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1973 in country music
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
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May 2015
May 2015
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1973.
1973
1973 country music
Events
July — The Dean Martin Show becomes known as Dean Martin Presents Music Country for the longtime variety show's summer broadcasts. Country music becomes a staple of Martin's show for the 1973–1974 season — its last on the air, as it turns out.
July 4 — Willie Nelson hosts his first Fourth of July picnic.
July 14 — Billboard increases the number of positions for its Hot Country Singles chart to 100 (up from 75), which it would keep until January 1990. The expansion comes at a time when the number of No. 1 songs in a given year continues to increase; for the first time in history, there are at least 35 No. 1 songs in one year.December 2018
September — Jimmy Dean's third country music TV series, The Jimmy Dean Show, premieres in syndication for what will be a two-season run.
October 6 — Country music's most successful syndicated radio countdown program to date, "American Country Countdown," makes its debut. The three-hour program is created by Casey Kasem and Don Bustany, and is modeled after American Top 40 (which Kasem also hosted). Comedian Don Bowman) is the original host,December 2018 but by 1978, he would be replaced by Bob Kingsley.
October — The new Radio & Records magazine includes a 50-position country singles chart.December 2018
November 10 — One of Nashville's most notoriousDecember 2018 murders makes national headlines when David Akeman (aka Stringbean) and his wife, Estelle, are killed when they interrupt a burglary after returning home. Their bodies are found the next day. Their assailants—brothers John and Marvin Douglas—are later captured, convicted and sentenced to prison.December 2018 Stringbean, who was 58, was best known to his audiences for his role on the syndicated series "Hee Haw."
Top hits of the year
Number one hits
United States
(as certified by Billboard)
DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1CAN peakSpec. NoteJanuary 20Soul SongJoe Stampley12ref_A[A]January 27(Old Dogs, Children And) Watermelon WineTom T. Hall1February 3She Needs Someone to Hold Her (When She Cries)Conway Twitty28February 17I Wonder If They Ever Think of MeMerle Haggard1February 24Rated "X"Loretta Lynn1March 3The Lord Knows I'm DrinkingCal Smith12ref_A[A]March 10'Til I Get it RightTammy Wynette1March 17The Teddy Bear SongBarbara Fairchild2ref_C[C]March 31Keep Me in MindLynn Anderson1April 7Super Kind of WomanFreddie Hart1April 14A Shoulder to Cry OnCharley Pride1April 21SupermanDonna Fargo1April 28Behind Closed DoorsCharlie Rich2ref_A[A]May 12Come Live with MeRoy Clark1ref_C[C]May 19What's Your Mama's NameTanya Tucker1ref_A[A]May 26Satin SheetsJeanne Pruett33ref_2[2], ref_C[C]
Returned to Number One on June 23.June 9You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)Johnny Rodriguez1ref_A[A]June 16Kids Say the Darndest ThingsTammy Wynette12June 30Don't Fight the Feelings of LoveCharley Pride1July 7Why MeKris Kristofferson1ref_A[A]July 14Love Is the FoundationLoretta Lynn2July 28You Were Always ThereDonna Fargo1August 4Lord, Mr. FordJerry Reed12August 11Trip to HeavenFreddie Hart1ref_B[B]August 18Louisiana Woman, Mississippi ManConway Twittyand Loretta Lynn1August 25Everybody's Had the BluesMerle Haggard2September 8You've Never Been This Far BeforeConway Twitty3ref_1[1]September 29Blood Red and Goin' DownTanya Tucker1October 6You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to MeRay Price12ref_B[B]October 13Ridin' My Thumb to MexicoJohnny Rodriguez2October 27We're Gonna Hold OnGeorge Jonesand Tammy Wynette22November 10Paper RosesMarie Osmond2ref_A[A]November 24The Most Beautiful GirlCharlie Rich3December 15Amazing LoveCharley Pride1December 22If We Make It Through DecemberMerle Haggard4
