1951 in country music - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1951.

Number one hits

(As certified by Billboard magazine)

January 6 - "I Love You a Thousand Ways" - Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
January 6 - "The Golden Rocket
The Golden Rocket (song)
"The Golden Rocket" is a 1950 single by Hank Snow. "The Golden Rocket" was his follow up release to "I'm Movin' On", and spent two weeks on the Country & Western Best Seller list and a total of twenty-three weeks on the chart....

" - Hank Snow and His Rainbow Ranch Boys
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
January 13 - "The Shotgun Boogie
The Shotgun Boogie
"The Shotgun Boogie" is a 1950 song by Tennessee Ernie Ford. "The Shotgun Boogie" was Tennessee Ernie Ford's most successful release on the Country & Western charts, staying on the charts for a total of twenty-five weeks on the chart, and at number one for three weeks .The song has been covered by...

" - Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
February 10 - "There's Been a Change in Me
There's Been a Change in Me
"There's Been a Change in Me" is a 1951 song written by Cy Coben and performed by Eddy Arnold. The song went to number one on the Country & Western Best Seller chart for four weeks and spent a total of twenty-three weeks on the chart....

" - Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard 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...
March 31 - "The Rhumba Boogie
The Rhumba Boogie
"The Rhumba Boogie" is a 1951 song by Hank Snow. The single was his follow up to "The Golden Rocket". "The Rhumba Boogie" was Hank Snow's third number one in a row on the Country & Western Best Seller charts where it stayed at the top for eight weeks and a total of twenty-seven weeks on the chart....

" - Hank Snow and His Rainbow Ranch Boys
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
May 12 - "Cold Cold Heart" - Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
May 19 - "Kentucky Waltz
Kentucky Waltz
"Kentucky Waltz" is a 1946 song written and performed by Bill Monroe. The song became Bill Monroe's most successful release on the Country & Western charts peaking at number three .-Cover versions:...

" - Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard 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...
May 26 - "I Want to Be With You Always
I Want to Be With You Always
"I Want to Be With You Always" is a 1951 song by Lefty Frizzell. The song became Lefty Frizzell's first number one on the Country & Western Best Seller charts where it spent six weeks at number one and a total of twenty-seven weeks on the chart....

" - Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
July 14 - "I Wanna Play House With You
I Wanna Play House With You
"I Wanna Play House With You" is a 1951 song by Eddy Arnold, written by Cy Coben. The song would hit number one on the Country & Western Best Seller lists for six weeks and a total of twenty-four weeks on the chart...

" - Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard 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...
August 11 - "Hey, Good Lookin'
Hey Good Lookin' (song)
"Hey Good Lookin" is a 1951 song written and recorded by Hank Williams, and his version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. Since its original 1951 recording it has been covered by a variety of artists.-Chart performance:...

" - Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
September 1 - "Always Late with Your Kisses
Always Late with Your Kisses
"Always Late " is a song co-written and recorded by country music artist Lefty Frizzell. It was the fifth single released from his 1951/1952 album Listen to Lefty. It peaked at number one in 1951 and became his fourth release to hit the top...

" - Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
November 3 - "Slow Poke
Slow Poke
"Slow Poke" is a popular song. It is credited to three writers: Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart, and Chilton Price. Actually Price wrote the song in 1951, as she thought the song described her friend, King, very well. King recorded the song and Stewart did the vocal...

" - Pee Wee King
Pee Wee King
Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski , known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing "The Tennessee Waltz"....

and His Golden West Cowboys (feat. Redd Stewart
Redd Stewart
Henry Ellis Stewart , better known as Redd Stewart, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist who co-wrote "The Tennessee Waltz" with Pee Wee King in 1948.-Biography:...

)
December 22 - "Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way
Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way
"Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way" is a 1951 song by Loys Sutherland and Louie Clark, first recorded by Carl Smith. "Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way" was Smith's first number one on the Billboard country & Western best seller chart, spending eight weeks at the top spot and total of 33 weeks...

