1968 in country music
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See also: 1967 in country music, 1968 in music, other events of 1968, 1969 in country music and the List of years in Country Music
Contents |
[edit] Events
- January 13 — Johnny Cash records his legendary concert at Folsom State Prison. The resulting album, At Folsom Prison, becomes a huge international success and a cornerstone of his music catalog; the lead single, "Folsom Prison Blues" (an update of his 1956 hit) becomes one of the most famous recordings of his career.
- February 1 — Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, is born in Memphis, Tennessee.
- March 1 — Johnny Cash and June Carter are married.
- November — The Country Music Association Awards are aired on television for the first time. Hosted by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the awards show is taped in October and aired on NBC a month later.
- December 3 — Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special airs on NBC. Although this special focuses more on the pop/rock side of his musical talents, the special will reinvigorate Presley's career in both the country and mainstream pop genres.
[edit] Top hits of the year
[edit] Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)
- January 20 - "Sing Me Back Home" - Merle Haggard and the Strangers
- February 3 - "Skip a Rope" - Henson Cargill
- March 9 - "Take Me to Your World" - Tammy Wynette
- March 16 - "A World of Our Own" - Sonny James
- April 6 - "How Long Will My Baby Be Gone" - Buck Owens and the Buckaroos
- April 13 - "You Are My Treasure" - Jack Greene
- April 20 - "Fist City" - Loretta Lynn
- April 27 - "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde" - Merle Haggard and the Strangers
- May 11 - "Have a Little Faith" - David Houston
- May 18 - "I Wanna Live" - Glen Campbell
- May 25 - "Honey" - Bobby Goldsboro
- "I Wanna Live" by Glen Campbell returns to No. 1 on June 15
- June 29 - "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" - Tammy Wynette
- July 20 - "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash
- August 17 - "Heaven Says Hello" - Sonny James
- August 24 - "Already it's Heaven" - David Houston
- August 31 - "Mama Tried" - Merle Haggard and the Strangers
- September 28 - "Harper Valley PTA" - Jeannie C. Riley
- October 19 - "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" - Eddy Arnold
- November 2 - "Next In Line" - Conway Twitty
- November 9 - "I Walk Alone" - Marty Robbins
- November 23 - "Stand by Your Man" - Tammy Wynette
- December 14 - "Born to Be With You" - Sonny James
- December 21 - "Wichita Lineman" - Glen Campbell
[edit] Other major hits
- "Baby's Back Again" - Connie Smith
- "Big Girls Don't Cry" - Lynn Anderson
- "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" – Glen Campbell
- "Country Girl" - Dottie West
- "Dreams of the Everyday Housewife" – Glen Campbell
- "The Easy Part's Over" – Charley Pride
- "Flattery Will Get You Everywhere" - Lynn Anderson
- "The Girl Most Likely" - Jeannie C. Riley
- "The Image of Me" – Conway Twitty
- "The Last Thing on My Mind" – Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
- "No Another Time" - Lynn Anderson
- "Promises, Promises" - Lynn Anderson
- "Run Away Little Tears" - Connie Smith
- "We'll Get Ahead Someday" - Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
- "Wild Weekend" – Bill Anderson
- "Your Squaw's on the Warpath" – Loretta Lynn
[edit] Top new album releases
- The Best of Bobby Bare Vol. 2 - Bobby Bare (RCA)
- The Bottom of the Bottle – Porter Wagoner (RCA)
- Country Girl - Dottie West (RCA)
- D-I-V-O-R-C-E - Tammy Wynette (Epic)
- Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry - Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry (Capitol)
- Harper Valley PTA - Jeannie C. Riley (Plantation)
- Honey - Bobby Goldsboro (United Artists)
- Just Because I'm a Woman - Dolly Parton (RCA)
- Liz Anderson Sings Her Favorites - Liz Anderson (RCA)
- Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash (Columbia)
- Promises, Promises - Lynn Anderson (Chart)
- Walking in Love Land - Eddy Arnold (RCA)
[edit] Births
- March 26 — Kenny Chesney, became one of the genre's leading superstars from the late 1990s.
[edit] Deaths
- June 14 — Ernest "Pop" Stoneman, 75, country music pioneer and leader of the Stoneman Family.
- September 19 — Red Foley, 58, one of country music's top stars of the 1940s and 1950s (heart attack).
[edit] Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
[edit] Major Awards
[edit] Grammy awards
[edit] Academy of Country Music
- Single Of The Year -- "Little Green Apples" - Roger Miller
- Album Of The Year -- Glen Campbell & Bobbie Gentry - Glen Campbell & Bobbie Gentry
- Top Male Vocalist -- Glen Campbell
- Top Female Vocalist -- Cathie Taylor
- Top Vocal Duo -- Johnny Mosby und Jonie Mosby
- Top New Male Vocalist -- Ray Sanders
- Top New Female Vocalist -- Cheryl Poole
[edit] Country Music Association
- Entertainer of the Year --
- Male Vocalist of the Year --
- Female Vocalist of the Year --
- Instrumental Group of the Year –-
- Comedian of the Year –-
- Vocal Group of the Year --
- Vocal Duo of the Year --
- Single of the Year --
- Song of the Year --
- Album of the Year --
- Instrumentalist of the Year --
[edit] Further reading
- 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.
