1943 in country music

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1943.

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List of years in country music (table)

Events


Top Hillbilly-Folk (Country) Recordings 1943

1941 was a great year for the United States recording industry, as bad memories of the Depression-tainted 1930s were replaced by record-setting sales. Then came Pearl Harbor, and on August 1, 1942, a strike by the American Federation of Musicians, which ended all recording sessions. Record companies kept business going by releasing promising recordings from their vaults, but by mid-1943, alternate sources were running dry, as the strike continued. Decca was the first company to settle with the union in September, but year-end statistics showed a 50% drop in charted records from 1942. Scan down the "recorded"(date) column, you won't see 1943 very often.

"Pistol Packin' Mama" by Al Dexter was easily the top record of the year, becoming the first #1 Hillbilly-Folk record to cross over and reach #1 on the Popular Chart as well. 1943 featured two of the greatest double-sided Country records ever, "PPM/Rosalita" by Dexter, and the close runner-up, "No Letter Today / Born To Lose" by Ted Daffan, also a top ten crossover hit. Both records stayed on the Hillbilly-Folk chart for over a year, and all four sides made the Popular chart too.

The Top Hillbilly-Folk Records of the Year chart is, like 1942, mostly derived from The Billboard's weekly "American Folk Records" columns of 1943, with raw reports from nationwide jukebox operators, and summaries of the top records in the nation. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Supplemental information came from 'Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954', [8] record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, and other sources as specified. As always, numerical rankings are approximate.

RankArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart Positions
1 Al Dexter and His Troopers "Pistol Packin' Mama" [9] Okeh 6708March 20, 1942April 10, 1943US Billboard 1943 #9, US Pop #1 for 1 week, 36 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #1, Hillbilly #1 for 27 weeks, 50 total weeks, 2,500,000 sales, [8] Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000
2 Ted Daffan's Texans "No Letter Today" [10] Okeh 6706February 20, 1942February 1943US Billboard 1943 #64, US Pop #13 for 1 week, 20 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #2, Hillbilly #1 for 6 weeks, 53 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales [8]
3Al Dexter and His Troopers"Rosalita" [10] Okeh 6708March 18, 1942April 10, 1943US Billboard 1943 #178, US Pop #22 for 1 week, 47 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #3, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 58 total weeks
4Ted Daffan's Texans"Born To Lose" [10] Okeh 6706February 20, 1942February 1943US Billboard 1943 #124, US Pop #19 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #4, Hillbilly #2 for 6 weeks, 72 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales [8]
5 Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters "Pistol Packin' Mama" [11] Decca 23277September 27, 1943October 14, 1943US Billboard 1943 #22, US Pop #2 for 4 weeks, 14 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #5, Hillbilly #1 for 12 weeks, 25 total weeks
6 Louise Massey and the Westerners "Honey Song" [10] Okeh 6687January 26, 1941August 15, 1942US Billboard 1943 #123, US Pop #19 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #6, Hillbilly #1 for 3 weeks, 61 total weeks
7Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys"New San Antonio Rose" [12] Okeh 6274April 16, 1940July 1942US Billboard 1943 #127, US Pop #19 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #7, Hillbilly #2 for 1 week, 56 total weeks
8 Carson Robison "That Old Grey Mare Is Back Where She Used to Be" [13] Bluebird 30-0808July 17, 1942January 8, 1943US Billboard 1943 #128, US Pop #19 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #8, Hillbilly #1 for 3 weeks, 31 total weeks
9 Floyd Tillman "They Took the Stars Out of Heaven" [14] Decca 6090April 30, 1941May 25, 1943US Hillbilly 1943 #9, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 35 total weeks
10 Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys "Home in San Antone" [10] Okeh 6710July 14, 1942November 30, 1942US Billboard 1943 #160, US Pop #21 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #10, Hillbilly #1 for 3 weeks, 36 total weeks
11 Bob Atcher and Bonnie Blue Eyes "Pins and Needles (In My Heart)" [10] Okeh 6689May 5, 1942July 1942US Billboard 1943 #132, US Pop #19 for 1 week, 47 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #11, Hillbilly #2 for 1 week, 60 total weeks
12 Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys "Night Train to Memphis" [10] Okeh 6693May 28, 1942September 14, 1942US Hillbilly 1943 #12, Hillbilly #4 for 1 week, 51 total weeks
13Gene Autry"I Hang My Head And Cry" [10] Okeh 6627December 13, 1941March 27, 1942US Hillbilly 1943 #13, Hillbilly #4 for 1 week, 34 total weeks
14 Ernest Tubb "You Nearly Lose Your Mind" [15] Decca 6067July 17, 1942August 17, 1942US Hillbilly 1943 #14, Hillbilly #2 for 1 week, 38 total weeks
15 Gene Autry "It Makes No Difference Now" [12] Okeh 6274June 18, 1941July 1941US Hillbilly 1943 #15, Hillbilly #3 for 2 weeks, 33 total weeks
16 Jimmie Davis "Columbus Stockade Blues" [16] Decca 6083July 27, 1942March 18, 1943US Hillbilly 1943 #16, Hillbilly #2 for 1 week, 23 total weeks
17Ernest Tubb"I Hate To See You Go" [17] Decca 6684November 17, 1941March 11, 1943US Hillbilly 1943 #17, Hillbilly #4 for 1 week, 18 total weeks
18 Elton Britt "Buddy Boy" [18] Bluebird 9023March 19, 1942July 24, 1942US Hillbilly 1943 #18, Hillbilly #3 for 2 weeks, 33 total weeks
19Dick Kuhn Orchestra"Put Your Arms Around Me Honey" [19] Decca 4337November 26, 1941October 1943US Billboard 1943 #45, US Pop #8 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1943 #19, Hillbilly #2 for 1 week, 11 total weeks
20Ernest Tubb"I'll Get Along Somehow" [20] Decca 5825November 29, 1940December 29, 1940US Hillbilly 1943 #20, Hillbilly #4 for 2 weeks, 26 total weeks

