1954 in country music
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1954.
)
^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard
.A ^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
Events
- January 4 — Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
records a 10-inch acetate demo at the Memphis Recording Studio; the two songs are "Casual Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand In Your Way." - February 20 — "Slowly" by Webb PierceWebb PierceWebb Michael Pierce was one of the most popular American honky tonk vocalists of the 1950s, charting more number one hits than any other country artist during the decade. His biggest hit was "In The Jailhouse Now," which charted for 37 weeks in 1955, 21 of them at number one...
becomes the first No. 1 song on 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...
s country charts to feature the pedal steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
. Soon, many of country music's great songs would feature the pedal steel guitar. - June 19 — Top recording "I Don't Hurt Anymore" by Hank SnowHank SnowClarence 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...
begins 20 week run at #1 on Best Seller list. "One by One" by 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....
and Kitty WellsKitty WellsEllen Muriel Deason , known professionally as Kitty Wells, is an American country music singer. Her 1952 hit recording, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts, and turned her into the first female country star...
begins 21 week run at #2 on same chart, managing a single week at No. 1 later in the year. For most of the summer and fall, "I Don't Hurt Anymore" holds "One By One" out of the top spot. - July 17 — Ozark JubileeOzark JubileeOzark Jubilee is the first U.S. network television program to feature country music's top stars, and was the centerpiece of a strategy for Springfield, Missouri to challenge Nashville, Tennessee as America's country music capital...
debuts (on radio) as a weekly live broadcast over KWTO-AMKWTOKWTO refers to two radio stations in Springfield, Missouri, USA. On AM, KWTO can be found at 560 kHz, where it airs a news-talk format. On FM, KWTO operates at 98.7 MHz and carries a sports talk format....
. On August 7, ABC Radio begins carrying 25 minutes of the program nationally, hosted by 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....
. - July 6 — Elvis Presley releases his first single, "That's All Right"/"Blue Moon of Kentucky." A month later, Billboard gives the song a positive review, with the reviewer calling Presley a "strong new talent," and by September is a No. 1 hit in Memphis.
- October 2 — Elvis Presley makes his one and only appearance on the Grand Ole OpryGrand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, and is supposedly told to "go back to driving a truck in Memphis." Two weeks later, he has the last laugh, debuting on 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...
and is soon making regular appearances. - November 13 — A Billboard disc jockey poll reports that disc jockeys are playing 11 percent country on radio stations, compared to 42 percent pop and 5 percent rhythm and blues.
- November 20 — Bartenders in Hammond, IndianaHammond, IndianaHammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
request that disc jockeys at WJOBWJOBWJOB is a news/talk formatted radio station in Hammond, Indiana. The present tower of the station is 124 Meters tall and the station is a 24 hour operation broadcasting with 1000 Watts of power.-The Beginning:...
radio stop playing Ferlin HuskyFerlin HuskyFerlin Eugene Husky was an early American country music singer who was equally adept at the genres of traditional honky honk, ballads, spoken recitations, and rockabilly pop tunes...
's "The Drunken Driver," about an intoxicated driver who causes a crash that kills two children; the song "is hurting business," the union claimed.
No dates
- The 45 RPM vinyl recordGramophone recordA gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
has all but taken over, both at the radio station and in stores. Few disc jockeys are still playing 78 RPM recordsGramophone recordA gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
(save for oldies). - Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
makes his first Sun RecordsSun RecordsSun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
recordings in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. His 1954 releases are only regional hits, but it proved to be just the tip of the iceberg for what happened during the next two years.
- Presley was one of several artists who make their earliest recordings for Sun Records. Late in the year, Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
records two songs he wrote, "Wide Open Road" and "You're My Baby."- After a string of minor successes with singles and 10" vinyl records, RCA Victor releases Chet AtkinsChet AtkinsChester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
' first LPLP albumThe LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, A Session with Chet AtkinsA Session with Chet AtkinsA Session with Chet Atkins is the title of a recording by American guitarist Chet Atkins. It features Atkins' introducing standard pop and jazz melded with country sensibilities. The liner notes state this is the first use of a celeste on a country record. The musicians include Homer and Jethro in...
