Johnny Paycheck
Encyclopedia
Johnny Paycheck was the legal name of Donald Eugene Lytle (May 31, 1938 – February 19, 2003), a country music
singer and Grand Ole Opry member most famous for recording the David Allan Coe
song "Take This Job and Shove It
". He achieved his greatest success in the 1970s as a major force in country music's "Outlaw Movement" popularized by artists such as David Allan Coe
, Waylon Jennings
, Willie Nelson
, Billy Joe Shaver
and Merle Haggard
. In the 1980s, his music career suffered from his problems with drugs, alcohol, and legal difficulties. He served a prison sentence in the early 1990s but his declining health effectively ended his career in early 2000.
He took a job with country music legend George Jones
for whom he played bass and steel guitar
. He later co-wrote Jones' hit song "Once You've Had the Best." PayCheck was a tenor
harmony singer with numerous hard country performers in the late 1950s and early 1960s including Ray Price
. Lytle, along with Willie Nelson, worked in Price's band the Cherokee Cowboys. He is featured as a tenor singer on recordings by Faron Young
, Roger Miller
, and Skeets McDonald
. All of these recordings are recognizable by their honky tonk purism. The recordings shun vocal choruses and strings that became known as the "Countrypolitan" sound in favor of steel guitar
, twin fiddles, shuffle beats, high harmony and self-consciously miserable lyrics. As George Jones' tenor singer, PayCheck has been credited with the development of Jones' unique vocal phrasing.
In 1960, he reached Top 35 status in Cashbox magazine's country charts as Donny Young with the tune "Miracle Of Love". From the early to mid-1960s, he also enjoyed some success as a songwriter for others, with his biggest songwriting hit being "Apartment #9", which served as Tammy Wynette
's first chart hit in December 1967.
for the heavyweight title. He first charted under his new name with "A-11" in 1965. His best-selling single from this period was "She's All I Got
" which reached #2 on the U.S. country singles charts in 1971 and made it onto the Billboard Hot 100. His "Mr. Lovemaker" also reached #2 on the U.S. country singles chart in 1973. But with the popularity of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings in the mid 70's, PayCheck changed his image to that of outlaw
, where he was to have his largest financial success.
It was his producer Bill Sherrill who helped revive his career by significantly changing his sound and image. Sherrill was best known for carefully choreographing his records and infusing them with considerable pop feel. The PayCheck records were clearly based on Sherrill's take on the bands backing Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson on records. "Colorado Kool-Aid
", "Me and the IRS", "Friend, Lover, Wife", "Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets", and "I'm the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised)" were hits for PayCheck during this period. He received a Academy of Country Music
Career Achievement award in 1977
.
, as himself. The scene had him playing "Take This Job and Shove It" and arguing with Boss Hogg when the sheriff tried to give him a citation over the content of the song.
In 1985, PayCheck was convicted and sentenced to 7 years in jail for shooting a man in Hillsboro, Ohio
after he fired a .22 pistol, grazing the man's head with a bullet. PayCheck claimed the act was self-defense. After several years spent fighting the sentence, in 1989 he began his sentence, spending 22 months in prison
before he was pardoned by the Governor of Ohio, Richard Celeste.
The most successful of his later singles, released during his appeal, was "Old Violin" which reached # 21 on the country chart in 1986. His last album to chart was "Modern Times" in 1987. He continued to release albums, the last of which, Remembering appeared in 2002.
In 1990, he filed for bankruptcy
after tax problems with the IRS
.
Although PayCheck suffered from drug and alcohol addiction during his career, he later was said to have "put his life in order" after his prison stay. He continued to perform and tour until the late 1990's. After the year 2000 his health would only allow for short appearances. Suffering from emphysema
and asthma
after a lengthy illness, Johnny PayCheck died at Nashville's
Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2003. His funeral was paid for by good friend and music legend George Jones. He was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
in Nashville and survived by his wife Sharon and son Jonathan.
His brother Bud Lytle died from cancer in the mid 1990s in Ohio.
His brother Jeffrey L. Lytle was killed in a car crash near Wilmington, Ohio in 2009.
, PayCheck co-owned his record company, Little Darlin' Records. PayCheck's Little Darlin' recordings featured the pedal steel guitar work of Lloyd Green
. By the end of the 1960s, Little Darlin' Records folded. In the late 1990s, after taking them for granted for years, country music historians began to recognize the distinctive and sharp-edged sound of the Little Darlin' recordings as unique in their time, PayCheck's in particular.