Because of the lack of fresh material, many hits from past years made chart returns.

"Wabash Cannonball 1939"Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys
"New San Antonio Rose 1940" Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
"Back In the Saddle Again 1939" Gene Autry
"It Makes No Difference Now 1941" [12] Gene Autry
"I'm Knocking At Your Door Again 1941" Jimmie Davis
"Sitting on Top of the World 1936" Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
"Sitting on Top of the World 1935" Shelton Brothers
"The Precious Jewel 1941" Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys

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Related Research Articles

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1943.

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1947.

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1945.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1944.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1942.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1941.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1940.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1939.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1938.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1936.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1934.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1930.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1929.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1925.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pistol Packin' Mama</span> 1942 song by Al Dexter

"Pistol Packin' Mama" was a "Hillbilly"-Honky Tonk record released at the height of World War II that became a nationwide sensation, and the first "Country" song to top the Billboard popular music chart. It was written by Al Dexter of Troup, Texas, who recorded it in Los Angeles, California on March 20, 1942, with top session musicians Dick Roberts, Johnny Bond and Dick Reinhart, who all normally worked for Gene Autry).

For music from an individual year in the 1940s, go to 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49

References

  1. ↑ "The Billboard October 30, 1943 pg 12". google books. 30 October 1943. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  2. ↑ Wilgus, D. K. (1970). "Country-Western Music and the Urban Hillbilly". The Journal of American Folklore. 83 (328): 157–179. doi:10.2307/539105. ISSN   0021-8715. JSTOR   539105.
  3. ↑ "The Billboard Jan 09, 1943 pg 63". google books. 9 January 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "The Billboard Jan 16, 1943 pg 59". google books. 16 January 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Billboard Jan 30, 1943 pg 62". google books. 30 January 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  6. ↑ "The Billboard Feb 06, 1943 pg 64". google books. 6 February 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  7. ↑ "The Billboard Feb 13, 1943 pg 63". google books. 13 February 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research.
  9. ↑ "OKeh (by CBS) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 6500 - 6747 (end of series)". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "OKeh (by CBS) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 6500 - 6747 (end of series)". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  11. ↑ "Decca matrix L 3197. Pistol packin' Mama / The Andrews Sisters ; Bing Crosby - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  12. 1 2 3 "OKeh (by CBS) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 6000 - 6500". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  13. ↑ "Victor matrix BS-075429. The old grey mare is back where she used to be / Carson Robison - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  14. ↑ "Decca matrix 93739. They took the stars out of heaven / Floyd Tillman - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  15. ↑ "Decca matrix L 3101. You nearly lose your mind / Ernest Tubb - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  16. ↑ "Decca 6083 (10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  17. ↑ "Decca matrix 93792. I hate to see you go / Ernest Tubb ; Ernest Tubb - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  18. ↑ "Victor matrix BS-072623. Buddy boy / Elton Britt - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  19. ↑ "Decca matrix 69971. Put your arms around me, honey-1 / Dick Kuhn Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  20. ↑ "Decca matrix 92008. I'll get along somehow / Ernest Tubb - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  21. ↑ Swampers guitarist Jimmy Johnson has died

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