" - Carl Smith
Carl Smith (country musician)
Carl Milton Smith was an American country music singer. Known as "Mister Country," Smith was the husband of June Carter and Goldie Hill, the drinking companion of Johnny Cash, and the father of Carlene Carter...

Note: Several songs were simultaneous No. 1 hits on the separate "Most Played Juke Box Folk (later Country & Western) Records," "Best Selling Retail Folk (later Country & Western) Records) and - starting December 10 - "Country & Western Records Most Played by Folk Disk Jockeys" charts.

Other major hits

US	Single	Artist
3	Alabama Jubilee	Red Foley Red Foley Clyde 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....
5	Beautiful Brown Eyes	Jimmy Wakely Jimmy Wakely James 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... and the Les Baxter Les Baxter Les Baxter was an American musician and composer.Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles for further studies at Pepperdine College. Abandoning a concert career as a pianist, he turned to popular music as a singer... Chorus
9	Blue Christmas Blue Christmas "Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays had long been considered a Christmas staple of country music, having been recorded first by Doye O'Dell in 1948 and popularised by Ernest Tubb the next year...	Ernest Tubb Ernest Tubb Ernest 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...
4	Bluebird Island	Hank Snow Hank Snow Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980... and Anita Carter Anita Carter Ina Anita Carter , the youngest daughter of Ezra and Mother Maybelle Carter, was a versatile American singer who experimented with several different types of music and played stand-up bass with her sisters Helen Carter and June Carter Cash as The Carter Sisters...
7	Cherokee Boogie (Eh-Oh-Aleena)	Moon Mullican Moon Mullican Aubrey Wilson Mullican , known as Moon Mullican, was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and pianist. However, he also sang and played jazz, rock 'n' roll and the blues...
8	Chew Tobacco Rag	Zeb Turner Zeb Turner Zeb Turner was an American boogie-woogie songwriter and guitarist, and pioneer of rockabilly.He was born William Edward Grishaw in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States, and he renamed himself after a favorite piece of music, "The Zeb Turner Stomp"...
4	Crazy Heart	Hank Williams
5	Cryin' Heart Blues	Johnnie & Jack Johnnie & Jack Johnnie & Jack was an American country music duo composed of Johnnie Wright and Jack Anglin . Between 1951 and 1962, the duo released several singles on the RCA Victor Records label, including their version of "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite" which peaked at number four on the Best Seller charts,...
8	Dear John	Hank Williams
9	Don't Stay Too Long	Ernest Tubb
2	Down the Trail of Achin' Hearts	Hank Snow and Anita Carter
5	Down Yonder Down Yonder "Down Yonder" is a popular song with words and music by L. Wolfe Gilbert. It was first published in 1921. Four characters from Gilbert's 1912 lyric to "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee" returned in this song...	Del Wood Del Wood Polly Adelaide Hendricks Hazelwood , known professionally as Del Wood, was an American pianist.-Biography:...
7	Driftwood On the River	Ernest Tubb
5	Heart Strings	Eddy Arnold Eddy Arnold Richard 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...
6	Hey La La	Ernest Tubb
8	Hobo Boogie	Red Foley
5	Hot Rod Race Hot Rod Race "Hot Rod Race" is a Western swing song about an automobile race out of San Pedro, California, between a Ford and a Mercury. Released in November 1950, it broke the ground for a series of hot rod songs recorded for the car culture of the 1950s and 60s...	Arkie Shibley Arkie Shibley Jesse Lee "Arkie" Shibley was a country singer who recorded the original version of "Hot Rod Race" in 1950...
7	Hot Rod Race Hot Rod Race "Hot Rod Race" is a Western swing song about an automobile race out of San Pedro, California, between a Ford and a Mercury. Released in November 1950, it broke the ground for a series of hot rod songs recorded for the car culture of the 1950s and 60s...	Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan Jimmie Dolan Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan , born Lee Roy Pettit, was a Western swing musician born in Gardena, California. He is best remembered for his hit single, "Hot Rod Race" on Capitol Records, which reached #7 on the Billboard country chart in February 1951.-External links:* at Hillybilly-music.com....
