1964 in country music

Last updated

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1964.

Contents

List of years in country music (table)
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Events

Top hits of the year

Number-one hits

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1CAN peakSpec. Note
February 8 Begging to You Marty Robbins 2 [2]
  • Returns to Number One February 22.
February 15 B.J. the D.J. Stonewall Jackson 1 [B]
  • Jackson's first Billboard Number One since "Waterloo" in 1959.
March 7 Saginaw, Michigan Lefty Frizzell 4
  • Frizzell's first Billboard Number One since "Give Me More, More, More (Of Your Kisses)" in 1952.
April 4 Understand Your Man Johnny Cash 6
May 16 My Heart Skips a Beat Buck Owens 7 [1], [2]
  • Returns to Number One June 20.
June 6 Together Again Buck Owens2
July 18 Dang Me Roger Miller 63 [A]
  • The first of several songs by Miller that would also reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Pop Chart.
August 29 I Guess I'm Crazy Jim Reeves 7
  • The first of six posthumous Number One hits for Reeves.
October 17 I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me) Buck Owens6
November 28 Once a Day Connie Smith 8 [C]
  • Became the longest-running Billboard Number One song by a female country artist.
  • With this song, Smith became the first female country artist to top the charts with a debut single.
Notes
  • 1 ^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard .
  • 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 RPM)

DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1U.S. peakSpec. Note
September 14 I Guess I'm Crazy Jim Reeves 1 [A]
September 28 I Don't Love You Anymore Charlie Louvin 14 [C]
October 5 I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me) Buck Owens 2 [2], [A]
  • Returned to Number One on October 26.
October 12 Please Talk to My Heart Ray Price 27 [2], [A]
  • Returned to Number One on November 2.
November 9 Give Me Forty Acres (To Turn This Rig Around) Willis Brothers 19 [C]
November 30 The Lumberjack Hal Willis 15 [A]
December 21Don't Come Crying Ron McLeod 3 [C]
Notes
  • 2 ^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
  • A ^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • C ^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.

Other major hits

Singles released by American artists

USCANSingleArtist
19Ask Marie Sonny James
85Bad News Johnny Cash
32 The Ballad of Ira Hayes Johnny Cash
6BaltimoreSonny James
4 Before I'm Over You Loretta Lynn
2Burning Memories Ray Price
17Chickashay David Houston
14Chit Akins, Make Me a Star Don Bowman
33 Chug-a-Lug Roger Miller
7Circumstances Billy Walker
33The Cowboy in the Continental Suit Marty Robbins
25Cross the Brazos at WacoBilly Walker
9D.J. for a Day Jimmy C. Newman
134Dern Ya Ruby Wright
43 Don't Be Angry Stonewall Jackson
14 Easy Come – Easy Go Bill Anderson
92Finally Kitty Wells and Webb Pierce
5 Five Little Fingers Bill Anderson
5 500 Miles Away from Home Bobby Bare
15 Followed Closely by My Teardrops Hank Locklin
93Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston George Hamilton IV
15Girl from Spanish TownMarty Robbins
8Go Cat Go Norma Jean
8 Gonna Get Along Without You Now Skeeter Davis
17 He Says the Same Things to Me Skeeter Davis
19Helpless Joe Carson
10 Here Comes My Baby Dottie West
19Howdy Neighbor Howdy Porter Wagoner
4I Love to Dance with Annie Ernest Ashworth
11I'll Go Down SwingingPorter Wagoner
14I'm Hanging Up the Phone Carl Butler and Pearl
13If the Back Door Could TalkWebb Pierce
13Invisible Tears Ned Miller
12Jealous Hearted Me Eddy Arnold
16Keep Those Cards and Letters Coming In Johnny & Jonie Mosby
5Keeping Up with the Joneses Faron Young and Margie Singleton
7Last Day in the Mines Dave Dudley
11Let's Go All the WayNorma Jean
14Lonely Girl Carl Smith
5 Long Gone Lonesome Blues Hank Williams, Jr.
7Looking for More in '64 Jim Nesbitt
7Love Is No Excuse Jim Reeves and Dottie West
17Love Looks Good on YouDavid Houston
6MadDave Dudley
8 Me Bill Anderson
2Memory #1Webb Pierce
4Miller's CaveBobby Bare
5MollyEddy Arnold
20Mother-in-LawJim Nesbitt
114 Mr. and Mrs. Used to Be Ernest Tubb and Loretta Lynn
11My Friend on the RightFaron Young
15 My Tears Are Overdue George Jones
11Old RecordsMargie Singleton
11One If for Him, Two If for MeDavid Houston
8One of These DaysMarty Robbins
4PasswordKitty Wells
8Peel Me a Nanner Roy Drusky
14Petticoat Junction Flatt & Scruggs
13Pick of the WeekRoy Drusky
17Pillow That WhispersCarl Smith
3 The Race Is On George Jones
112Sam Hill Claude King
5 Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar) Jean Shepard
19 Sing a Sad Song Merle Haggard
5Sorrow On the RocksPorter Wagoner
15Take My Ring Off Your FingerCarl Smith
12Then I'll Stop Loving You The Browns
7This White Circle On My FingerKitty Wells
13Timber I'm Falling Ferlin Husky
9Too Late to Try AgainCarl Butler and Pearl
16TriangleCarl Smith
12Trouble in My ArmsJohnny & Jonie Mosby
10A Week in the CountryErnest Ashworth
2 Welcome to My World Jim Reeves
10 Where Does a Little Tear Come From George Jones
19Widow Maker Jimmy Martin
3 Wine, Women and Song Loretta Lynn
12You Are My FlowerFlatt & Scruggs
10You'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

USCANSingleArtist
4Biggest Hurt of All Dianne Leigh
11Breakfast with the Blues Hank Snow
5Crazy Arms Lucille Starr
5Deer Island Henchmen
8My Good Life Cy Anders
9Night on the Water Sandy Selsie

Top new album releases

AlbumArtistRecord Label
500 Miles Away from Home Bobby Bare RCA Victor
The Best of Buck Owens Buck Owens Capitol
Bill Anderson Sings Bill Anderson Decca
Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian Johnny Cash Columbia
Eddy's Songs Eddy Arnold RCA
Grand Ole Opry Favorites The Browns RCA
Guitar Country Chet Atkins RCA
Hank Locklin Sings Hank Williams Hank Locklin RCA
I Don't Care Buck OwensCapitol
Irish Songs, Country Style Hank LocklinRCA
Let's Go All the Way Norma Jean RCA
Lighthearted and Blue Jean Shepard Capitol
Johnny Bond's Best Johnny Bond Harmony
Oh Pretty Woman Roy Orbison Columbia
Orange Blossom Special Johnny Cash Columbia
Pop Hits from the Country Side Eddy Arnold RCA
Progressive Pickin' Chet Atkins RCA
The Return of Roger Miller Roger Miller Smash
Sometimes I'm Happy, Sometimes I'm Blue Eddy Arnold RCA
This Young LandThe BrownsRCA
Together Again/My Heart Skips a Beat Buck Owens Capitol

Births

Deaths

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Major awards

Grammy Awards

Further reading

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