick Thomas (singer)Richard Thomas Goldhahn , known professionally as Dick Thomas, was an American singing cowboy and actor. He was best known for his 1945 single "Sioux City Sue," a Number One country hit and #16 pop hit that year which later became a country music standard and was included in a Gene Autry movie... - November 24 - "Shame on You" - Lawrence Welk OrchestraLawrence WelkLawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
with Red FoleyRed FoleyClyde Julian Foley , better known as Red Foley, was an American singer, musician, and radio and TV personality who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II.... - December 8 - "It's Been So Long DarlingIt's Been So Long Darling"It's Been So Long Darling" is a 1945 song by Ernest Tubb. "It's Been So Long Darling" was Ernest Tubb seventh chart entry on the country charts and his second to make it to number one, where it stayed for four weeks and a total of thirteen weeks on the chart....
" - Ernest TubbErnest TubbErnest Dale Tubb , nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" , marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music... - December 15 - "Silver Dew on the Blue Grass TonightSilver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight"Silver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight" is a 1945 song by Bob Wills. The song would be Bob Wills' third number one on the Juke Box Folk Record chart where it spent three weeks at the top with a total of fourteen weeks on the chart . The song was the B-side of " the instrumental, "Texas Playboy...
" - Bob Wills and His Texas PlayboysBob WillsJames Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
Other Major Hits
- Careless Darlin' - Ernest Tubb
- Christmas Carols At The Old Corral - Tex Ritter
- Don't Fence Me In - Gene Autry
- Don't Hang Around Me Anymore - Gene Autry
- Each Minute Seems A Million Years - Eddy Arnold
- Each Night At Nine - Floyd Tillman
- Hang Your Head In Shame - Bob Wills
- Hang Your Head In Shame - Red Foley
- Headin' Down The Wrong Highway - Ted Daffan
- Hitler's Last Letter To Hirohito - Carson Robinson
- I Never Let You Worry My Mind - Red Foley
- I'll Wait For You Dear - Al Dexter
- I'm A Branding My Darling With My Heart - Jack Guthrie
- I'm A Convict With Old Glory In My Heart - Elton Britt
- I'm Gonna Build A Big Fence Around Texas - Gene Autry
- I'm Lost Without You - Al Dexter
- I've Taken All I'm Gonne Take - Gene Autry
- Jealous HeartJealous Heart"Jealous Heart" is a classic C&W song which has also been recorded by several Pop singers.-Early versions:The first recording of "Jealous Heart" was made in 1944 by its composer Jenny Lou Carson...
- Tex Ritter - Keep My Memory In Your Heart - Ernest Tubb
- Mexico Joe - Ivie Anderson
- A Pair Of Broken Hearts - Spade Cooley
- Shadow On Your Heart - Ted Daffan
- Smoke On The Water - Boyd Heath
- Stars And Stripes On Iwo Jima - Sons Of The Pioneers
- Texas Playboy Rag - Bob Wills
- Time Won't Heal My Broken Heart - Ted Daffan
- Tomorrow Never Comes - Ernest Tubb
- Triflin' Gal - Al Dexter
- You Don't Care What Happens To Me - Bob Wills
- You're Breaking My Heart - Ted Daffan
Births
- January 16 — Ronnie MilsapRonnie MilsapRonnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
, blind, blue-eyed soul-styled singer who became one of country music's most popular entertainers of the 1970s and 1980s. - March 14 — Michael Martin MurpheyMichael Martin MurpheyMichael Martin Murphey is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, Country music, and Popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including Cowboy Songs, the first album of cowboy music to achieve gold status since Gunfighter...
, Western-styled singer-songwriter who enjoyed mainstream success in the 1980s as a country-pop performer. - June 5 — Don Reid, lead singer and main songwriter of The Statler Brothers.
- June 20 — Anne MurrayAnne MurrayMorna Anne Murray CC, ONS is a Canadian singer in pop, country and adult contemporary styles whose albums have sold over 54 million copies....
, Canadian vocalist who became one of that country's most successful country music performers during the 1970s and 1980s.
Further reading
- Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947-1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 (ISBN 0-8118-3572-3)
- Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-06-273244-7)
- Whitburn, Joel. "Top Country Songs 1944-2005 - 6th Edition." 2005.