"Wrong Company" | ||||
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Single by Wynn Stewart and Jan Howard | ||||
B-side | "We'll Never Love Again" | |||
Released | March 1960 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:13 | |||
Label | Challenge | |||
Songwriter(s) | Harlan Howard | |||
Producer(s) | Joe Johnson | |||
Wynn Stewartsingles chronology | ||||
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Jan Howardsingles chronology | ||||
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"Wrong Company" is a song written by Harlan Howard that was recorded as a duet by American country artists Wynn Stewart and Jan Howard. Released as a single, it reached the top 30 of the US country chart in 1960. It was among several recordings made by the duo but was their only charting song. The song received a positive response from music publications and authors following its release.
Wynn Stewart was considered one of country music's "leading figures" in their California Bakersfield Sound sub-genre. His 1956 single "Waltz of the Angels" reached the US country top 20 but could not follow the success. Instead, he signed with a new record label from the help of songwriter Harlan Howard. [3] Meanwhile, Harlan's wife, Jan Howard, had recently begun a recording career [4] and the couple's friendship with Stewart led to the pair singing duets. Producer Joe Johnson at Challenge Records believed the pair could have success and started recording them. [5] Among their duets was the song "Wrong Company", [6] which had been written by Harlan Howard. [7]
"Wrong Company" was released as a single by Challenge Records in March 1960. It was distributed as a seven-inch vinyl single and featured a B-side called "We'll Never Love Again" (also a duet between the pairing). [7] The song received a positive response by music publications following its release. Billboard magazine found the song to be "an emotion packed reading" [8] while Cash Box called it a "poignant, middle beat weeper". [1] In his book Country Music: The Rough Guide, Kurt Wolff wrote that "Wrong Company" was among Stewart's "strongest" recordings. [6] "Wrong Company" made its debut on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on May 30, 1960, and spent two weeks there, reaching the number 26 position there. [9] It was the duo's only charting single together despite several recordings made. [2]
7" vinyl single [7]
Chart (1960) | Peak position |
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US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [10] | 26 |
Jan Howard was an American author, as well as a country music singer and songwriter. As a singer, she placed 30 singles on the Billboard country songs chart, was a Grand Ole Opry member and was nominated for several major awards. As a writer, she wrote poems and published an autobiography. She was married to country songwriter Harlan Howard.
"Sing a Sad Song" is a song written by Wynn Stewart. It was recorded notably by Merle Haggard in 1963, whose version became his first major hit. It was later recorded by Stewart himself. In 1976, Stewart's own version became a major hit as well.
"Evil on Your Mind" is a song written by Harlan Howard that was originally recorded by his wife Jan Howard. Released as a single by Decca Records, the song made the US country top ten in 1966 and became one of six top ten singles in Jan Howard's career. The song received positive reception from publications following its release and was later nominated in 1967 by the Grammy Awards. It also served as the title track to her 1966 studio album Jan Howard Sings Evil on Your Mind.
The discography of American country artist Jan Howard contains 17 studio albums, six compilation albums, 51 singles, one box set, two other charted songs and 12 additional album appearances. Her recordings were issued as singles beginning in 1958. The first to chart was issued by Challenge Records called "The One You Slip Around With". Released in 1959, it rose into the US Hot Country Songs top 20. It was followed by two duets with Wynn Stewart, including the chart record "Wrong Company". Howard's debut studio album, Sweet and Sentimental, featured dual credit with The Jordanaires and was issued by Capitol Records in 1962. In 1963, "I Wish I Was a Single Girl Again" reached the top 30 of the US country songs chart.
"Above and Beyond", also known as "Above and Beyond ", is a song written by Harlan Howard and first recorded by American country music singer Wynn Stewart. Stewart's 1959 single release on the Jackpot label did not chart. In 1960, Buck Owens released his own rendition on Capitol Records with "'Til These Dreams Come True" on the B-side, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard country singles charts that year.
"Bad Seed" is a song written by Bill Anderson that was originally recorded by American country artist Jan Howard. Released as a single by Decca Records, it was the second top ten song on the US country chart in Howard's career. It was given reviews by Billboard, Cash Box and Wide Open Country.
"Count Your Blessings, Woman" is a song written by Bill Anderson that was originally recorded by American country artist Jan Howard. Released as a single in 1968, it placed in the top 20 on the US country chart and the top ten on the Canadian country chart. It was released on an album of the same name and was given reviews from both Billboard and Cash Box magazines.