Notes
1endnote_1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
2endnote_2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
Aendnote_A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
Bendnote_B^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
Cendnote_C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
Canada
(as certified by RPM)
DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1U.S. peakSpec. NoteJanuary 13Love's the AnswerTanya Tucker15ref_A[A]January 20(Old Dogs, Children And) Watermelon WineTom T. Hall1ref_A[A]January 27Danny's SongAnne Murray110February 3I Wonder If They Ever Think of MeMerle Haggard1February 10Rated "X"Loretta Lynn2February 24'Til I Get it RightTammy Wynette1March 3Any Old Wind That BlowsJohnny Cash23March 17The Teddy Bear SongBarbara Fairchild2ref_A[A]March 31Keep Me in MindLynn Anderson2April 14Super Kind of WomanFreddie Hart1April 21A Shoulder to Cry OnCharley Pride1April 28SupermanDonna Fargo1May 5Behind Closed DoorsCharlie Rich1ref_A[A]May 12Nobody WinsBrenda Lee15ref_C[C]May 19Come Live with MeRoy Clark1ref_A[A]May 26What's Your Mama's NameTanya Tucker1June 2Dirty Old ManGeorge Hamilton IV238ref_B[B]June 16Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak TreeJohnny Carver15ref_C[C]June 23You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)Johnny Rodriguez1ref_A[A]June 30Don't Fight the Feelings of LoveCharley Pride3ref_2[2]
Fell to #3 on the week of July 7.July 7Ravishing RubyTom T. Hall13July 14Why MeKris Kristofferson1ref_A[A]July 21Love Is the FoundationLoretta Lynn1August 11You Were Always ThereDonna Fargo1August 18Top of the WorldLynn Anderson22September 1Trip to HeavenFreddie Hart1September 8Louisiana Woman, Mississippi ManConway Twitty andLoretta Lynn2September 22Everybody's Had the BluesMerle Haggard1September 29The Corner of My LifeBill Anderson12October 6You've Never Been This Far BeforeConway Twitty2October 20Blood Red and Goin' DownTanya Tucker1October 27Kid StuffBarbara Fairchild12ref_B[B]November 3Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon BeerJohnny Russell24ref_C[C]November 17Ridin' My Thumb to MexicoJohnny Rodriguez1November 24Paper RosesMarie Osmond2ref_A[A]December 8The Most Beautiful GirlCharlie Rich4
Notes
2endnote_2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
Aendnote_A^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
Bendnote_B^ Last RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
Cendnote_C^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
Other major hits
Singles released by American artists
USCANSingleArtist2219Afraid I'll Want to Love Her One More TimeBilly "Crash" Craddock2310After YouHank Williams, Jr.147Ain't It Amazing GracieBuck Owens1363All in the Name of LoveNarvel Felts164Always on My MindElvis Presley129Am I That Easy to ForgetJim Reeves22Baby's GoneConway Twitty225Blue Train (Of the Heartbreak Line)George Hamilton IV74Bring It on Home (To Your Woman)Joe Stampley1511Broad-Minded ManJim Ed Brown64Can I Sleep in Your ArmsJeannie Seely269Carry Me BackThe Statler Brothers123Catfish JohnJohnny Russell1820Cheating GameSusan Raye3015ChildrenJohnny Cash12—Come Early MorningDon Williams29Country SunshineDottie West3318Daisy a DayJud Strunk53Darling, You Can Always Come Back HomeJody Miller24Do You Know What It's Like to Be LonesomeJerry Wallace312Don't Give Up on MeJerry Wallace848Drift AwayNarvel Felts2012Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-DeeJerry Lee Lewis59Dueling BanjosEric Weissberg and Steve Mandell312The Emptiest Arms in the WorldMerle Haggard99Good NewsJody Miller23Good ThingsDavid Houston1436Got Leaving on Her MindNat Stuckey1214HankHank Williams, Jr.1420Hello We're LonelyPatti Page and Tom T. Hall1713Honky Tonk WineWayne Kemp1211I Can't Believe That It's All OverSkeeter Davis1014I Hate YouRonnie Milsap43I Love You More and More EverydaySonny James113I Need Somebody BadJack Greene16—I Recall a Gypsy WomanTommy