, the album features George Jones, Marshall Crenshaw
, Hank Williams III
, Al Anderson
, Dallas Wayne
, Neko Case
, Gail Davies
and Fulks himself covering some of PayCheck's best-known songs.
In his song "Grand Ole Opry (Ain't So Grand Anymore)", Hank Williams III praises PayCheck (along with the singer's father and Waylon Jennings
) as a "real rebel" the Grand Ole Opry
only reluctantly inducted.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer and Grand Ole Opry member most famous for recording the David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
song "Take This Job and Shove It
Take This Job and Shove It
"Take This Job and Shove It" is a song by David Allan Coe from his 1978 album, Family Album about the bitterness of a man who worked long and hard with no apparent reward. The song was famously covered by Johnny Paycheck...
". He achieved his greatest success in the 1970s as a major force in country music's "Outlaw Movement" popularized by artists such as David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
, Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.-Biography:...
and Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
. In the 1980s, his music career suffered from his problems with drugs, alcohol, and legal difficulties. He served a prison sentence in the early 1990s but his declining health effectively ended his career in early 2000.
Early career
Born in Greenfield, Ohio, Donald Lytle was playing in talent contests by the age of 9.He took a job with country music legend George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
for whom he played bass and steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel 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...
. He later co-wrote Jones' hit song "Once You've Had the Best." PayCheck was a tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
harmony singer with numerous hard country performers in the late 1950s and early 1960s including 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...
. Lytle, along with Willie Nelson, worked in Price's band the Cherokee Cowboys. He is featured as a tenor singer on recordings by 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...
, Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
, and Skeets McDonald
Skeets McDonald
Enos William McDonald , better known as Skeets McDonald, was an American country and rockabilly musician popular during the 1950s and 60s...
. All of these recordings are recognizable by their honky tonk purism. The recordings shun vocal choruses and strings that became known as the "Countrypolitan" sound in favor of steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel 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...
, twin fiddles, shuffle beats, high harmony and self-consciously miserable lyrics. As George Jones' tenor singer, PayCheck has been credited with the development of Jones' unique vocal phrasing.
In 1960, he reached Top 35 status in Cashbox magazine's country charts as Donny Young with the tune "Miracle Of Love". From the early to mid-1960s, he also enjoyed some success as a songwriter for others, with his biggest songwriting hit being "Apartment #9", which served as Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
's first chart hit in December 1967.
Johnny PayCheck
In 1964, he changed his name legally to Johnny PayCheck, taking the name from Johnny Paychek, a top ranked boxer from Chicago who once fought Joe LouisJoe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
for the heavyweight title. He first charted under his new name with "A-11" in 1965. His best-selling single from this period was "She's All I Got
She's All I Got
"She's All I Got" is a moderate up-tempo song written by Gary U.S. Bonds and Jerry Williams, Jr. in which the male narrator pleads to someone else not to take away his lover. It has been recorded by several artists. The first version, released in 1971 by Freddie North, was a Top 40 U.S. pop hit,...
" which reached #2 on the U.S. country singles charts in 1971 and made it onto the Billboard Hot 100. His "Mr. Lovemaker" also reached #2 on the U.S. country singles chart in 1973. But with the popularity of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings in the mid 70's, PayCheck changed his image to that of outlaw
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
, where he was to have his largest financial success.
It was his producer Bill Sherrill who helped revive his career by significantly changing his sound and image. Sherrill was best known for carefully choreographing his records and infusing them with considerable pop feel. The PayCheck records were clearly based on Sherrill's take on the bands backing Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson on records. "Colorado Kool-Aid
Coors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
", "Me and the IRS", "Friend, Lover, Wife", "Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets", and "I'm the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised)" were hits for PayCheck during this period. He received a Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
Career Achievement award in 1977
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
.
Later life and death
In 1981 he appeared on the television show, The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
, as himself. The scene had him playing "Take This Job and Shove It" and arguing with Boss Hogg when the sheriff tried to give him a citation over the content of the song.
