1970 in country music

Last updated

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1970.

Contents

List of years in country music (table)
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Events

No Dates

Early in the year, Marty Robbins suffers a major heart attack which almost takes the life of the country star.

Top hits of the year

Number-one hits

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1CAN peakSpec. Note
January 3 Baby, Baby (I Know You're a Lady) David Houston 4 [B]
January 31 A Week in a Country Jail Tom T. Hall 232 [A]
February 14 It's Just a Matter of Time Sonny James 44Cover of Brook Benton hit.
March 14 The Fightin' Side of Me Merle Haggard 3
April 4 Tennessee Bird Walk Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan 2 [C]
April 18 Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone Charley Pride 2
May 2 My Woman My Woman My Wife Marty Robbins 1
May 9 The Pool Shark Dave Dudley 14 [C]
May 16 My Love Sonny James33
June 6 Hello Darlin' Conway Twitty 42 [1]
July 4 He Loves Me All the Way Tammy Wynette 32
July 25 Wonder Could I Live There Anymore Charley Pride2
August 8 Don't Keep Me Hangin' On Sonny James417
September 5 All for the Love of Sunshine Hank Williams, Jr. with
The Mike Curb Congregation
2 [A] – Hank Williams, Jr.
[C] – The Mike Curb Congregation
September 19 For the Good Times Ray Price 12
September 26 There Must Be More to Love Than This Jerry Lee Lewis 2
October 10 Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down Johnny Cash 2
October 24 Run Woman Run Tammy Wynette2
November 7 I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving Me Charley Pride2
November 21 Fifteen Years Ago Conway Twitty1
November 28 Endlessly Sonny James310
December 19 Coal Miner's Daughter Loretta Lynn 1
December 26 Rose Garden Lynn Anderson 5 [A]
Notes
  • 1 ^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard .
  • 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
January 10 Blistered/See Ruby Fall Johnny Cash 14
January 17 Baby, Baby (I Know You're a Lady) David Houston 1
January 24 Big in Vegas Buck Owens 15
January 31 Six White Horses Tommy Cash 24 [C]
February 14 Fancy Bobbie Gentry 226 [B]
February 28 Brown Eyed Handsome Man Waylon Jennings 13
March 7 If I Were a Carpenter Johnny Cash and
June Carter Cash
12 [C] – June Carter Cash
March 14 Honey Come Back Glen Campbell 12
March 21Welfare Cadillac Guy Drake 16 [C]
March 28Wayward Woman of the World Gary Buck 1 [B]
April 4 The Fightin' Side of Me Merle Haggard 1
April 11 Tennessee Bird Walk Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan 1 [C]
April 18 Kentucky Rain Elvis Presley 131 [A]
April 25 My Woman My Woman My Wife Marty Robbins 2
May 9 Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone Charley Pride 1
May 16The Way You Play Merv Smith 1 [C]
May 23 Big Joe Mufferaw Stompin' Tom Connors 2 [A]
June 6 What Is Truth Johnny Cash33
June 27 Street Singer Merle Haggard19
July 4 She's a Little Bit Country George Hamilton IV 33
July 25 Ketchup Song Stompin' Tom Connors2
August 8 Wonder Could I Live There Anymore Charley Pride2
August 22 Snowbird Anne Murray 310 [A]
September 12 Everything a Man Could Ever Need Glen Campbell15
September 19 Me and Bobby McGee Gordon Lightfoot 1 [A]
September 26 Countryfied Dick Damron 3 [2]
  • Fell to #3 on the week of October 10.
October 10 All for the Love of Sunshine Hank Williams, Jr. 1 [A]
October 17 Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down Johnny Cash1
October 24 There Must Be More to Love Than This Jerry Lee Lewis 1
October 31 Back Where It's At George Hamilton IV116
November 7 Run Woman Run Tammy Wynette 1
November 14Ode to Suburbia R. Harlan Smith 1 [A]
November 28The Ballad of Muk Tuk Annie Jimmy Arthur Ordge 1 [B]
December 5 I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving Me Charley Pride1
December 12 Fifteen Years Ago Conway Twitty 1
December 19 Coal Miner's Daughter Loretta Lynn 1
December 26 Sweet Dreams of Yesterday Hank Smith 1 [A]
Notes
  • 2 ^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
  • A ^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • B ^ Last 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
64After Closing Time David Houston and Barbara Mandrell
62 All I Have to Do Is Dream Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell
912All My Hard Times Roy Drusky
16 Amos Moses Jerry Reed
3411 Angel of the Morning Connie Eaton
421Angels Don't Lie Jim Reeves
12 Another Lonely Night Jean Shepard
239Big Mama's Medicine Show Buddy Alan
2718 Big Wheel Cannonball Dick Curless
1019Biloxi Kenny Price
102Carmella Marty Robbins
293 Carolina in My Mind George Hamilton IV
1610 Charlie Brown The Compton Brothers
814Commercial Affection Mel Tillis
716Country Girl Jeannie C. Riley
19Cowboy ConventionBuddy Alan and Don Rich
712Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
20Do It to Someone You Love Norro Wilson
