1976 in country music
Appearance
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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1976.
By location |
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By genre |
By topic |
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Events
[edit]- January 3 — Austin City Limits debuts as a regular series on PBS. For many years, the show is taped at the University of Texas at Austin. Although not exclusively country — styles would range from western swing, Texas blues, Tejano music, progressive country, rock n' roll, jazz, alternative country, alternative rock, folk music and jam band — the show is widely hailed as a showcase of music of diverse styles and would be heavily influential in many country music artists' styles.
No dates
[edit]- The CB radio craze was sweeping country music, as no less than three No. 1 songs are about citizens-band radios. C. W. McCall's "Convoy" — about a band of truck drivers who fight back against redneck police officers — spends four of its six weeks at No. 1 in January, and goes on to be Billboard's No. 1 country song of 1976. Other top songs where CB radios were central to the plot were:
- "The White Knight" by Cledus Maggard & The Citizen's Band, about a lead-footed truck driver who is led into a speed trap by a corrupt state trooper.
- "Teddy Bear" by Red Sovine, a sentimental recitation about a fatherless, physically handicapped boy who keeps in touch with truck drivers. He states his lone wish is to ride around with his father, but since that can't happen, other truck drivers make good on the wish by showing up at the young lad's home and giving him rides.
- Production began on Dolly Parton's syndicated variety show Dolly! Though Parton was said to have been less than pleased with the end result, and the show only lasted for one season, it expanded her audience at a time when she was in the midst of refocusing her career from that of a specifically country performer to an entertainer with broader pop and mainstream appeal.
Top hits of the year
[edit]Number one hits
[edit]United States
[edit](as certified by Billboard)
- Notes
Canada
[edit](as certified by RPM)
- Notes
Other major hits
[edit]Singles released by American artists
[edit]US | CAN | Single | Artist |
---|---|---|---|
3 | 3 | 9,999,999 Tears | Dickey Lee |
8 | — | After the Storm | Wynn Stewart |
9 | 16 | Afternoon Delight | Johnny Carver |
20 | 5 | All the King's Horses | Lynn Anderson |
9 | 10 | Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song) | Amazing Rhythm Aces |
24 | 19 | Another Morning | Jim Ed Brown |
3 | 6 | Baby Boy | Mary Kay Place |
16 | 34 | The Battle | George Jones |
20 | — | Because You Believed In Me | Gene Watson |
5 | 5 | Broken Lady | Larry Gatlin |
22 | 7 | A Butterfly for Bucky | Bobby Goldsboro |
17 | 13 | Can You Hear Those Pioneers | Rex Allen, Jr. |
15 | — | Cheatin' Is | Barbara Fairchild |
8 | 10 | Come on In | Sonny James |
5 | 3 | Come on Over | Olivia Newton-John |
13 | 6 | Cowboy | Eddy Arnold |
4 | 2 | Don't Pull Your Love | Glen Campbell |
14 | 12 | Don't Stop Believin' | Olivia Newton-John |
19 | 18 | Don't Stop in My World (If You Don't Mean to Stay) | Billy Walker |
17 | 18 | Drop Kick Me Jesus | Bobby Bare |
12 | 20 | The End Is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune) | Amazing Rhythm Aces |
12 | 26 | Everything I Own | Joe Stampley |
21 | 15 | Feel Again | Faron Young |
18 | 9 | Flash of Fire | Hoyt Axton |
12 | 28 | Fly Away | John Denver |
17 | 8 | Forever Lovers | Mac Davis |
9 | 12 | Fox on the Run | Tom T. Hall |
18 | 14 | The Good Night Special | Little David Wilkins |
23 | 20 | Greener Than the Grass (We Laid On) | Tanya Tucker |
2 | 3 | Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life | Moe Bandy |
3 | 3 | Her Name Is | George Jones |
15 | 23 | Here Comes That Girl Again | Tommy Overstreet |
11 | 13 | Here I Am Drunk Again | Moe Bandy |