In 1985, PayCheck was convicted and sentenced to 7 years in jail for shooting a man in Hillsboro, Ohio
Hillsboro, Ohio
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,605 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hillsboro is located at ....
after he fired a .22 pistol, grazing the man's head with a bullet. PayCheck claimed the act was self-defense. After several years spent fighting the sentence, in 1989 he began his sentence, spending 22 months in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
before he was pardoned by the Governor of Ohio, Richard Celeste.
The most successful of his later singles, released during his appeal, was "Old Violin" which reached # 21 on the country chart in 1986. His last album to chart was "Modern Times" in 1987. He continued to release albums, the last of which, Remembering appeared in 2002.
In 1990, he filed for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
after tax problems with the IRS
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
.
Although PayCheck suffered from drug and alcohol addiction during his career, he later was said to have "put his life in order" after his prison stay. He continued to perform and tour until the late 1990's. After the year 2000 his health would only allow for short appearances. Suffering from emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
and asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
after a lengthy illness, Johnny PayCheck died at Nashville's
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2003. His funeral was paid for by good friend and music legend George Jones. He was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 660 Thompson Lane in Nashville, Tennessee. It is one of the largest cemeteries in Nashville.Among those interred or entombed in the cemetery, there are many prominent members of the country music genre and their families.-List:Use the following...
in Nashville and survived by his wife Sharon and son Jonathan.
His brother Bud Lytle died from cancer in the mid 1990s in Ohio.
His brother Jeffrey L. Lytle was killed in a car crash near Wilmington, Ohio in 2009.
Little Darlin' Records
With his producer, Aubrey MayhewAubrey Mayhew
Aubrey Mayhew was an American music producer, songwriter, & music services professional. He was the sole owner of Amcorp Music Group in Nashville, Tennessee. -Pre-professional history:...
, PayCheck co-owned his record company, Little Darlin' Records. PayCheck's Little Darlin' recordings featured the pedal steel guitar work of Lloyd Green
Lloyd Green
Lloyd Green is an American steel guitarist. Green is most notable for his session work, having played on records with artists such as Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Lynn Anderson, Don Williams, Paul McCartney, Charley Pride and many others.-Early life:Lloyd Green was born on October 4, 1937 in Leaf,...
. By the end of the 1960s, Little Darlin' Records folded. In the late 1990s, after taking them for granted for years, country music historians began to recognize the distinctive and sharp-edged sound of the Little Darlin' recordings as unique in their time, PayCheck's in particular.
Legacy
A tribute album, Touch My Heart: a Tribute to Johnny PayCheck, was released in 2004 on the Sugar Hill Label. Produced by Robbie FulksRobbie Fulks
Robbie Fulks is an American alternative country artist originally from Pennsylvania but who is a longtime Chicago, Illinois resident...
, the album features George Jones, Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his song "Someday, Someway".-Biography:...
, Hank Williams III
Hank Williams III
Shelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
, Al Anderson
Al Anderson
Al Anderson is an American-born songwriter and guitarist.Anderson attended Montclair High School where he learned to play the trombone. He later attended the Berklee College of Music, and took up bass guitar...
, Dallas Wayne
Dallas Wayne
Dallas Wayne is an Austin, Texas-based singer and songwriter, as well as on-air radio personality for SIRIUS Satellite Radio.A native of Springfield, Missouri, Wayne began performing professionally in 1975, and by the age of 18 he had toured throughout the entire U.S. and Canada...
, Neko Case
Neko Case
Neko Case is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her solo career and her contributions as a member of the Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers....
, Gail Davies
Gail Davies
Gail Davies is an American country music singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of country singer Tex Dickerson....
and Fulks himself covering some of PayCheck's best-known songs.
In his song "Grand Ole Opry (Ain't So Grand Anymore)", Hank Williams III praises PayCheck (along with the singer's father and Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
) as a "real rebel" the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The 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...