Cash2214I Used It All on YouNat Stuckey2416I Wish (You Had Stayed)Brian Collins710I'll Never Break These ChainsTommy Overstreet88I'm Your WomanJeanne Pruett1511If She Just Helps Me Get Over YouSonny James35If Teardrops Were PenniesPorter Wagoner and Dolly Parton22If You Can Live with It (I Can Live Without It)Bill Anderson35If You Can't Feel It (It Ain't There)Freddie Hart269If You're Goin' GirlDon Gibson2216It'll Be HerDavid Rogers2022It's a Man's World (If You Had a Man Like Mine)Diana Trask1718Just Thank MeDavid Rogers99Just What I Had in MindFaron Young1910Keep on Truckin'Dave Dudley34Last Love SongHank Williams, Jr.711Let Me Be ThereOlivia Newton-John1712LilaDoyle Holly22Little Girl GoneDonna Fargo86Love Is the Look You're Looking forConnie Smith93Love MeMarty Robbins1718Love Sure Feels Good in My HeartSusan Raye58Lovin' on Back StreetsMel Street75The Midnight OilBarbara Mandrell2010Monday Morning SecretaryThe Statler Brothers23Mr. LovemakerJohnny Paycheck1510My Tennessee Mountain HomeDolly Parton717Neither One of UsBob Luman33Neon RoseMel Tillis193No More Hanging OnJerry Lee Lewis78Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half as Bad as Losing You)George Jones3317One Last TimeGlen Campbell148Open Up Your HeartRoger Miller97Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)Johnny Rodriguez137The Perfect StrangerFreddy Weller114Ride Me Down EasyBobby Bare1712SatisfactionJack Greene25SawmillMel Tillis158Say WhenDiana Trask505Second Cup of CoffeeGeorge Hamilton IV710Send Me No RosesTommy Overstreet156She Fights That Lovin' FeelingFaron Young113She Loves Me (Right Out of My Mind)Freddy Weller36She's All WomanDavid Houston2043She's My RockStoney Edwards14—The Shelter of Your EyesDon Williams33Sing About LoveLynn Anderson1413Slippin' and Slidin'Billy "Crash" Craddock43Slippin' AwayJean Shepard2815So Many WaysEddy Arnold1020Something About You I LoveJohnny Paycheck66Sometimes a Memory Ain't EnoughJerry Lee Lewis2116Sound of GoodbyeJerry Wallace66Southern LovingJim Ed Brown3120Steamroller Blues/FoolElvis Presley68Sunday SunriseBrenda Lee68Sweet Country WomanJohnny Duncan1014Take Time to Love HerNat Stuckey1842Talkin' with My LadyJohnny Duncan2112Thank You for Being YouMel Tillis818'Till the Water Stops Runnin'Billy "Crash" Craddock1223Too Far GoneJoe Stampley87Too Much Monkey BusinessFreddy Weller65Touch the MorningDon Gibson2012Travelin' ManDolly Parton116Walk Softly on the BridgesMel Street65Walking Piece of HeavenMarty Robbins1620Watergate BluesTom T. Hall2817We Had It AllWaylon Jennings6—What My Woman Can't DoGeorge Jones3217When a Man Loves a Woman (The Way That I Love You)Tony Booth2030Wherefore and WhyGlen Campbell1338Whole World's Making Love Again TonightBobby G. Rice1311You Ain't Gonna Have Ol' Buck to Kick Around No MoreBuck Owens88You Ask Me ToWaylon Jennings72You Can Have HerWaylon Jennings88You Give Me YouBobby G. Rice3013You Know WhoBobby Bare37You Lay So Easy on My MindBobby G. Rice611You Really Haven't ChangedJohnny Carver188You Took All the Ramblin' Out of MeJerry Reed3619Your Side of the BedMac Davis
Singles released by Canadian artists
USCANSingleArtist—20All Them Irons in the FireCarroll Baker—12Blind Jonathon/Make It Over the HillDianne Leigh—18But Tomorrow There's Another DayHank Smith—5Carpenter of WoodCliff Edwards—18Champlain and St. Lawrence LineOrval Prophet—8The Farmer's SongMurray McLauchlan—16The Feeling's Too StrongFamily Brown—13Flying EastSharon Lowness—19Going Home to the CountryDick Damron—19Highway DrivingAlabama—4It's So Easy to Please MeMercey Brothers—12It's Worth Believin'Gordon Lightfoot—15Judgment Day ExpressOrval Prophet—19Meant to Be with MeMercey Brothers7120North to ChicagoHank Snow—15Old Ira GrayDallas Harms—14Pictou County JailJim and Don Haggart—20The PrisonerShannon Two Feathers7910Send a Little Love My WayAnne Murray—18Too Many MemoriesJoe Firth202What About MeAnne Murray465What Got to You (Before It Got to Me)Ray Griff—16The World I Know Is NowCarroll Baker
