1964 in country music
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1964.
)
^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard
.
Events
- January 11 — 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...
increases the length of its Hot Country SinglesHot Country SongsHot 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...
chart to 50 positions, up from 30. - February 1 — Buck OwensBuck OwensAlvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
' mega-hit, "Love's Gonna Live Here," finishes its 16-week run at No. 1 on 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...
Hot Country SinglesHot Country SongsHot 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...
chart. To date, it is the most recent song to spend 10 or more weeks atop the chart. - July 31 — A private aircraft piloted by Jim ReevesJim ReevesJames 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...
crashes during a thunderstorm near Nashville, TennesseeNashville, TennesseeNashville 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...
. Both Reeves and business partner Dean Manuel are killed in the crash; their bodies are found two days later following a massive search for the two missing men. Reeves, already a huge country star, would leave behind hundreds of un-released recordings; many of those songs became huge posthumous hits during the next decade. Reeves' death comes just 16 months after the airplane crash deaths of Patsy ClinePatsy ClinePatsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
, Hawkshaw HawkinsHawkshaw HawkinsHarold 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...
and Cowboy CopasCowboy CopasLloyd Estel Copas , known by his stage name Cowboy Copas, was an American country music singer popular from the 1940s until his death in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry.-Biography:Copas was born in 1913 in...
, leaving a huge void among country music fans. - November 28 — "Once a DayOnce a Day"Once a Day" is a song written by Bill Anderson and recorded as the debut single by American country artist Connie Smith. It was produced by Bob Ferguson for her self-titled debut album. The song was released in August 1964, topping the Billboard country music chart for eight weeks between late...
," by Connie SmithConnie SmithConnie Smith is an American country music artist. She began her career in 1963 after winning a local talent contest near Columbus, Ohio, which attracted the attention of country songwriter Bill Anderson...
, begins an eight-week stay at No. 1 on 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...
Hot Country SinglesHot Country SongsHot 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...
chart. To date, it is the longest-running No. 1 song by a solo female act, and will make the 23-year-old Smith — a native of Elkhart, IndianaElkhart, IndianaElkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, northwest of Fort Wayne, east of Chicago, and north of Indianapolis...
— an overnight sensation.
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 | CAN peak | Spec. Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 8 | Begging to You Begging to You "Begging to You" is a 1963 single by Marty Robbins. "Begging to You" would be Marty Robbins tenth number one on the country chart. The song spent three weeks at the top spot and a total of twenty-three weeks on the charts .-Chart performance:-References:... |
Marty Robbins Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist... |
2 | — | [2]
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| February 15 | B.J. the D.J. B.J. the D.J. "B.J. the D.J." is a song written by Hugh X. Lewis, and made famous by country music star Stonewall Jackson.Released in November 1963, "B.J. the D.J." became Jackson's second and final No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in February 1964; the song had a 22-week run in the chart's... |
Stonewall Jackson Stonewall Jackson (musician) Stonewall Jackson is an American country singer and musician who achieved his greatest fame during country's "golden" honky tonk era in the 1950s and early 1960s.-Early years:... |
1 | — | [B]
|
| March 7 | Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw, Michigan (song) Saginaw, Michigan is a 1964 song performed by Lefty Frizzell. The single was Lefty Frizzell's sixth and final number one on the U.S. country chart. "Saginaw, Michigan" spent a total of twenty-three weeks on the country chart and peaked at number eighty-five on the Billboard Hot 100... |
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... |
4 | — |
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| April 4 | Understand Your Man | Johnny Cash Johnny Cash John 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... |
6 | — | |
| May 16 | My Heart Skips a Beat My Heart Skips a Beat "My Heart Skips a Beat" is a 1964 single by Buck Owens. The single was Owens's third number one on the U.S. country singles chart. "My Heart Skips a Beat" spent seven non-consecutive weeks at the top with a total of twenty-six weeks on the chart... |
Buck Owens Buck Owens Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos... |
7 | — | [1], [2]
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| June 6 | Together Again Together Again (Buck Owens song) "Together Again" is a 1964 song by United States country singer and guitarist Buck Owens.The song, best known as the "B" side to Owens' No. 1 hit, "My Heart Skips a Beat", interrupted that song's run at Number One on the U.S. country charts... |