7	Hot Rod Race Hot Rod Race "Hot Rod Race" is a Western swing song about an automobile race out of San Pedro, California, between a Ford and a Mercury. Released in November 1950, it broke the ground for a series of hot rod songs recorded for the car culture of the 1950s and 60s...	Red Foley
7	Hot Rod Race Hot Rod Race "Hot Rod Race" is a Western swing song about an automobile race out of San Pedro, California, between a Ford and a Mercury. Released in November 1950, it broke the ground for a series of hot rod songs recorded for the car culture of the 1950s and 60s...	Tiny Hill Tiny Hill Harry 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...
3	Howlin' at the Moon	Hank Williams
2	I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)	Hank Williams
5	I Don't Want to Be Free	Margaret Whiting Margaret Whiting Margaret Whiting was a singer of American popular music and country music who first made her reputation during the 1940s and 1950s.-Youth:... and Jimmy Wakely
8	I Love You a Thousand Ways	Hawkshaw Hawkins Hawkshaw Hawkins Harold Franklin Hawkins , better known as Hawkshaw Hawkins, was an American country music singer popular from the 1950s into the early 60s known for his rich, smooth vocals and music drawn from blues, boogie and honky tonk...
10	I'll Sail My Ship Alone I'll Sail My Ship Alone "I'll Sail My Ship Alone" is a 1950 song written by Moon Mullican , Henry Bernard , Lois Mann and Henry Thurston, and popularized by Moon Mullican...	Tiny Hill
8	I'm Waiting Just for You	Hawkshaw Hawkins
8	If Teardrops Were Pennies	Carl Smith Carl Smith (country musician) Carl Milton Smith was an American country music singer. Known as "Mister Country," Smith was the husband of June Carter and Goldie Hill, the drinking companion of Johnny Cash, and the father of Carlene Carter...
8	It Is No Secret It Is No Secret It Is No Secret is a song by Elvis Presley. A version was also recorded by Jo Stafford for her 1954 album Garden of Prayer....	Stuart Hamblen Stuart Hamblen Stuart Hamblen , born Stuart Carl Hamblen, was one of American radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, and later became a Christian songwriter, temperance supporter and recurring candidate for political office....
9	Lonesome Whistle	Hank Williams
4	Look What Thoughts Will Do	Lefty Frizzell Lefty Frizzell Lefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
8	May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You" is a popular song by Meredith Willson, originally published in 1950.The song is now considered a standard, recorded by many artists....	Eddy Arnold
3	Mockin' Bird Hill Mockin' Bird Hill Mockin' Bird Hill is a 3/4 song was written by Vaughn Horton and published in 1951. It was popularized by Patti Page and by Les Paul and Mary Ford in 1951, and for both of them following on to their big hit of "The Tennessee Waltz" the previous year...	The Pinetoppers
7	Mockin' Bird Hill Mockin' Bird Hill Mockin' Bird Hill is a 3/4 song was written by Vaughn Horton and published in 1951. It was popularized by Patti Page and by Les Paul and Mary Ford in 1951, and for both of them following on to their big hit of "The Tennessee Waltz" the previous year...	Les Paul Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations... and Mary Ford Mary Ford Mary Ford , born Iris Colleen Summers, was an American vocalist and guitarist, comprising half of the husband-and-wife musical team Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits...
2	Mom and Dad's Waltz	Lefty Frizzell
2	Mr. and Mississippi	Tennessee Ernie Ford Tennessee Ernie Ford Ernest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
4	Mr. Moon	Carl Smith
6	My Heart Cries for You My Heart Cries for You "My Heart Cries for You" is a popular song, adapted by Carl Sigman and Percy Faith from an 18th century French melody.The music is from an old French song attributed to Marie Antoinette " La jardinière du Roi"...	Evelyn Knight Evelyn Knight Evelyn Knight was a popular American singer of the 1940s and 1950s. In 1948, she recorded "A Little Bird Told Me" with The Stardusters, which was #1 for seven weeks and stayed on the charts for five months... and Red Foley
7	My Heart Cries for You My Heart Cries for You "My Heart Cries for You" is a popular song, adapted by Carl Sigman and Percy Faith from an 18th century French melody.The music is from an old French song attributed to Marie Antoinette " La jardinière du Roi"...	Jimmy Wakely
