1946 in country music
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1946.
Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)- January 5 - "You Will Have To PayYou Will Have to Pay"You Will Have To Pay" is a 1945 song by Tex Ritter. "You Will Have To Pay" would be Tex Ritter's final number one on Juke Box Folk chart, staying at the top for three weeks . The B-side of the song entitled, "Christmas Carols By the Old Corral" would hit number two on the same 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... - January 5 - "White Cross on OkinawaWhite Cross on Okinawa"White Cross on Okinawa" is 1945 song by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. The song was Bob Wills' fourth number one on the Juke Box Folk chart where it spent a single week at the top and a total of five 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... - February 2 - "Guitar PolkaGuitar Polka"Guitar Polka" is a 1946 instrumental song by Al Dexter and His Troopers. "Guitar Polka" would spend sixteen weeks at number one on the Juke Box Folk charts and a total of twenty-nine weeks on the 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... - May 18 - "New Spanish Two StepNew Spanish Two Step"New Spanish Two Step" is a Western swing standard based on a traditional fiddle tune,"Spanish Two Step," which was one of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys signature songs. Wills and his vocalist, Tommy Duncan, added lyrics to reflect the title:-Bibliography:...
" - 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... - September 14 - "Wine Women and SongWine Women and Song"Wine Women and Song" is a 1946 song by Al Dexter. The song would be his final number one on the Juke Box Folk charts. "Wine Women and Song" stayed at number one for five weeks and spent thirteen weeks on the charts . The B-side of the song entitled, "It's Up To You" peaked at number three on...
" - 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... - October 12 - "Divorce Me C.O.D.Divorce Me C.O.D."Divorce Me C.O.D." is a 1946 song by Merle Travis. The song was Merle Travis' first release to make it to number one on the Folk Juke Box charts where it stayed for fourteen weeks and a total of twenty-three weeks on the chart...
" - Merle TravisMerle TravisMerle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
Other major hits
- Chained To A Memory - Eddy ArnoldEddy ArnoldRichard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
- Cincinnati Lou - Merle TravisMerle TravisMerle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
- "No Vacancy"- Merle Travis
- DetourDetour (song)"Detour " is a Western swing ballad written by Paul Westmoreland in 1945. The original version was by Jimmy Walker with Paul Westmoreland and His Pecos River Boys, issued around the beginning of November 1945....
- Spade Cooley - Detour - 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...
- Detour -Elton BrittElton BrittElton Britt , born James Elton Baker, was a country music guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Biography:Elton Britt was born in Searcy County, Arkansas...
- Drivin' Nails In My Coffin - Floyd TillmanFloyd TillmanFloyd Tillman was an American country musician who, in the 1930s and 1940s, helped create the Western swing and honky tonk genres. Tillman was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984.-Early life:Tillman grew up in the cotton-mill town of Post,...
- Driving Nails In My Coffin - 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...
- Freight Train Boogie - Delmore Brothers
- Get Yourself A Red Head - Hank PennyHank PennyHerbert Clayton Penny was an accomplished banjo player and practitioner of western swing. He worked as a comedian best known for his backwoods character "That Plain Ol' Country Boy" on TV with Spade Cooley...
- Steel Guitar Stomp - Hank Penny
- Have I Told You Lately That I Love You - 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...
- Have I Told You Lately That I Love You -Tex Ritter
- I Wish I Had Never Met Sunshine - Gene Autry
- I Wish I Had Never Met Sunshine - Wesley Tuttle
- Kentucky Waltz - Bill Monroe
- All Alone In This World Without You - Eddy ArnoldEddy ArnoldRichard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
- Roly PolyRoly Poly (song)"Roly Poly" is a humorous Western swing standard written by Fred Rose in 1946. In the song, Roly Poly is a very active boy who eats continuously to keep his strength up. Each verse ends with:"Roly Poly" was first recorded by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1946, staying on the charts for 18...
- Bob WillsBob 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... - 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....