Buck Owens | 2 | — | |
| July 18 | Dang Me Dang Me "Dang Me" is a 1964 song by American country music artist Roger Miller, and that year's Grammy Award winner for Best Country & Western Song. Miller's first major country hit and first Top Ten pop music hit, it was a novelty song whose "jazzy instrumental section" helped make it "the quintessential... |
Roger Miller Roger Miller Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs... |
6 | 3 | [A]
Billboard Hot 100 The 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... . |
| August 29 | I Guess I'm Crazy I Guess I'm Crazy "I Guess I'm Crazy" is a 1955 song composed by Werly Fairburn. The song was first recorded in 1955 by Tommy Collins who peaked at number thirteen on the C&W Best Seller chart.... |
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... |
7 |
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| October 17 | I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me) I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me) "I Don't Care " is a 1964 single by Buck Owens, his fourth number one on the country chart. "I Don't Care " spent six weeks at number one and a total of twenty-seven weeks on the chart. The B-side of the song, "Don't Let Her Know", peaked at number thirty-three on the country chart.-Chart... |
Buck Owens | 6 | ||
| November 28 | Once a Day Once a Day "Once a Day" is a song written by Bill Anderson and recorded as the debut single by American country artist Connie Smith. It was produced by Bob Ferguson for her self-titled debut album. The song was released in August 1964, topping the Billboard country music chart for eight weeks between late... |
Connie Smith Connie Smith Connie Smith is an American country music artist. She began her career in 1963 after winning a local talent contest near Columbus, Ohio, which attracted the attention of country songwriter Bill Anderson... |
8 | — | [C]
|
^ 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^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
- A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
- B^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
- C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
Canada
(as certified by 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,...
)
| Date | Single Name | Artist | Wks. No.1 | U.S. peak | Spec. Note | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 14 | I Guess I'm Crazy I Guess I'm Crazy "I Guess I'm Crazy" is a 1955 song composed by Werly Fairburn. The song was first recorded in 1955 by Tommy Collins who peaked at number thirteen on the C&W Best Seller chart.... |
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... |
1 | [A] | |||||
| September 28 | I Don't Love You Anymore I Don't Love You Anymore "I Don't Love You Anymore" is a single by American country music artist Charlie Louvin. Released in May 1964, it was the first single from his album Less and Less/I Don't Love You Anymore. The song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM... |
Charlie Louvin Charlie Louvin Charles Elzer Loudermilk , known professionally as Charlie Louvin, was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known as one of the Louvin Brothers, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955.-Biography:Born in Henagar, Alabama, Louvin was one of 7 children... |
1 | 4 | [C] | ||||
| October 5 | I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me) I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me) "I Don't Care " is a 1964 single by Buck Owens, his fourth number one on the country chart. "I Don't Care " spent six weeks at number one and a total of twenty-seven weeks on the chart. The B-side of the song, "Don't Let Her Know", peaked at number thirty-three on the country chart.-Chart... |
Buck Owens Buck Owens Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos... |
2 | [2], [A]
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| October 12 | Please Talk to My Heart Please Talk to My Heart "Please Talk to My Heart" is a single by American country music artist Johnny "Country" Mathis. It was released in 1963 and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.... |
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... |
2 | 7 | [2], [A]
|
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| November 9 | Give Me Forty Acres (To Turn This Rig Around) Give Me Forty Acres (To Turn This Rig Around) "Give Me Forty Acres " is a single by American country music group The Willis Brothers. Released in 1964, it was the first single from their album Give Me Forty Acres. The song peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in... |
Willis Brothers | 1 | 9 | The Lumberjack The Lumberjack (song) "The Lumberjack" is a single by Canadian country music artist Hal Willis. The song peaked at number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart. It also reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in the United States.-Chart performance:... |
Hal Willis Hal Willis Hal Willis is a Canadian country singer, living in Nashville Tennessee USA. He was born Leonald Gauthier in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec on July 15, 1933. He is the youngest son of Alfred and Evelina Gauthier.-Career:... |
1 | 5 | [A] |
| December 21 | Don't Come Crying | Ron McLeod | 3 | — | [C] |
^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
- A^ First 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,...