.
- After a string of minor successes with singles and 10" vinyl records, RCA Victor releases Chet Atkins
United States
(as certified by 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...
)
| Date | Single name | Artist | Wks. No.1 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 19 | Bimbo Bimbo (song) Bimbo was a popular song written in either 1948 or 1949 by Glenn O'Dell, but credited to Rodney Morris or "Pee Wee" King. The song was recorded by Gene Autry and originally released on vinyl as a 78rpm single in 1954. It can also be found on the 1998 album, Always Your Pal, Gene Autry... |
Jim Reeves Jim Reeves James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound... |
3 | [2] |
| February 20 | Slowly Slowly (Webb Pierce song) Slowly is a 1954 song by Webb Pierce, written by Pierce and Nashville songwriter Tommy Hill . The song was one of Pierce's more successful singles, spending seventeen weeks at the top of the Country and Western Best Sellers lists and a total of thirty-six weeks in the chart.Beyond its success as a... |
Webb Pierce Webb Pierce Webb Michael Pierce was one of the most popular American honky tonk vocalists of the 1950s, charting more number one hits than any other country artist during the decade. His biggest hit was "In The Jailhouse Now," which charted for 37 weeks in 1955, 21 of them at number one... |
17 | |
| February 20 | Wake Up, Irene | Hank Thompson and His Brazo Valley Boys | 2 | |
| May 15 | I Really Don't Want to Know I Really Don't Want to Know "I Really Don't Want to Know" is a popular song with music was written by Don Robertson and lyrics by Howard Barnes. The song was published in 1953.... |
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... |
1 | |
| June 12 | (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely " I Get So Lonely" is a popular song. It was written by Pat Ballard and was published in 1953.The biggest hit version was done by The Four Knights in 1954.Anne Shelton with Ken Mackintosh and his orchestra recorded it in London on March 3, 1954... |
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,... |
2 | [A] |
| June 19 | I Don't Hurt Anymore I Don't Hurt Anymore "I Don't Hurt Anymore" is a 1954 song by Hank Snow. It was written by Don Robertson and Jack Rollins. The song was Hank Snow's fourth number one on the country chart where it spent twenty weeks at the top spot and a total of forty-one weeks on the chart.... |
Hank Snow (The Singing Ranger) 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... |
20 | [1]
|
| July 3 | Even Tho | Webb Pierce | 2 | |
| July 31 | One By One | 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.... and Kitty Wells Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason , known professionally as Kitty Wells, is an American country music singer. Her 1952 hit recording, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts, and turned her into the first female country star... |
1 | |
| November 6 | More and More More and More (Webb Pierce song) "More and More" is a song written by country singer/songwriter Merle Kilgore. Webb Pierce's 1954 recording of "More and More" spent ten weeks at number one on the country charts and a total of twenty-nine weeks on the chart. The song Also crossed over and peaked at No. 22 on the pop charts, making... |
Webb Pierce | 10 | [2] |
^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard
Billboard (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...
.
- 2
- Note: Several songs were simultaneous No. 1 hits on the separate "Most Played in Juke Boxes," "Most Played by Jockeys" and "Best Sellers in Stores" charts.