19 | 11 | Hey, Lucky Lady | Dolly Parton |
28 | 15 | Hey Shirley (This Is Squirrely) | Shirley & Squirrely |
5 | 2 | Hillbilly Heart | Johnny Rodriguez |
6 | — | Home Made Love | Thom Bresh |
16 | — | Honey Hungry | Mike Lunsford |
6 | — | Hurt | Elvis Presley |
9 | 38 | I.O.U. | Jimmy Dean |
3 | 2 | I Couldn't Be Me Without You | Johnny Rodriguez |
13 | — | I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore | Connie Smith |
15 | — | I Loved You All the Way | Donna Fargo |
10 | — | I Met a Friend of Yours Today | Mel Street |
2 | 2 | I Wonder If I Ever Said Goodbye | Johnny Rodriguez |
11 | 7 | I'd Have to Be Crazy | Willie Nelson |
12 | 7 | I'll Be Your San Antone Rose | Dottsy |
3 | 2 | I'm Gonna Love You | Dave & Sugar |
17 | 17 | I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry | Terry Bradshaw |
16 | 25 | I'm Sorry Charlie | Joni Lee |
2 | — | If I Had It to Do All Over Again | Roy Clark |
15 | 14 | In Some Room Above the Street | Gary Stewart |
8 | 6 | Is Forever Longer Than Always | Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton |
11 | 20 | It's Morning (And I Still Love You) | Jessi Colter |
4 | 5 | Just in Case | Ronnie Milsap |
19 | 39 | Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) | Kenny Rogers |
3 | 5 | Lawdy Miss Clawdy | Mickey Gilley |
5 | 12 | Let It Shine | Olivia Newton-John |
6 | 14 | Let's Put It Back Together Again | Jerry Lee Lewis |
34 | 8 | Like a Sad Song | John Denver |
18 | 48 | Little at a Time | Sunday Sharpe |
11 | — | Lone Star Beer and Bob Wills Music | Red Steagall |
5 | 5 | Lonely Teardrops | Narvel Felts |
17 | 23 | Longhaired Redneck | David Allan Coe |
16 | 4 | Lookin' for Tomorrows (And Findin' Yesterdays) | Mel Tillis |
19 | 25 | Love Lifted Me | Kenny Rogers |
11 | 15 | Love Revival | Mel Tillis |
23 | 17 | Lovin' Somebody on a Rainy Night | LaCosta |
15 | 36 | Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys | Ed Bruce |
36 | 20 | A Mansion on the Hill | Michael Martin Murphey |
12 | 8 | Me and Ole C.B. | Dave Dudley |
15 | 9 | Mental Revenge | Mel Tillis |
5 | 4 | Misty Blue | Billie Jo Spears |
20 | 40 | Mr. Doodles | Donna Fargo |
14 | — | My Prayer | Narvel Felts |
24 | 17 | Negatory Romance | Tom T. Hall |
18 | 28 | Never Did Like Whiskey | Billie Jo Spears |
16 | 37 | The Night Time and My Baby | Joe Stampley |
23 | 17 | Oh, Sweet Temptations | Gary Stewart |
3 | 2 | One of These Days | Emmylou Harris |
7 | 4 | Overnight Sensation | Mickey Gilley |
26 | 16 | Paradise | Lynn Anderson |
10 | 7 | Peanuts and Diamonds | Bill Anderson |
14 | 3 | The Prisoner's Song | Sonny James |
20 | 26 | Red, White and Blue | Loretta Lynn |
17 | — | Redneck! (The Redneck National Anthem) | Vernon Oxford |
2 | 6 | Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming) | Willie Nelson |
17 | — | Sad Country Song | Thom Bresh |
10 | — | Save Your Kisses for Me | Margo Smith |
18 | 14 | See You on Sunday | Glen Campbell |
2 | 2 | She Never Knew Me | Don Williams |
12 | 6 | She'll Throw Stones at You | Freddie Hart |
8 | 13 | Show Me a Man | T. G. Sheppard |
20 | 12 | Silver Wings and Golden Rings | Billie Jo Spears |
10 | 10 | Since I Fell for You | Charlie Rich |
14 | 11 | Solitary Man | T. G. Sheppard |
10 | 27 | Somebody Hold Me (Until She Passes By) | Narvel Felts |
9 | 5 | Sometimes I Talk in My Sleep | Randy Cornor |
5 | 37 | Standing Room Only | Barbara Mandrell |
4 | 13 | Stranger | Johnny Duncan |
13 | 33 | Sun Comin' Up | Nat Stuckey |
2 | 2 | Suspicious Minds | Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter |
12 | — | The Sweetest Gift | Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris |
7 | — | Take My Breath Away | Margo Smith |
18 | — | Teardrops in My Heart | Rex Allen, Jr. |
10 | — | Thank God I've Got You | The Statler Brothers |
11 | — | That Look in Her Eyes | Freddie Hart |
27 | 17 | That'll Be the Day | Linda Ronstadt |