No. 1 hit for that artist. - C^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
Singles released by American artists
| US | CAN | Single | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | — | Ask Marie | 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... |
| 8 | 5 | Bad News | Johnny Cash Johnny Cash John 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... |
| 3 | 2 | The Ballad of Ira Hayes The Ballad of Ira Hayes "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" was written by folk singer Peter La Farge. It tells the story of Ira Hayes, one of the five Marines and one Navy Corpsman who became famous for having raised the flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II.... |
Johnny Cash |
| 6 | — | Baltimore | Sonny James |
| 4 | — | Before I'm Over You | 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... |
| 2 | — | Burning Memories | 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... |
| 17 | — | Chickashay | David Houston David Houston (singer) Charles David Houston was an American country music singer. His peak in popularity came between the mid-1960s through the early 1970s.-Biography:... |
| 14 | — | Chit Akins, Make Me a Star | Don Bowman Don Bowman (singer) Don Bowman is an American country music singer, songwriter, comedian and radio host. He recorded for RCA Victor between 1964 and 1970, charting in the Top 40 with "Chit Atkins, Make Me a Star"... |
| 3 | 3 | Chug-a-Lug Chug-a-Lug "Chug-a-Lug" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist Roger Miller. The song reached #9 on the U.S. charts in 1964, becoming his second pop hit.-Content:... |
Roger Miller Roger Miller Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs... |
| 7 | — | Circumstances | 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"... |
| 3 | 3 | The Cowboy in the Continental Suit | Marty Robbins Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist... |
| 2 | 5 | Cross the Brazos at Waco | Billy Walker |
| 9 | — | D.J. for a Day | 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... |
| 13 | 4 | Dern Ya | Ruby Wright Ruby Wright (country singer) Ruby Wright was an American country music singer-songwriter. Wright was the daughter of country singers Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright. Her most successful single was "Dern Ya", an answer to Roger Miller's "Dang Me."... |
| 4 | 3 | Don't Be Angry | Stonewall Jackson Stonewall Jackson (musician) Stonewall Jackson is an American country singer and musician who achieved his greatest fame during country's "golden" honky tonk era in the 1950s and early 1960s.-Early years:... |
| 14 | — | Easy Come, Easy Go | Bill Anderson |
| 9 | 2 | Finally | 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... and 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... |
| 5 | — | Five Little Fingers | Bill Anderson |
| 5 | — | 500 Miles Away from Home 500 Miles "500 Miles" is a folk song made popular in the United States and Europe during the 1960s folk revival. The simple repetitive lyrics offer a lament by a traveler who is far from home, out of money and too ashamed to return... |
Bobby Bare Bobby Bare Robert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:... |
| 15 | — | Followed Closely by My Teardrops | Hank Locklin Hank Locklin Lawrence Hankins Locklin , better known as Hank Locklin, was an American country music singer-songwriter... |
| 9 | 3 | Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston | George Hamilton IV George Hamilton IV George Hege Hamilton IV is an American country musician. He began performing in the late 1950s as a teen idol, later switching to country music in the early 1960s.-Biography:Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina... |
| 15 | — | Girl from Spanish Town | Marty Robbins |
| 8 | — | Go Cat Go | Norma Jean Norma Jean (singer) Norma Jean Beasler , better known as Norma Jean, is an American country music singer who was a member of The Porter Wagoner Show from 1961–1967. She had a number of country singles in the Top 10 and Top 20 between 1963 and 1967, including "Go Cat Go" and "The Game of Triangles", and was... |
| 8 | — | Gonna Get Along Without You Now Gonna Get Along without Ya Now "Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now" is a popular song written by Milton Kellem, and published in 1951. Originally written in English, has been done in several styles and tempos.... |
Skeeter Davis Skeeter Davis Mary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo... |
| 17 | — | He Says the Same Things to Me | Skeeter Davis |
| 19 | — | Helpless | Joe Carson |
| 10 | — | Here Comes My Baby Here Comes My Baby (Dottie West song) "Here Comes My Baby" is a popular Grammy-winning country song written and made popular by Dottie West in 1964.-History:"Here Comes My Baby" was the first song to be written and made famous by Dottie West. In 1964, Dottie West was trying to make it big in Nashville. She released a single the... |