13 Don't Cry Daddy Elvis Presley
1731Don't Take All Your Loving Don Gibson
378 Down in the Boondocks Penny DeHaven
2113Duty Not DesireJeannie C. Riley
16Georgia SunshineJerry Reed
58Goin' Steady Faron Young
419Gotta Get to Oklahoma ('Cause California's Gettin' to Me) The Hagers
89The Great White Horse Buck Owens and Susan Raye
15 He'd Still Love Me Lynn Anderson
35Heart Over MindMel Tillis
53Heaven EverydayMel Tillis
116Heavenly Sunshine Ferlin Husky
264Hello I'm a Jukebox George Kent
149 Hello Mary Lou Bobby Lewis
322 How I Got to Memphis Bobby Bare
2046How I Love Them Old Songs Carl Smith
524Humphrey the Camel Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan
32 I Can't Be Myself Merle Haggard
74I Can't Seem to Say Goodbye Jerry Lee Lewis
34I Do My Swinging at HomeDavid Houston
413 I Know How Loretta Lynn
517 I Never Once Stopped Loving You Connie Smith
52 I Never Picked Cotton Roy Clark
1233I Walked Out on Heaven Hank Williams, Jr.
2211I Wish I Had a Mommy Like You Patti Page
9I Wouldn't Live in New York City
(If They Gave Me the Whole Damn Town)
Buck Owens
1133I'll Make AmendsRoy Drusky
23I'll See Him Through Tammy Wynette
97 I'm a Lover (Not a Fighter) Skeeter Davis
2037 I'm Alright Lynn Anderson
1821 I'm Leaving It Up to You Johnny & Jonie Mosby
1621 I've Been Everywhere Lynn Anderson
176I've Just Been Wasting My Time John Wesley Ryles
42If I Ever Fall in Love (With a Honky Tonk Girl)Faron Young
6213If I'd Only Come and Gone Clay Hart
28 If It's All the Same to You Bill Anderson and Jan Howard
1333 It's a Beautiful Day Wynn Stewart
34 It's Only Make Believe Glen Campbell
33 Jesus, Take a Hold Merle Haggard
77Jolie GirlMarty Robbins
26The Kansas City SongBuck Owens
2024Land Mark Tavern Del Reeves and Penny DeHaven
17Lilacs and Fire George Morgan
1624Live for the Good Times Warner Mack
2319 Lodi Buddy Alan
54Long Long Texas RoadRoy Drusky
1616Lord Is That Me Jack Greene
14 Louisiana Man Connie Smith
1923Love HungryWarner Mack
510 Love Is a Sometimes Thing Bill Anderson
14 A Lover's Question Del Reeves
13(Lovin' Man) Oh Pretty Woman Arlene Harden
425Luziana River Van Trevor
1727 Marty Gray Billie Jo Spears
42Morning Jim Ed Brown
18The Most Uncomplicated Goodbye I've Ever Heard Henson Cargill
34 Mule Skinner Blues Dolly Parton
1542 No Love at All Lynn Anderson
104Nobody's FoolJim Reeves
176Northeast Arkansas Mississippi County BootleggerKenny Price
615Occasional WifeFaron Young
2511 Oh Happy Day Glen Campbell
217Once More with FeelingJerry Lee Lewis
22One Minute Past EternityJerry Lee Lewis
9One Song Away Tommy Cash
9 Orange Blossom Special Doug Kershaw
16Perfect MountainDon Gibson
1848 Playin' Around with Love Barbara Mandrell
18Pull My String and Wind Me UpCarl Smith
2116Right or Left at Oak StreetRoy Clark
98Rise and ShineTommy Cash
1733 Rocky Top Lynn Anderson
7112 Roll Over Beethoven Linda Gail Lewis and Jerry Lee Lewis
202Runnin' Bare Jim Nesbitt
814 Salute to a Switchblade Tom T. Hall
38She Goes Walking Through My Mind Billy Walker
104She'll Be Hangin' Around SomewhereMel Tillis
633 She's Mine George Jones
810 Shoeshine Man Tom T. Hall
1211Singer of Sad Songs Waylon Jennings
3316Sittin' in Atlanta Station Nat Stuckey
1214 So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) Hank Williams, Jr. and Lois Johnson
43 Someday We'll Be Together Bill Anderson and Jan Howard
1826 Something to Brag About Charlie Louvin and Melba Montgomery
3614Something to Think About Luke the Drifter, Jr.
1517Something UnseenJack Greene
1524South Roger Miller
722 Stay There, Till I Get There Lynn Anderson
88 Take a Letter Maria Anthony Armstrong Jones
58The TakerWaylon Jennings
14Talk About the Good TimesJerry Reed
1310 Tell Me My Lying Eyes Are Wrong George Jones
62 Thank God and Greyhound Roy Clark
34That's When She Started to Stop Loving You Conway Twitty
827 Then He Touched Me Jean Shepard
3112Then She's a LoverRoy Clark
7There's a Story (Goin' 'Round) Dottie West and Don Gibson
932Thinking 'Bout You, BabeBilly Walker
2022This Night (Ain't Fit for Nothing but Drinking) Dave Dudley
1218TogethernessBuck Owens and Susan Raye
934Tomorrow Is ForeverPorter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
633Wabash Cannon Ball Danny Davis
566 Walk a Mile in My Shoes Joe South
136We're Gonna Get TogetherBuck Owens and Susan Raye
3When a Man Loves a Woman (The Way That I Love You)Billy Walker
216When You're Hot, You're HotPorter Wagoner
69 Where Have All Our Heroes Gone Bill Anderson
1413The Whole World Comes to MeJack Greene
115 Wings Upon Your Horns Loretta Lynn
221 Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely
17 A Woman Lives for Love Wanda Jackson
3717 The Wonder of You Elvis Presley
65Wonders of the WineDavid Houston
1530 You and Me Against the World Bobby Lord
64 You Wanna Give Me a Lift Loretta Lynn
815You Wouldn't Know Love Ray Price
2711 You've Got Your Troubles (I've Got Mine) Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan

Singles released by Canadian artists

USCANSingleArtist
15 The Call Gene MacLellan
6Cool Green Waters Donna Ramsay
18Don't Hate, Communicate Gary Buck
12Don't It Make You Wanna Go Home Terry Roberts
20Foolin' Around Chaparrel Brothers
12Fortunate Son The Rainvilles
12From Pulpit to Prison Singing Parson
18Hot Wheels Stan Farlow
2My Song for You Mercey Brothers
19Newfie Screech Stevedore Steve
14No Pity for a Fool Mike Graham
2613 Patches Ray Griff
4Pickin' Up the PiecesMercey Brothers
12These ThingsMike Graham
20Thorn in My ShoeGene MacLellan
2To-Ma-Ray Tom-O-Ray Billy Charne
9Trucker's Cafe Great Speckled Bird
3Wait for Sunday Tommy Hunter
4Walk with Your NeighbourTommy Hunter

Top new album releases

SingleArtistRecord Label
Charley Pride's 10th Album Charley Pride RCA
Christmas in My Home Town Charley PrideRCA
Coal Miner's Daughter Loretta Lynn Decca
The Fightin' Side of Me Merle Haggard Capitol
For the Good Times Ray Price Columbia
Hello Darlin' Conway Twitty Decca
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Columbia
Just Plain Charley Charley Pride RCA
Love Is a Sometimes Thing Bill Anderson Decca
Okie From Muskogee Merle Haggard Capitol
Tammy's Touch Tammy Wynette Epic
The Johnny Cash Show Johnny Cash Columbia
The World of Tammy Wynette Tammy WynetteEpic

Other top albums

SingleArtistRecord Label
A Real Live Dolly Dolly Parton RCA
Color Me Country Linda Martell Plantation
Country Boy & Country Girl Jimmy Dean and Dottie West RCA
Forever Yours Dottie WestRCA
Husband Hunting Liz Anderson RCA
I'm Alright Lynn Anderson Chart
If It's All the Same to You Bill Anderson and Jan Howard Decca
Jack Greene, Jeannie Seely Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely Decca
Look at Mine Jody Miller Epic
No Love at All Lynn AndersonColumbia
Rock Me Back to Little Rock Jan HowardDecca
Skid Row Joe: Down in the Alley Porter Wagoner RCA
Snowbird Anne Murray Capitol
Stay There 'Til I Get There Lynn AndersonColumbia
Uptown Country Girl Lynn AndersonChart
We're Gonna Get Together Buck Owens and Susan Raye Capitol
Where Have All Our Heroes Gone Bill Anderson Decca
Here's Loretta Singing "Wings Upon Your Horns" Loretta Lynn Decca

Births

Deaths

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Major awards

Grammy Awards

Juno Awards

Academy of Country Music

Country Music Association

Further reading

Related Research Articles

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1967.

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<i>Okie from Muskogee</i> 1969 live album by Merle Haggard and the Strangers

Okie from Muskogee is the first live album by Merle Haggard and the Strangers released in October 1969 on Capitol Records.