"I Still Believe in Love" is a song written by Bill Anderson that was originally recorded by American country artist Jan Howard. Released as a single by Decca Records, it made the top 40 on the US country chart and the top ten on the Canadian country chart. It was given reviews from both Billboard and Cash Box magazines.
"My Son" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Jan Howard. It is among several songs recorded by country artists during this period that related to the Vietnam War. The song is based on a letter Howard wrote to her son, Jimmy, who was drafted into the war. After writing the letter, she was inspired by family and friends to put it to music. Recording the song in a single take, it was released as a single in 1968.
"The One You Slip Around With" is a song originally written by Harlan Howard and Fuzzy Owen that was originally recorded by American country artist Jan Howard. The wife of Harlan Howard, the song became her first top 20 single on the US country songs chart. It received positive reviews from Billboard and Cash Box magazines following its release.
Jan Howard Sings Evil on Your Mind is a studio album by American country artist Jan Howard. It was released in July 1966 by Decca Records and was her second studio album. The project consisted of 12 tracks featuring both uptempo and ballad material. Its title track was a top five US country song in 1966 and was one of four singles on the album. Another was the charting 1964 song "What Makes a Man Wander?". The album itself made the US country survey following its release and received critical reception from Cash Box magazine.
Bad Seed is a studio album by American country music artist Jan Howard. It was released in November 1966 via Decca Records and featured 12 tracks. The third studio album of her recording career, Bad Seed was named for its title track, which reached the top ten of the country charts in 1966. The disc was met with a favorable review from Cashbox following its release.
This Is Jan Howard Country is a studio album by American country artist Jan Howard. It was released in November 1967 by Decca Records and contained a total of 12 tracks. The album was the fourth released in Howard's career, featuring both uptempo tunes and ballad songs. Along with cover tracks were also new recordings. This included two single releases that made the US country top 40: "Any Old Way You Do" and "Roll Over and Play Dead". The album itself made the US country albums top ten list. It received positive reviews from both Billboard and Cash Box magazines.
"What in the World Has Gone Wrong with Our Love" is a song written by Hank Cochran and Johnny Slate. It was recorded as a duet by American country music artists Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely. It was released as a single by Decca Records in 1972, rising into the top 20 on both the US and Canadian country songs charts. It was the third and final single to make a chart appearance by the duo.
Sweethearts of Country Music is a compilation album by American country artists Wynn Stewart and Jan Howard. It was released in 1960 via Challenge Records and was produced by Joe Johnson. It was the debut album releases for both music artists and their only album releases for the Challenge label. A combination of solo and duet recordings by both artists are featured on the package.
The discography of American country artist Wynn Stewart contains 11 studio albums, nine compilation albums, 50 singles and one charting B-side single. Stewart signed his first recording contract in 1954, releasing his debut single, "I've Waited a Lifetime." He then briefly signed with Capitol Records, where he had his first charting single with "Waltz of the Angels." The song was a major hit, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart in 1956. His follow-up singles to the hit were not a commercial success and Stewart left Capitol. Stewart then signed with Challenge Records where he adapted a new country style. In 1959, his single "Wishful Thinking" became a major hit. The song was his first to reach the top ten on the country chart, peaking at number five in March 1960. Also in 1960, his duet with Jan Howard became a minor charting single. By December 1961, "Big, Big Love" became his third major hit, climbing to number 18 on the Billboard country chart.
"Wishful Thinking" is a song written and recorded by American country artist Wynn Stewart. It was released as a single in 1959 and became a major hit in early 1960.
The Songs of Wynn Stewart is a studio album by American country artist Wynn Stewart. It was released in September 1965 via Capitol Records and was produced by Ken Nelson. The project was Stewart's debut studio recording in his career after nearly a decade prior hits behind him. The album marked Stewart's return to the Capitol label, where he began his recording career in 1956 and left shortly thereafter. Stewart would issued several more studio albums at the label over the next several years.
"Any Old Way You Do" is a song written by Harlan Howard that was originally recorded by his wife and American country artist Jan Howard. Released as a single by Decca Records, it rose into the US country top 40 in 1967 and was later issued on her studio album This Is Jan Howard Country. It was given positive reviews by music publications following its release.
"When We Tried" is a song written by Jerry Chesnut that was originally recorded by American country artist Jan Howard. Released as a single by Decca Records, it made the top 40 on the US country chart in 1969. It was given a positive review by Cash Box magazines and appeared on her eponymous 1969 studio album.