Other major hits
| US | Single | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | As Far as I'm Concerned | 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.... and Betty Foley |
| 2 | Back Up Buddy | 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... |
| 15 | Backward, Turn Backward | 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".... |
| 9 | Beware of "It" | 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,... |
| 9 | Bimbo Bimbo (song) Bimbo was a popular song written in either 1948 or 1949 by Glenn O'Dell, but credited to Rodney Morris or "Pee Wee" King. The song was recorded by Gene Autry and originally released on vinyl as a 78rpm single in 1954. It can also be found on the 1998 album, Always Your Pal, Gene Autry... |
Pee Wee King |
| 10 | Breakin' the Rules | Hank Thompson |
| 14 | Call Me Up (And I'll Come Calling On You) | Marty Robbins Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist... |
| 4 | Changing Partners | Pee Wee King |
| 9 | Cheatin's a Sin | Kitty Wells Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason , known professionally as Kitty Wells, is an American country music singer. Her 1952 hit recording, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts, and turned her into the first female country star... |
| 12 | Christmas Can't Be Far Away | 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... |
| 3 | Courtin' in the Rain | T. Texas Tyler T. Texas Tyler David 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:... |
| 4 | Cry, Cry, Darling | Jimmy C. Newman Jimmy C. Newman Jimmy Yves Newman , better known as Jimmy C. Newman , is an American singer and a long time star of the Grand Ole Opry.-Biography:Newman was born near Big Mamou, Louisiana... |
| 7 | Dog-Gone It, Baby, I'm in Love | Carl Smith |
| 4 | Don't Drop It | Terry Fell Terry Fell Terry Fell was an American country musician.-Childhood and adolescence:Fell was born in Dora, Alabama on May 13, 1921 and got his first guitar at the age of nine. Later he learned mandolin and took singing lessons... |
| 9 | A Fooler, A Faker | Hank Thompson |
| 4 | Go, Boy, Go | Carl Smith |
| 8 | Good Deal, Lucille | Al Terry |
| 3 | Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight | Johnnie & Jack |
| 7 | Hep Cat Baby | Eddy Arnold |
| 14 | Hernando's Hideaway Hernando's Hideaway "Hernando's Hideaway" is a tango show tune from the musical The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross and published in 1954. The lyrics describe a dark and secretive nightclub.... |
Homer and Jethro Homer and Jethro Homer and Jethro were the stage names of American country music duo Henry D. Haynes and Kenneth C. Burns , popular from the 1940s through the 1960s on radio and television for their satirical versions of popular songs... |
| 15 | Honey, I Need You | Johnnie & Jack |
| 12 | Honey Love Honey Love (The Drifters song) "Honey Love" is a 1954 song by The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter. "Honey Love" was the group's third single release, fourth release on the charts and second number one single on the R&B chart.-See also:... |
The Carlisles |
| 9 | Honky-Tonk Girl | Hank Thompson |
| 9 | Hootchy Kootchy Henry (From Hawaii) | Mitchell Torok Mitchell Torok Mitchell Torok is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known for his 1953 hit, "Caribbean".-Biography:... |
| 3 | I Love You | Ginny Wright Ginny Wright Ginny Wright is an American country music singer. She was born in Twin City, Georgia during the 1930s, first sang in glee clubs, and studied opera. She began performing country music in the early 1950s... and Jim Reeves Jim Reeves James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound... |
| 2 | I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) | Ray Price Ray Price (musician) Ray Price is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. His wide-ranging baritone has often been praised as among the best male voices of country music... |
| 12 | I'm a Stranger in My Home | Kitty Wells and Red Foley |
| 3 | I'm Walking the Dog | Webb Pierce Webb Pierce Webb Michael Pierce was one of the most popular American honky tonk vocalists of the 1950s, charting more number one hits than any other country artist during the decade. His biggest hit was "In The Jailhouse Now," which charted for 37 weeks in 1955, 21 of them at number one... |
| 3 | If You Don't Somebody Else Will | Jimmy & Johnny Jimmy & Johnny Jimmy & Johnny were an American country music duo composed of Jimmy Lee Fautheree and Johnny "Country" Mathis. They scored several hits on the U.S. country charts in the 1950s.... |
| 8 | If You Don't Somebody Else Will | Ray Price |