9	Old Soldiers Never Die	Gene Autry Gene Autry Orvon 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...
8	On Top of Old Smoky On Top of Old Smoky "On Top of Old Smoky" is a traditional folk song and a well-known ballad of the United States which, as recorded by The Weavers, reached the pop music charts in 1951....	The Weavers The Weavers The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their... and Terry Gilkyson Terry Gilkyson Hamilton H. Gilkyson III , better known as Terry Gilkyson, was an American folk singer, composer, and lyricist.-Biography:...
4	Poison Love	Johnnie & Jack
7	Shine, Shave, Shower (It's Saturday)	Lefty Frizzell
7	Sick, Sober and Sorry	Johnny Bond Johnny Bond Cyrus Whitfield Bond , known professionally as Johnny Bond, was a popular American country music entertainer of the 1940s through the 1960s.-Biography:...
2	Somebody's Been Beating My Time	Eddy Arnold
4	Something Old, Something New	Eddy Arnold
10	Sparrow in the Treetop Sparrow in the Treetop "Sparrow in the Treetop" is a popular song written by Bob Merrill. The song was published in 1951.Charting versions of the song were made by Guy Mitchell , Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters , and Rex Allen...	Rex Allen Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen was an American film actor, singer and songwriter, known as the Arizona Cowboy, particularly known as the narrator in many Disney nature and Western film productions. For contributions to the recording industry, Allen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Family...
5	The Strange Little Girl	Cowboy Copas Cowboy Copas Lloyd 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...
9	The Strange Little Girl	Red Foley and Ernest Tubb
9	The Strange Little Girl	Tennessee Ernie Ford
8	Tailor Made Woman	Tennessee Ernie Ford and Joe "Fingers" Carr Lou Busch Louis Ferdinand Busch was a music producer, musician and songwriter who was best known for performing as a pianist under the nickname Joe "Fingers" Carr.-Biography:...
2	Tennessee Waltz	Patti Page Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler , known by her professional name Patti Page, is an American singer, one of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music. She was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s, and has sold over 100 million records...
6	Tennessee Waltz	Pee Wee King Pee Wee King Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski , known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing "The Tennessee Waltz"....
5	(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me) Peace in the Valley "Peace in the Valley" is a 1937 song written by Thomas A. Dorsey, originally for Mahalia Jackson. The song became a hit in 1951 for Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys, reaching No. 7 on the Country & Western Best Seller chart. It was among the first gospel recordings to sell one million copies...	Red Foley
6	Travelin' Blues	Lefty Frizzell
6	Unwanted Sign Upon Your Heart	Hank Snow
7	When You and I Were Young, Maggie Blues When You and I Were Young, Maggie When You and I Were Young, Maggie is a famous folk song, popular song and standard. Though Springtown, Tennessee, has a small monument outside an old mill claiming the song was written by a local George Johnson, in 1820, for his Maggie, the truth is that its lyrics were written as a poem by the...	Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely

Births

January 19 — Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle is an American country music singer best known for her 1977 country-pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". An award-winning singer, she accumulated 18 number one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...

, younger sister of Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...

who became a star in her own right, mainly in the country-pop vein.
May 23 — Judy Rodman
Judy Rodman
Judy Rodman is an American Country Music Singer. In the mid-80s, she was a successful country music singer, making all the way to number one on the country charts in 1986 with the song "Until I Met You." She also won the Academy of Country Music's "Top New Female Vocalist" award in 1985.Today,...

, backing vocalist who enjoyed fame in the 1980s as a solo performer.

Number one hits

Other major hits

Births

Further reading