only reluctantly inducted.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | RIAA | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | ||||
| 1966 | At Carnegie Hall | 22 | — | — | Little Darlin' |
| The Lovin' Machine | — | — | — | ||
| 1967 | Gospel Time in My Fashion | — | — | — | |
| Jukebox Charlie | 10 | — | — | ||
| Country Soul | 41 | — | — | ||
| 1968 | Greatest Hits | 42 | — | — | |
| 1969 | Wherever You Are | — | — | — | |
| 1971 | She's All I Got | 5 | — | — | Epic |
| 1972 | Someone to Give My Love To | 9 | — | — | |
| Somebody Loves Me | 16 | — | — | ||
| 1973 | Mr. Lovemaker | 12 | — | — | |
| Song and Dance Man | 16 | — | — | ||
| 1974 | Greatest Hits | 21 | — | — | |
| 1975 | Loving You Beats All I've Ever Seen | — | — | — | |
| 1976 | 11 Months and 29 Days | 40 | — | — | |
| 1977 | Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets | 22 | — | — | |
| Take This Job and Shove It Take This Job and Shove It (album) Take This Job and Shove It is the title of the seventeenth album released by country music artist Johnny Paycheck. It was his second album released in 1977 and is his most commercially successful album, being certified platinum by the RIAA... A |
2 | — | Platinum | ||
| 1978 | Greatest Hits 2 | 23 | — | Gold | |
| Armed and Crazy | 15 | 12 | — | ||
| 1979 | Everybody's Got a Family | 42 | 17 | — | |
| 1980 | Double Trouble Double Trouble (George Jones and Johnny Paycheck album) Double Trouble is an album by American country music artists George Jones and Johnny Paycheck. This album was released in 1980 on the Epic Records label... (w/ George Jones George Jones George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette.... ) |
45 | — | — | |
| New York Town | 48 | — | — | ||
| Mr. Hag Told My Story | 40 | — | — | ||
| 1981 | Encore | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | Lovers and Losers | — | — | — | |
| Biggest Hits | — | — | — | ||
| 1987 | Modern Times | 54 | — | — | Mercury |
| 1993 | Live In Branson | — | — | — | Delta |
| 1995 | Difference in Me | — | — | — | Playback |
| 1996 | Johnny Paycheck Sings George Jones | — | — | — | K-Tel |
| The Real Mr. Heartache: The Little Darlin Years | — | — | — | Country Music Foundation | |
| I'm a Survivor | — | — | — | Playback | |
| 1999 | Live at Gilley's | — | — | — | Atlantic |
| 16 Biggest Hits | — | — | — | Sony | |
| 2002 | Remembering | — | — | — | Orpheus |
- ATake This Job and Shove It also peaked at #72 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and #85 on the RPMRPM (magazine)RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Top Albums chart in Canada.
1960s
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 1964 | "I'd Rather Be Your Fool" | — | Singles only |
| 1965 | "For Those Who Think Young" | — | |
| "A-11" | 26 | ||
| "Heartbreak Tennessee" | 40 | ||
| 1966 | "I'm Barely Hangin' on to Me" | — | |
| "The Lovin' Machine" | 8 | The Lovin' Machine | |
| "Ballad of Green Berets" | — | At Carnegie Hall | |
| "Right Back Where We Parted" | — | Single only | |
| "Motel Time Again" | 13 | Jukebox Charlie | |
| 1967 | "Jukebox Charlie" | 15 | |
| "The Cave" | 32 | Single only | |
| "Don't Monkey with Another Monkey's Monkey" | 41 | Greatest Hits | |
| 1968 | "(It Won't Be Long) And I'll Be Hating You" | 59 | |
| "My Heart Keeps Running to You" | 66 | ||
| "If I'm Gonna Sink" | 73 | Wherever You Are | |
| 1969 | "My World of Memories" | — | |
| "Wherever You Are" | 31 | ||
| "Wildfire" | — |
1970s
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1971 | "She's All I Got She's All I Got "She's All I Got" is a moderate up-tempo song written by Gary U.S. Bonds and Jerry Williams, Jr. in which the male narrator pleads to someone else not to take away his lover. It has been recorded by several artists. The first version, released in 1971 by Freddie North, was a Top 40 U.S. pop hit,... "A |
2 | 2 | She's All I Got |
| 1972 | "Someone to Give My Love To" | 4 | 7 | Someone to Give My Love To |
| "Love Is a Good Thing" | 12 | 24 | ||