Dottie West Dottie West Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists... |
| 19 | — | Howdy Neighbor Howdy | Porter Wagoner Porter Wagoner Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and... |
| 4 | — | I Love to Dance with Annie | Ernest Ashworth |
| 11 | — | I'll Go Down Swinging | Porter Wagoner |
| 14 | — | I'm Hanging Up the Phone | Carl Butler and Pearl Carl Butler and Pearl Carl Butler and Pearl was an American country music husband-and-wife duo. Between 1962 and 1969, the duo released several singles and charted thirteen times on the U.S. country charts, reaching #1 in 1962 with their first single, "Don't Let Me Cross Over".... |
| 13 | — | If the Back Door Could Talk | Webb Pierce |
| 13 | — | Invisible Tears | Ned Miller Ned Miller Henry Ned Miller is an American country music artist. Active as a recording artist from 1956 to 1970, he is known primarily for his hit single, "From a Jack to a King", a crossover hit in 1962 which reached Top 10 on the country music, adult contemporary, and Billboard Hot 100 charts... |
| 12 | — | Jealous Hearted Me | 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... |
| 16 | — | Keep Those Cards and Letters Coming In | Johnny & Jonie Mosby |
| 5 | — | Keeping Up with the Joneses | 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... and Margie Singleton Margie Singleton Margaret Louis Ebey , known professionally as Margie Singleton, is an American country music singer and songwriter. In the 1960s, she was a popular duet and solo recording artist, working with country stars George Jones and Faron Young. Singleton had her biggest hit with Young called "Keeping Up... |
| 7 | — | Last Day in the Mines | Dave Dudley Dave Dudley Dave Dudley , born David Darwin Pedruska, was an American country music singer best-known for his truck-driving country anthems of the 1960s and 1970s and his semi-slurred baritone. His signature song was "Six Days on the Road," and he is also remembered for "Vietnam Blues," "Truck Drivin'... |
| 11 | — | Let's Go All the Way | Norma Jean |
| 14 | — | Lonely Girl | 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... |
| 5 | — | Long Gone Lonesome Blues Long Gone Lonesome Blues "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" is 1950 song by Hank Williams. The song was Hank Williams' second number one on the Country & Western chart. "Long Gone Lonsesome Blues stayed on the charts for twenty-one weeks, with five weeks at the top of the Country & Western chart... |
Hank Williams, Jr. Hank Williams, Jr. Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country... |
| 7 | — | Looking for More in '64 | Jim Nesbitt Jim Nesbitt Jim Nesbitt was a country music singer. He had his first hit with "Please Mr. Kennedy" in 1961. It was released on Dot Records and became a number one hit on the Billboard charts. His next hit, "New Frontier" reached #11 on Billboard. It was recorded on Rush Records in 1962... |
| 7 | — | Love Is No Excuse | 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... and Dottie West |
| 17 | — | Love Looks Good on You | David Houston |
| 6 | — | Mad | Dave Dudley |
| 8 | — | Me | Bill Anderson |
| 2 | — | Memory #1 | Webb Pierce |
| 4 | — | Miller's Cave | Bobby Bare |
| 5 | — | Molly | Eddy Arnold |
| 20 | — | Mother-in-Law | Jim Nesbitt |
| 11 | 4 | Mr. and Mrs. Used to Be | 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... and Loretta Lynn |
| 11 | — | My Friend on the Right | Faron Young |
| 15 | — | My Tears Are Overdue | 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.... |
| 11 | — | Old Records | Margie Singleton |
| 11 | — | One If for Him, Two If for Me | David Houston |
| 8 | — | One of These Days | Marty Robbins |
| 4 | — | Password | Kitty Wells |
| 8 | — | Peel Me a Nanner | Roy Drusky Roy Drusky Roy Frank Drusky Jr., was an American country music singer popular from the 1960s through the early 1970s. Known for his baritone voice, he was known for incorporating the Nashville sound. His highest-charting single was the No. 1 "Yes Mr. Peters", a duet with Priscilla Mitchell.-Early life and... |
| 14 | — | Petticoat Junction | Flatt & Scruggs Foggy Mountain Boys The Foggy Mountain Boys were an influential bluegrass band founded by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs in 1948, shortly after leaving Bill Monroe’s band. They recorded and performed together up until 1969.-Biography:... |
| 13 | — | Pick of the Week | Roy Drusky |
| 17 | — | Pillow That Whispers | Carl Smith |
| 3 | — | The Race Is On The Race Is On (song) "The Race Is On" is a song co-written and recorded by country music artist George Jones. It was the first single released from his 1965 album of the same name... |
George Jones |
| 11 | 2 | Sam Hill | Claude King Claude King Claude King is an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for his million selling 1962 hit, "Wolverton Mountain".-Biography:... |