| 7 | Jilted Jilted (song) "Jilted" is a popular song with music by Dick Manning and lyrics by Robert Colby, published in 1954.Teresa Brewer recorded the biggest-selling version on December 29, 1953. This recording was released by Coral Records as catalog number 61152. It first reached the U.S. Billboard chart on April 14,... |
Red Foley |
| 4 | Looking Back to See | Goldie Hill Goldie Hill Goldie Hill , born Argolda Voncile Hill, was an American country music singer. She was one of the first women in country music, and became one of the first women to reach the top of the country music charts with her No. 1 1953 hit, "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes"... and Justin Tubb Justin Tubb Justin Wayne Tubb was an American country music singer and songwriter. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he was the oldest son of legendary country singer Ernest Tubb.-Biography:... |
| 8 | Looking Back to See | The Browns The Browns The Browns were an American country and folk music vocal trio best known for their 1959 Grammy-nominated hit, "The Three Bells". The group, composed of Jim Ed Brown and his sisters Maxine and Bonnie Brown, had a close, smooth harmony characteristic of the Nashville sound, though their music also... |
| 13 | Much Too Young to Die | Ray Price |
| 7 | My Everything | Eddy Arnold |
| 15 | Never | Marilyn Myers and Wesley Tuttle Wesley Tuttle Wesley 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... |
| 3 | The New Green Light | Hank Thompson |
| 9 | Out Behind the Barn | Little Jimmy Dickens Little Jimmy Dickens James Cecil Dickens , better known as Little Jimmy Dickens, is an American country music singer famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11" , and his rhinestone-studded outfits... |
| 8 | Place for Girls Like You | Faron Young Faron Young Faron Young was an American country music singer and songwriter from the early 1950s into the mid-1980s and one of its most successful and colorful stars... |
| 12 | Pretty Words | Marty Robbins |
| 5 | Release Me Release Me (1946 song) "Release Me" is a popular song written by Eddie Miller, Robert Yount, and James Pebworth , published in 1946.Miller wrote the song in 1946 but could not get anyone to record it for years, so he recorded it himself in 1953. Shortly afterward it was covered by Jimmy Heap, and with even better success... |
Jimmy Heap and Perk Williams |
| 6 | Release Me Release Me (1946 song) "Release Me" is a popular song written by Eddie Miller, Robert Yount, and James Pebworth , published in 1946.Miller wrote the song in 1946 but could not get anyone to record it for years, so he recorded it himself in 1953. Shortly afterward it was covered by Jimmy Heap, and with even better success... |
Ray Price |
| 8 | Release Me Release Me (1946 song) "Release Me" is a popular song written by Eddie Miller, Robert Yount, and James Pebworth , published in 1946.Miller wrote the song in 1946 but could not get anyone to record it for years, so he recorded it himself in 1953. Shortly afterward it was covered by Jimmy Heap, and with even better success... |
Kitty Wells |
| 9 | River of No Return | 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 | Rose-Marie Rose Marie (song) "Rose Marie" is a popular song from the musical or operetta of the same name. In the original Broadway production in 1924 it was performed by Dennis King and Arthur Deagon as the characters Jim Kenyon and Sergeant Malone.... |
Slim Whitman Slim Whitman Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr. , known professionally as Slim Whitman, is an American country music singer and songwriter, known for his yodelling abilities. He has sold in excess of 120 million albums in unit sales and has had numerous successful recordings... |
| 8 | Run 'Em Off | 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... |
| 2 | Secret Love | Slim Whitman |
| 15 | Shake-a-Leg | The Carlisles |
| 14 | She Done Give Her Heart to Me | Sonny James Sonny James James Loden , known professionally as Sonny James, is an American country music singer and songwriter best known for his 1957 hit, "Young Love". Dubbed the Southern Gentleman, James had 72 country and pop chart hits from 1953 to 1983, including a five-year streak of 16 straight among his 23 No. 1... |
| 4 | Singing Hills | Slim Whitman |
| 4 | Sparking Brown Eyes | Webb Pierce and The Wilburn Brothers The Wilburn Brothers The Wilburn Brothers were a popular American country music duo from the 1950s to the 1970s consisting of brothers Doyle Wilburn and Teddy Wilburn .-Biography:... |
| 5 | Tain't Nice (To Talk Like That) | The Carlisles |