| "Somebody Loves Me" | 21 | 13 | Somebody Loves Me | |
| 1973 | "Something About You I Love" | 10 | 20 | Mr. Lovemaker |
| "Mr. Lovemaker" | 2 | 3 | ||
| "Song and Dance Man" | 8 | 9 | Song and Dance Man | |
| 1974 | "My Part of Forever" | 19 | 37 | |
| "Keep on Lovin' Me" | 23 | 33 | Greatest Hits | |
| "For a Minute There" | 12 | 2 | Song and Dance Man | |
| 1975 | "Loving You Beats All I've Ever Seen" | 26 | 46 | Loving You Beats All I've Ever Seen |
| "I Don't Love Her Anymore" | 38 | 45 | ||
| "All-American Man" | 23 | — | Single only | |
| 1976 | "The Feminine Touch" | 56 | 48 | 11 Months and 29 Days |
| "Gone at Last" (w/ Charnissa) | 49 | — | ||
| "11 Months and 29 Days" | 34 | — | ||
| "I Can See Me Lovin' You Again" | 44 | — | ||
| 1977 | "Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets" | 7 | 7 | Slide Off Your Satin Sheets |
| "I'm the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised)" | 8 | 6 | ||
| "Take This Job and Shove It Take This Job and Shove It "Take This Job and Shove It" is a song by David Allan Coe from his 1978 album, Family Album about the bitterness of a man who worked long and hard with no apparent reward. The song was famously covered by Johnny Paycheck... " |
1 | 1 | Take This Job and Shove It | |
| 1978 | "Georgia in a Jug" | 17 | 6 | |
| "Friend, Lover, Wife" | 7 | 8 | Armed and Crazy | |
| 1979 | "The Outlaw's Prayer"B | 27 | 29 | |
| "Down on the Corner at a Bar Called Kelly's" | 94 | — | Single only | |
| "(Stay Away From) The Cocaine Train" | 49 | 34 | Everybody's Got a Family | |
| "Drinkin' and Drivin'" | 17 | 23 |
1980s-1990s
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1980 | "Fifteen Beers" | 40 | 43 | Everybody's Got a Family |
| "In Memory of a Memory" | 22 | 35 | New York Town | |
| 1981 | "I Can't Hold Myself in Line" (w/ Merle Haggard Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,... ) |
41 | 41 | Mr. Hag Told Me a Story |
| "Yesterday's News (Just Hit Home Today)" | 57 | — | ||
| "The Highlight of '81" | 75 | 42 | Lovers and Losers | |
| 1982 | "No Way Out" | 69 | — | |
| "D.O.A. (Drunk on Arrival)" | 88 | — | ||
| 1983 | "I Don't Need to Know That Right Now" | — | — | Single only |
| 1984 | "I Never Get Over You" | 30 | — | I'm a Survivor |
| 1985 | "You're Every Step I Take" | 47 | 49 | |
| "Everything Is Changing" | 63 | — | ||
| 1986 | "Sexy Southern Lady" | — | — | Single only |
| "Old Violin" | 21 | 36 | Modern Times | |
| "Don't Bury Me 'Til I'm Ready" | 49 | — | ||
| 1987 | "Come to Me" | 56 | — | |
| "I Grow Old Too Fast (And Smart Too Slow)" | 72 | — | ||
| 1988 | "Out of Beer" | 81 | — | Singles only |
| "Josie" | — | — | ||
| 1989 | "Scars" | 90 | — | |
| 1994 | "There Lies the Difference" | — | — | Difference in Me |
Singles with George Jones
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1978 | "Maybelline" | 7 | 4 | Double Trouble |
| 1979 | "You Can Have Her" | 14 | 26 | |
| 1980 | "When You're Ugly Like Us (You Just Naturally Got to Be Cool)" |
31 | 29 | |
| "You Better Move On You Better Move On (song) "You Better Move On" is a song by Arthur Alexander from 1961 that reached #24 on the US charts in March 1962. The song was recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama... " |
18 | 25 |
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | ||||
| 1972 | "Let's All Go Down to the River" | Jody Miller Jody Miller Jody Brooks is an American country music singer. Born as Myrna Joy Miller, she was born in Phoenix, Arizona and raised in Oklahoma.-Career:... |
13 | 18 | There's a Party Goin' On |
B-Sides
| Year | B-Side | Chart Positions | Original A-Side | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1973 | "Billy Jack Washburn" | — | 79 | "Livin' the Life of a Dog" |
| 1978 | "Colorado Kool-Aid" | 50 | — | "Take This Job and Shove It" |
| "Me and the I.R.S." | 33 | — | "Georgia in a Jug" |
- A"She's All I Got" also peaked at #91 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. - B"The Outlaw's Prayer" also peaked at #27 on New Zealand Singles Chart