1948 in country music
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1948.
Events
- April 3 — Radio station KWKHKWKHKWKH is a classic country music radio station serving Shreveport, Louisiana. The 50-kilowatt station broadcasts at 1130 kHz. Formerly owned by Clear Channel Communications and Gap Central Broadcasting, it is now owned by Townsquare Media....
of Shreveport, LouisianaShreveport, LouisianaShreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
airs the Louisiana HayrideLouisiana HayrideLouisiana Hayride was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American music...
for the first time. - May 15 — BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
begins a sales-based Best Selling Folk Retail Records chart, the magazine's second chart to track the popularity of country songs. The new chart complements the existing Most Played Juke Box Folk Records chart, and begins a practice of multiple charts (and possible simultaneous No. 1 songs) that will continue for the next 10 years. - July 24 — Roy AcuffRoy AcuffRoy Claxton Acuff was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the King of Country Music, Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the star singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful.Acuff...
announces his intent to run for governor of Tennessee. Running as the Republican candidate, he will lose to Democratic candidate Gordon BrowningGordon BrowningGordon Weaver Browning was an American politician who represented Tennessee in the United States Congress and was later Governor of Tennessee from 1937 to 1939 and again from 1949 to 1953.-Biography:...
in the November election.
No dates
- 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...
dominates the BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts, scoring five No. 1 songs (six, if one counts Arnold's "I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms)," which had been No. 1 since November 1947). Only Jimmy WakelyJimmy WakelyJames Clarence Wakeley , better known as Jimmy Wakely, was an American country-Western singer and actor, one of the last crooning cowpokes following World War II...
's "One Has My Name (the Other Has My Heart)" breaks Arnold's streak. Four other songs by Arnold also make the country charts.
Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)- April 8 - "AnytimeAnytime (1921 song)"Anytime" is a popular song written by Herbert "Happy" Lawson. The song was published in 1939.The song is best known in a 1952 recording by Eddie Fisher...
" - 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... - June 5 - "Bouquet of RosesBouquet of Roses (song)"Bouquet of Roses" is a 1948 song written by Steve Nelson and Bob Hilliard . It was originally recorded by Eddy Arnold and his Tennesseee Plow Boys and his Guitar in Chicago on May 18, 1947. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalogue number 20-2806 and by EMI on the His Master's Voice...
" - 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... - June 5 - "Texarkana BabyTexarkana Baby (song)"Texarkana Baby" is a song by Fred Rose. It was made popular by Eddy Arnold and Bob Wills in 1948. Eddy Arnold and his Tennessee Plow Boys and his Guitar recorded it in New York City on January 6, 1947. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-2806 in USA) and by EMI on the His...
" - 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... - September 18 - "(Just a Little Lovin') Will Go a Long Way(Just a Little Lovin') Will Go a Long Way" Will Go a Long Way" is a 1948 song by Eddy Arnold. The song would Eddy Arnold's fifth number one in a row on the Folk Records chart, spending four non consecutive weeks on the Best Seller chart .-References:...
" - 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... - November 13 - "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)"One Has My Name is a 1948 song by singing cowboy Eddie Dean, his wife Lorene "Dearest" Dean, and Hollywood songwriter Hal Blair. The song was first recorded by Jimmy Wakely and was his third release on the Folk Best Seller charts and his first number one...
" - Jimmy WakelyJimmy WakelyJames Clarence Wakeley , better known as Jimmy Wakely, was an American country-Western singer and actor, one of the last crooning cowpokes following World War II... - December 25 - "A Heart Full of Love (For a Handful of Kisses)A Heart Full of Love (For a Handful of Kisses)"A Heart Full of Love " is a 1948 single by Eddy Arnold. The song was Eddy Arnold's eighth number one, where it spent one week at the top of the Best Seller lists. The b-side of "A Heart Full of Love "A Heart Full of Love (For a Handful of Kisses)" is a 1948 single by Eddy Arnold. The song was...
" - 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...
- Note: Starting May 15, a second chart - the Best Selling Folk Retail Records chart - begins tracking the popularity of country songs, in addition to the Most Played Juke Box Folk Records chart. This means that for the first time, there could be more than one No. 1 hit on a given date.