| 5 | — | Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar) Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar) "Second Fiddle " is a single by American country music artist Jean Shepard. Released in April 1964, it was later released on the 1966 album, Heart, We Did All We Could. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.... |
Jean Shepard Jean Shepard Ollie Imogene Shepard , better known as Jean Shepard, is an American honky tonk singer-songwriter who was a pioneer for women in country music. Shepard released a total of 73 singles to the Hot Country Songs chart, one of which reached the #1 spot... |
| 19 | — | Sing a Sad Song | 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,... |
| 5 | — | Sorrow On the Rocks | Porter Wagoner |
| 15 | — | Take My Ring Off Your Finger | Carl Smith |
| 12 | — | Then I'll Stop Loving You | 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... |
| 7 | — | This White Circle On My Finger | Kitty Wells |
| 13 | — | Timber I'm Falling | Ferlin Husky Ferlin Husky Ferlin 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... |
| 9 | — | Too Late to Try Again | Carl Butler and Pearl |
| 16 | — | Triangle | Carl Smith |
| 12 | — | Trouble in My Arms | Johnny & Jonie Mosby |
| 10 | — | A Week in the Country | Ernest Ashworth |
| 2 | — | Welcome to My World Welcome to My World (song) "Welcome to My World" is a song written by Ray Winkler and John Hathcock, and first performed by Jim Reeves in April 1962 on audio album A Touch of Velvet.-Chart performance:-Cover versions:*Dean Martin *Faron Young... |
Jim Reeves |
| 10 | — | Where Does a Little Tear Come From | George Jones |
| 19 | — | Widow Maker | Jimmy Martin Jimmy Martin Jimmy Martin was an American bluegrass musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass".-Early years:Born James H. Martin in Sneedville, Tennessee. Jimmy Martin was born into the hard farming life of rural East Tennessee. He grew up near Sneedville, singing in church and with friends from surrounding... |
| 3 | — | Wine Women and Song | Loretta Lynn |
| 12 | — | You Are My Flower | Flatt & Scruggs |
| 10 | — | You'll Drive Me Back (Into Her Arms Again) | Faron Young |
| 5 | — | Your Heart Turned Left (And I Was On the Right) | George Jones |
Singles released by Canadian artists
| US | CAN | Single | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 4 | Biggest Hurt of All | Dianne Leigh Dianne Leigh Dianne Leigh is a Canadian country music performer. She was the first recipient of the Gold Leaf Award in 1970.... |
| 11 | — | Breakfast with the Blues | 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... |
| — | 5 | Crazy Arms | Lucille Starr Lucille Starr Lucille Starr is a Franco-Manitoban / British Columbian singer, songwriter, and yodeler best known for her 1964 hit single, "Quand Le Soleil Dit Bonjour Aux Montagnes" .-Biography:... |
| — | 5 | Deer Island | Henchmen |
| — | 8 | My Good Life | Cy Anders |
| — | 9 | Night on the Water | Sandy Selsie |
Top new album releases
- The Best of Buck OwensThe Best of Buck OwensThe Best of Buck Owens is a compilation album by Buck Owens, released in 1964. It reached Number two on the Billboard Country Albums charts and Number 46 on the Pop Albums charts. It also peaked at No...
- Buck OwensBuck OwensAlvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
(Capitol) - Bill Anderson Showcase - Bill Anderson (Decca)
- Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian - 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...
(Columbia) - Eddy's Songs - 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...
(RCA) - Folk Song Book - Bill Anderson (Decca)
- Grand Ole Opry Favorites - The BrownsJim Ed BrownJim Ed Brown is an American country music singer who achieved fame in the 1950s with his two sisters as a member of The Browns. He later had a successful solo career from 1965 to 1974, followed by a string of major duet hits with Helen Cornelius through 1981...
(RCA) - Guitar CountryGuitar Country (Chet Atkins album)Guitar Country is the title of a recording by American guitarist Chet Atkins. It was nominated for the 1964 Best Country & Western Album Grammy award but did not win. It reached number 1 on the Country albums charts. Prior to 1964, there was no separate genre chart for Country LP, thus Chet's...
- 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...
(RCA) - I Don't CareI Don't Care (Buck Owens album)I Don't Care is an album by Buck Owens and his Buckaroos, released in 1964. It reached Number one on the Billboard Country charts and Number 135 on the Pop Albums charts. The single "I Don't Care" spent six weeks at number one....
- Buck OwensBuck OwensAlvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
(Capitol) - Let's Go All the Way - Norma JeanNorma Jean (singer)Norma Jean Beasler , better known as Norma Jean, is an American country music singer who was a member of The Porter Wagoner Show from 1961–1967. She had a number of country singles in the Top 10 and Top 20 between 1963 and 1967, including "Go Cat Go" and "The Game of Triangles", and was...