16 | 27 | That's What Friends Are For | Barbara Mandrell |
7 | 2 | That's What Made Me Love You | Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner |
19 | 8 | There Won't Be No Country Music (There Won't Be No Rock 'n' Roll) |
C. W. McCall |
21 | 14 | Think Summer | Roy Clark |
11 | 25 | The Tracks of My Tears | Linda Ronstadt |
29 | 10 | Truck Drivin' Man | Red Steagall |
7 | 4 | Walk Softly | Billy "Crash" Craddock |
5 | 3 | What I've Got in Mind | Billie Jo Spears |
6 | 5 | When Something Is Wrong with My Baby | Sonny James |
2 | 3 | When the Tingle Becomes a Chill | Loretta Lynn |
16 | 31 | Whiskey Talkin' | Joe Stampley |
22 | 13 | Wichita Jail | Charlie Daniels |
13 | — | The Wild Side of Life | Freddy Fender |
13 | — | The Winner | Bobby Bare |
13 | 16 | Without Your Love (Mr. Jordan) | Charlie Ross |
16 | 17 | You Are So Beautiful | Ray Stevens |
10 | 42 | You Could Know as Much About a Stranger | Gene Watson |
4 | 4 | You Rubbed It in All Wrong | Billy "Crash" Craddock |
3 | 3 | You've Got Me to Hold On To | Tanya Tucker |
13 | 19 | Your Picture in the Paper | The Statler Brothers |
Singles released by Canadian artists
[edit]US | CAN | Single | Artist |
---|---|---|---|
— | 16 | Baby Pictures | Chris Nielsen |
82 | 13 | Big Big World | Ronnie Prophet |
— | 19 | Bobbie's Trains | Ron McLeod |
— | 11 | Breaking Up with Brenda | Canadian Zephyr |
— | 9 | California Dream | Colin Butler |
19 | 5 | The Call | Anne Murray |
— | 17 | Did I Forget to Tell Her | Jerry Palmer |
— | 7 | Feelin' Kinda Lucky Tonight | Ray Materick |
— | 13 | Go Gently | Dianne Leigh |
41 | 18 | Golden Oldie | Anne Murray |
— | 3 | Good Ol' Fashion Memories | Dick Damron |
— | 19 | He Loves Me When He's Got the Time | Post Family |
— | 17 | Honest Love | Ronnie Kartman |
— | 13 | The Hooker | George Rowsell |
— | 19 | I Wanna Be Bad | Julie Lynn |
— | 15 | If You Don't Laugh | Hank Smith |
— | 11 | Jesse | Patti MacDonnell |
— | 9 | Let Me Do Something Lord | Blake Emmons |
— | 8 | Lisa Mae | Orval Prophet |
— | 10 | Lost in a Love Song | Christopher Ward |
— | 12 | Lovin' You from a Distance | Mercey Brothers |
— | 15 | Mama's Voice | R. Harlan Smith |
— | 15 | Midnight Flight | The Good Brothers |
— | 12 | Mornings Breaking Over California | Brian Austin |
— | 3 | Mule Skinner Blues | Jerry Palmer |
— | 13 | My Love for You | Newman Sisters |
— | 8 | Not So Far Away | Donna Moon |
— | 20 | Old Loves Never Die | Mercey Brothers |
— | 8 | Outlaw Heroes | Roy Payne |
— | 9 | Rainin' in My Heart | Ronnie Burla |
— | 15 | Rusty Come Back | R. Harlan Smith |
— | 20 | Sadie the Cleaning Lady | Carlton Showband |
36 | 13 | Shine On | Ronnie Prophet |
— | 20 | That's the Kind of Man I Am | The Good Brothers |
24 | 9 | That's What I Get (For Doin' My Own Thinkin') | Ray Griff |
22 | 10 | Things | Anne Murray |
— | 19 | Traveling Road Show Band | Tony White |
— | 13 | Two of a Kind | Burton & Honeyman |
— | 15 | Universal Girl | R. Harlan Smith |
— | 14 | You Know I Want You | Chris Nielsen |
Top Albums
[edit]Single | Artist | Record Label |
---|---|---|
All I Can Do | Dolly Parton | RCA |
Come on Over | Olivia Newton-John | MCA |
Crystal | Crystal Gayle | United Artists |
Crystal Lady | Olivia Newton-John | MCA |
Dave & Sugar | Dave & Sugar | RCA |
Don't Stop Believin' | Olivia Newton-John | MCA |
Golden Ring | George Jones and Tammy Wynette | Epic |
Harmony | Don Williams | ABC |
Here's Some Love | Tanya Tucker | MCA |
Hotel California | Eagles | Asylum |
Lovin' and Learnin' | Tanya Tucker | MCA |
One Piece at a Time | Johnny Cash | Columbia |
Sometimes | Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner | MCA |
The Sound in Your Mind | Willie Nelson | Columbia |
Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) | The Eagles | Asylum |
The Troublemaker | Willie Nelson | Columbia |
Wanted! The Outlaws | Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Tompall Glaser and Jessi Colter | RCA |