- Tiny HillTiny HillHarry Lawrence “Tiny” Hill was a band leader of the Big Band era. During the height of his career Hill was billed as “America’s Biggest Bandleader” because of his weight of over . His signature song was “Angry” which he first recorded in 1939 on Columbia records Vocalion label... - 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....
- Hoosier Hot Shots - 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....
- Zeke Manners - Someday - Hoosier Hot Shots
- Someday - Elton Britt
- Someday - Gene Autry
- Stay A Little LongerStay A Little Longer"Stay a Little Longer" is a Western swing dance tune written by Bob Wills and Tommy Duncan. The title comes from a refrain in the chorus:*Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Billboard Books, 2006. ISBN 0-8230-8291-1...
- Bob Wills - I Can't Go On This Way- Bob Wills
- Filipino Baby - T. Texas TylerT. Texas TylerDavid Luke Myrick , known professionally as T. Texas Tyler, was an American country music singer and songwriter primarily known for his 1948 hit, "The Deck of Cards".-Biography:...
- Filipino Baby - Cowboy CopasCowboy CopasLloyd Estel Copas , known by his stage name Cowboy Copas, was an American country music singer popular from the 1940s until his death in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry.-Biography:Copas was born in 1913 in...
- That's How Much I Love You" - Eddy Arnold
- Wave To Me My Lady - Elton Britt
- Wave To Me My Lady - Gene Autry
- When You Leave Don't Slam The Door - Tex Ritter
- You Can't Break My Heart - Spade Cooley
Births
- January 11 — Naomi JuddNaomi JuddNaomi Judd is an American country music singer, songwriter, and activist.-Personal life:She was born Diana Ellen Judd to Charles Glen Judd and his wife Pauline Judd on January 11, 1946, in Ashland, Kentucky. Her father owned a gas station; her mother started out as a homemaker but later became a...
, mother half of The JuddsThe JuddsThe Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
. - January 19 — Dolly PartonDolly PartonDolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, major multi-faceted country star since the 1960s. - July 15 — Linda RonstadtLinda RonstadtLinda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
, singer-songwriter with strong influences in both country and rock music. - August 11 — John ConleeJohn ConleeJohn Conlee is an American country music singer. Between 1978 and 2004, Conlee charted a total of thirty-two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recorded eleven studio albums...
, former mortician and disc jockey who became one of the most consistent performers of the late 1970s and 1980s. - November 2 — Howard Bellamy, of The Bellamy Brothers.
- November 5 — Gram ParsonsGram ParsonsGram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
, influential country rock and alt-country singer-songwriter-guitarist who was a member of such bands as The ByrdsThe ByrdsThe Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
and The Flying Burrito BrothersThe Flying Burrito BrothersThe Flying Burrito Brothers was an early country rock band, best known for its influential debut album,The Gilded Palace of Sin . Although the group is most often mentioned in connection with country rock legends Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, the group underwent many personnel changes.-Original...
, as well as a solo act (d. 1973). - December 11 — Tony BrownTony Brown (record producer)Tony Brown is an American country music record producer.He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.Brown played piano for Elvis Presley. He toured with the TCB Band for much of Presley's final two years and was a part of the 1976 "Jungle Room" recording sessions at Graceland...
, record producer. - December 25 — Jimmy BuffettJimmy BuffettJames William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
, singer best known for his "island escapism"-styled music.
Deaths
- July 13 - Riley PuckettRiley PuckettGeorge Riley Puckett was an American country music pioneer mostly known for being a member of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers.-Biography:...
, 52, vocalist with the Skillet LickersSkillet LickersThe Skillet Lickers were an old-time band from Georgia, USA.When Gid Tanner teamed up with blind guitarist Riley Puckett and signed to Columbia in 1924, they created the label's earliest so-called "hillbilly" recording. Gid Tanner formed The Skillet Lickers in 1926. The first line-up was Gid...
(blood poisoning).
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.