| 8 | Thank You for Calling Thank You for Calling "Thank You for Calling" is a popular and country song.It was written by Cindy Walker. The song was published in 1954.The song was recorded by Billy Walker, Jo Stafford, Hank Snow, and Timi Yuro.... |
Billy Walker Billy Walker (musician) William Marvin Walker , better known as Billy Walker, was an American country music singer and guitarist best-known for his 1962 hit, " Charlie's Shoes"... |
| 10 | That Crazy Mambo Thing | 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... |
| 15 | Then I'll Stop Loving You | Jim Reeves |
| 3 | This Is the Thanks I Get (For Loving You) | Eddy Arnold |
| 2 | This Ole House This Ole House "This Ole House" is a popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954.-Background:Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition when he and his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, came across a tumbledown hut in the mountains, many miles from civilization... |
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.... |
| 14 | Thou Shalt Not Steal | Kitty Wells |
| 11 | Two Glasses, Joe | 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... |
| 10 | We've Gone Too Far | Hank Thompson |
| 4 | Whatcha Gonna Do Now | Tommy Collins Tommy Collins (country music) Leonard Raymond Sipes , better known as Tommy Collins, was an American country music singer and songwriter.... |
| 7 | You All Come | Arlie Duff |
| 2 | You Better Not Do That | Tommy Collins |
| 8 | You Can't Have My Love | Wanda Jackson Wanda Jackson Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist... and Billy Gray |
| 4 | You're Not Mine Anymore | Webb Pierce |
Births
- April 29 — Karen BrooksKaren BrooksKaren Brooks is an American country music singer who is best known for a series of Top 40 hits on the Billboard Country Chart in the early 1980s, including "Faking Love," a duet with T.G. Sheppard which topped the country chart in February 1983.Brooks was born in Dallas, Texas in 1954. Attended...
, female vocalist best known for her No. 1 duet with T.G. Sheppard, "Fakin' Love." - July 1 — Keith WhitleyKeith WhitleyJackie Keith Whitley , known professionally as Keith Whitley, was an American country music singer. Whitley's brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 until his death in 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters...
, honky tonk-styled singer of the 1980s (d. 1989) - July 18 — Ricky SkaggsRicky SkaggsRickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
, artist who successfully fused bluegrassBluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
and contemporary country sounds to become a superstar in the 1980s. - October 30 — T. Graham BrownT. Graham BrownAnthony "T." Graham Brown is an American country music artist. Active since 1986, Brown has recorded a total of thirteen studio albums, and has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
, blues-styled country artist of the 1980s. - October 30 — Jeannie Kendall, daughter half of The KendallsThe KendallsThe Kendalls was an American country music duo, consisting of Royce Kendall and his daughter Jeannie Kendall . Between the 1960s and 1990s, they released sixteen albums on various labels, including five on Mercury Records...
. - December 13 — John AndersonJohn Anderson (musician)John David Anderson is an American country music artist with a successful career that has lasted more than 30 years...
, honky tonk-styled singer since the early 1980s. - December 25 — Steve WarinerSteve WarinerSteven Noel "Steve" Wariner is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has released eighteen studio albums, including six on MCA Records, and three each on RCA Records, Arista Records and Capitol Records...
, singer-songwriter and guitarist since the early 1980s.
Deaths
- December 1 — Fred RoseFred Rose (musician)Fred Rose was an American Hall of Fame songwriter and music publishing executive.-Biography:Born in Evansville, Indiana, Fred Rose started playing piano and singing as a small boy. In his teens, he moved to Chicago, Illinois where he worked in bars busking for tips, and finally vaudeville...
, 56, songwriter and founder of Acuff-Rose MusicAcuff-Rose MusicAcuff-Rose Music was an American music publishing firm formed by Roy Acuff and Fred Rose in Nashville, Tennessee. Acuff-Rose's honest behavior towards their writers set them apart from other music publishing firms at the time and lead them to fame throughout the 50's, 60's, 70's.-History:Acuff-Rose...
. One of the first three inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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.