What I've Got in Mind | Billie Jo Spears | United Artists |
Other new albums
[edit]Single | Artist | Record Label |
---|---|---|
2020 Vision | Ronnie Milsap | RCA |
Alone Again | George Jones | Epic |
The Best of Johnny Duncan | Johnny Duncan | Columbia |
I'm Not Easy | Billie Jo Spears | United Artists |
If You're Ever In Texas | Freddy Fender | ABC-Dot |
Just For the Record | Ray Stevens | Warner Bros. |
Live | Ronnie Milsap | RCA |
Lynn Anderson's Greatest Hits, Volume II | Lynn Anderson | Columbia |
Mercy, Ain't Love Good | Jean Shepard | United Artists |
Peanuts and Diamonds and Other Jewels | Bill Anderson | MCA |
Rock 'n' Country | Freddy Fender | ABC-Dot |
Song Bird | Margo Smith | Warner Bros. |
Sunday Morning with Charley Pride | Charley Pride | RCA Victor |
Thinkin' of a Rendezvous | Johnny Duncan | Columbia |
This Is Barbara Mandrell | Barbara Mandrell | ABC-Dot |
'Til I Can Make It on My Own | Tammy Wynette | Epic |
Your Cheatin' Heart | Freddy Fender | ABC-Dot |
Births
[edit]- March 17 — Kiefer Thompson, of Thompson Square.
- June 18 — Blake Shelton, neotraditionalist of the 2000s.
- June 18 — busbee (born Michael Busbee), songwriter and producer of the 2010s.[1] (died 2019)
- July 17 – Luke Bryan, singer-songwriter who rose to fame with songs like "Someone Else Calling You Baby" and "I Don't Want This Night to End".
- October 19 — Cyndi Thomson, female vocalist who enjoyed brief fame in the early 2000s.
- October 30 — Kassidy Osborn, member of SHeDAISY.
- November 26 — Joe Nichols, neotraditionalist of the 2000s.
- December 7 – Sunny Sweeney, female vocalist of the 2010s, with hits like "From a Table Away."
Deaths
[edit]![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (July 2010) |
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
[edit]- Paul Cohen (1908–1970)
- Kitty Wells (1919–2012)
Major awards
[edit]Grammy Awards
[edit]- Best Female Country Vocal Performance — Elite Hotel, Emmylou Harris
- Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "(I'm a) Stand by My Woman Man", Ronnie Milsap
- Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "The End is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune)", Amazing Rhythm Aces
- Best Country Instrumental Performance — Chester and Lester, Chet Atkins and Les Paul
- Best Country Song — "Broken Lady", Larry Gatlin (Performer: Larry Gatlin)
Juno Awards
[edit]- Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Murray McLauchlan
- Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Anne Murray
- Country Group or Duo of the Year — Mercey Brothers
Academy of Country Music
[edit]- Entertainer of the Year — Mickey Gilley
- Song of the Year — "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time", Baker Knight (Performer: Mickey Gilley)
- Single of the Year — "Bring It On Home to Me", Mickey Gilley
- Album of the Year — Gilley's Smoking, Mickey Gilley
- Top Male Vocalist — Mickey Gilley
- Top Female Vocalist — Crystal Gayle
- Top Vocal Duo — Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
- Top New Male Vocalist — Moe Bandy
- Top New Female Vocalist — Billie Jo Spears
Country Music Association
[edit]- Entertainer of the Year — Mel Tillis
- Song of the Year — "Rhinestone Cowboy", Larry Weiss (Performer: Glen Campbell)
- Single of the Year — "Good Hearted Woman", Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
- Album of the Year — Wanted! The Outlaws, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Tompall Glaser and Jessi Colter
- Male Vocalist of the Year — Ronnie Milsap
- Female Vocalist of the Year — Dolly Parton
- Vocal Duo of the Year — Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
- Vocal Group of the Year — The Statler Brothers
- Instrumentalist of the Year — Hargus "Pig" Robbins
- Instrumental Group of the Year — Roy Clark and Buck Trent
Further reading
[edit]- 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.