Other major hits
- "Tennessee Waltz" - Peewee King and Redd Stewart
- "Tennessee Waltz"-(Cowboy Copas]
- Sweeter Than The Flowers - Moon Mullican
- Life Gets Teejus Don't It - Carson Robinson
- Life Gets Teejus Don't It?-[Tex Williams]
- Suspicion - Tex Williams
- Never Trust A Woman - Tex Williams
- Don't Telegraph (Tell A Woman)- Tex Williams
- Humpty Dumpty Heart - Hank Thompson
- Deck Of Cards- T. Texas Tyler
- "Deck Of Cards"-[Tex Ritter]
- What A Fool I Was - Eddy Arnold
- My Daddy Is Only A Picture - Eddy Arnold
- Then I Turned And Walked Slowly Away - Eddy Arnold
- Banjo Polka - Tex Williams
- Signed Sealed AND Delivered - Cowboy Copas
- "Signed Sealed And Delivered"-[Jimmy Wakely]
- Signed Sealed And Delivered-[Bob Atcher]
- Tennessee Moon - Cowboy Copas
- Blue Shadows On The Trail - Roy Rogers
- Seaman's Blues - Ernest Tubb
- Forever Is Ending Today - Ernest Tubb
- Rye Whiskey - Tex Ritter
- Rock and Rye Rag - Tex Ritter
- Buttons And Bows - Gene Autry
- Honky Tonkin' - Hank Williams
- Bubbles In My Beer - Bob Wills
- Waltz Of The Wind - Roy Acuff
- Who Me? - Tex Williams
- I Love You So Much It HurtsI Love You So Much It Hurts"I Love You So Much It Hurts" is a song written and recorded by Floyd Tillman in 1948. His version reached number six on the Folk Best Seller charts and spent a total of nineteen weeks on the chart.-Notable cover versions:...
- Floyd Tillman - Green Light - Hank Thompson
- Chime Bells - Elton Britt
- Cool WaterCool Water"Cool Water" is a song written in 1936 by Bob Nolan. It is about a man and his mule, Dan, and a mirage in the desert.-Original version:The best-selling recorded version was done by Vaughn Monroe and The Sons of the Pioneers in 1948. The recording was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number...
- Sons Of The Pioneers - Peepin' Through The Keyhole - Cliffie Stone
- I'm My Own Grandpa - Lonzo and Oscar
- Molly Darling - Eddy Arnold
- Doghouse Boogie - Hawkshaw Hawkins
- Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello - Ernest Tubb
- Have You Ever Been Lonely - Ernest Tubb
- I'm A Long Gone Daddy- [Hank Williams]
Births
- February 8 — Dan SealsDan SealsDanny Wayland "Dan" Seals was an American musician. The younger brother of Seals & Crofts member Jim Seals, he first gained fame as the "England Dan" half of the soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, which charted nine pop and adult contemporary singles between 1976 and 1980, including...
, singer-songwriter who successfully turned from pop music to country during the 1980s (d. 2009). - April 21 — Paul DavisPaul Davis (singer)Paul Lavon Davis was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his radio hits and solo career which started worldwide in 1970. His career encompassed soul, country and pop music...
, pop-styled singer-songwriter who had several hits during the 1980s (d. 2008). - May 2 — Larry GatlinLarry GatlinLarry Wayne Gatlin is an American country music singer/songwriter. He is perhaps best known for teaming up with his brothers Steve and Rudy in the late 1970s, becoming one of country music's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s. Gatlin has had a total of 33 Top 40 singles...
, singer-songwriter who enjoyed mainstream success in the 1970s and 1980s. - May 18 — Joe BonsallJoe BonsallJoseph Sloan Bonsall, Jr. known professionally as Joe Bonsall is a member of the Oak Ridge Boys, since 1973 and an author...
, member of the country-gospel group The Oak Ridge BoysThe Oak Ridge BoysThe Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
(he's the first tenor). - September 26 - Olivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
, Australian-born pop vocalist who enjoyed major crossoverCrossover (music)Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
success in country during the mid-1970s. - November 6 — Glenn FreyGlenn FreyGlenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and...
, one of the founding members of country-rock band Eagles. - December 7 — Gary MorrisGary MorrisGary Gwyn Morris is an American country music artist who charted a string of countrypolitan-styled hit songs throughout the 1980s....
, country-pop singer of the 1980s. - December 25 — Barbara MandrellBarbara MandrellBarbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
, country-pop singer and multi-instrumentalist of the 1970s and 1980; host of own television series.
Deaths
- January 15 — 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:...
, 32, folk-styled country singer best known for "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...
" (tuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
). - September 15 — Vernon DalhartVernon DalhartVernon Dalhart , born Marion Try Slaughter, was a popular American singer and songwriter of the early decades of the 20th century. He is a major influence in the field of country music.-Early life:...
, 55, pioneering influence of the 1920s.
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.