(RCA) - Johnny Bond's Best - Johnny BondJohnny BondCyrus Whitfield Bond , known professionally as Johnny Bond, was a popular American country music entertainer of the 1940s through the 1960s.-Biography:...
(Harmony) - Oh Pretty Woman - Roy OrbisonRoy OrbisonRoy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
(Columbia) - Orange Blossom Special – 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...
(Columbia) - Pop Hits From the Country Side - 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...
(RCA) - Progressive Pickin'Progressive Pickin' (Chet Atkins album)Progressive Pickin' is a 1964 album by guitarist Chet Atkins.-Side one:# "Gravy Waltz" – 3:04# "Love Letters" – 2:30# "Early Times" – 2:37# "Satan's Doll" – 3:50...
- 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...
(RCA) - The Return of Roger Miller - Roger MillerRoger MillerRoger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
(Smash) - Sometimes I'm Happy, Sometimes I'm Blue - 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...
(RCA) - This Young Land - The BrownsJim Ed BrownJim Ed Brown is an American country music singer who achieved fame in the 1950s with his two sisters as a member of The Browns. He later had a successful solo career from 1965 to 1974, followed by a string of major duet hits with Helen Cornelius through 1981...
(RCA) - Together Again/My Heart Skips a BeatTogether Again (Buck Owens album)Together Again/My Heart Skips a Beat or simply Together Again, is an album by Buck Owens and his Buckaroos, released in 1964. The double-sided single "Together Again/My Heart Skips a Beat" reached Number one on the Billboard Country charts....
- Buck OwensBuck OwensAlvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
(Capitol)
Births
- May 28 — Phil VassarPhil VassarPhil Vassar is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw , Jo Dee Messina , Collin Raye , and Alan Jackson Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an...
, singer-songwriter of the late 1990s and 2000s. - May 30 — Wynonna JuddWynonna JuddWynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
, daughter half of The JuddsThe JuddsThe Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
, who became a solo star in her own right during the 1990s. - September 19 — Trisha YearwoodTrisha YearwoodPatricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
, female vocalist active since the early 1990s, known for her close association with Garth BrooksGarth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
. - October 31 — Darryl WorleyDarryl WorleyDarryl Wade Worley is an American country music artist. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 2000, Worley released four albums for the label: Hard Rain Don't Last , I Miss My Friend , Have You Forgotten? , and Darryl Worley in 2004...
, singer-songwriter since the 2000s, known for patriotic-themed songs ("Have You Forgotten?" and others)
Deaths
- June 9 - Alton DelmoreThe Delmore BrothersAlton Delmore and Rabon Delmore , billed as The Delmore Brothers, were country music pioneers and stars of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1930s...
, 55, one half of the old-time harmony duo Delmore Brothers. - July 31 — Jim ReevesJim ReevesJames 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...
, 39, velvet-voiced singer and leading force in the Nashville SoundNashville soundThe Nashville sound originated during the late 1950s as a sub-genre of American country music, replacing the chart dominance of honky tonk music which was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s...
; many of his hits came posthumously. (plane crash)
Grammy Awards
- Best Country and Western Vocal Performance, Female — "Here Comes My BabyHere Comes My Baby (Dottie West song)"Here Comes My Baby" is a popular Grammy-winning country song written and made popular by Dottie West in 1964.-History:"Here Comes My Baby" was the first song to be written and made famous by Dottie West. In 1964, Dottie West was trying to make it big in Nashville. She released a single the...
," Dottie WestDottie WestDottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists... - Best Country and Western Vocal Performance, Male — "Dang MeDang Me"Dang Me" is a 1964 song by American country music artist Roger Miller, and that year's Grammy Award winner for Best Country & Western Song. Miller's first major country hit and first Top Ten pop music hit, it was a novelty song whose "jazzy instrumental section" helped make it "the quintessential...
," Roger MillerRoger MillerRoger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs... - Best Country and Western Single — "Dang Me," Roger Miller
- Best Country and Western Song — "Dang Me," Roger Miller (Performer: Roger Miller)
- Best Country and Western Album — Dang Me/Chug-a-Lug, Roger Miller
- Best New Country and Western Artist — Roger Miller
Further reading
- Kingsbury, Paul, "The Grand Ole Opry: History of Country Music. 70 Years of the Songs, the Stars and the Stories," Villard Books, Random House; Opryland USA, 1995
- 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.