Top new album releases
AlbumArtistRecord LabelBillBill AndersonMCABubbling OverDolly PartonRCACan I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky LadiesJeannie SeelyMCACountry SunshineDottie WestRCAEntertainer of the YearLoretta LynnDeccaFull MoonKris Kristofferson and Rita CoolidgeA&MGood News!Jody MillerEpicHonky Tonk HeroesWaylon JenningsRCAKid StuffBarbara FairchildColumbiaLouisiana Woman, Mississippi ManConway Twitty and Loretta LynnMCALove and MusicPorter Wagoner and Dolly PartonRCALove Is the FoundationLoretta LynnMCAMy Second AlbumDonna FargoDotMy Tennessee Mountain HomeDolly PartonRCASatin SheetsJeanne PruettMCASlippin' AwayJean ShepardUnited ArtistsShotgun WillieWillie NelsonAtlanticTop of the WorldLynn AndersonColumbiaWe Found ItPorter Wagoner and Dolly PartonRCAWhat's Your Mama's NameTanya TuckerColumbia
Other top new albums
AlbumArtistRecord LabelBrendaBrenda LeeMCACheating GameSusan RayeCapitolCountry KeepsakesWanda JacksonCapitolDaisy a DayJud StrunkMGMEntertainer of the Year - LorettaLoretta LynnMCAIt's a Man's WorldDiana TraskDotKeep Me in MindLynn AndersonColumbiaLet Me Be ThereOlivia Newton-JohnMCAThe Midnight OilBarbara MandrellColumbiaNew SunriseBrenda LeeMCARub it InBilly "Crash" CraddockABC-DotWhere My Heart IsRonnie MilsapRCA
Births
March 6 — Trent Willmon, rising country music star of the early- to mid-2000s (decade).
May 24 — Jill Johnson, Swedish female country singer.
June 6 — Lisa Brokop, Canadian country star of the 1990s and early-2000s (decade).
June 26 — Gretchen Wilson, singer-songwriter and key member of the MuzikMafia of the 2000s (decade).
July 29 — James Otto, rising male vocalist of the 2000s (decade).
August 8 — Mark Wills, country star of the mid-to-late-1990s and early-2000s (decade) ("19 Somethin'", "Wish You Were Here").
August 13 — Andy Griggs, country music star of late-1990s and early-2000s (decade).
November 19 — Billy Currington, rising star of the mid-2000s (decade).
Deaths
March 26 – Don Messer, 63, Canadian fiddler and folk music icon whose career spanned 40 years (heart attack).
September 19 — Gram Parsons, 26, influential country rock and alt-country singer-songwriter-guitarist who was a member of such bands as The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, and also recorded a critically acclaimed body of solo recordings (drug overdose).
November 10 — Stringbean, 58, banjo player and comedian on the TV series Hee Haw (homicide).
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
Chet Atkins (1924–2001)
Patsy Cline (1932–1963), first female to be inducted as a solo act.
Major awards
Grammy Awards
Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Let Me Be There", Olivia Newton-John
Best Male Country Vocal Performance —c"Behind Closed Doors", Charlie Rich
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "From the Bottle to the Bottom", Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge
Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Dueling Banjos", Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell
Best Country Song — "Behind Closed Doors", Kenny O'Dell (Performer: Charlie Rich)
Juno Awards
Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Stompin' Tom Connors
Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Shirley Eikhard
Country Group or Duo of the Year — Mercey Brothers
Academy of Country Music
Entertainer of the Year — Roy Clark
Song of the Year — "Behind Closed Doors", Kenny O'Dell (Performer: Charlie Rich)
Single of the Year — "Behind Closed Doors", Charlie Rich
Album of the Year — Behind Closed Doors, Charlie Rich
Top Male Vocalist — Charlie Rich
Top Female Vocalist — Loretta Lynn
Top Vocal Group — Brush Arbor
Top New Male Vocalist — Dorsey Burnette
Top New Female Vocalist — Olivia Newton-John
Country Music Association
Entertainer of the Year — Roy Clark
Song of the Year — "Behind Closed Doors", Kenny O'Dell (Performer: Charlie Rich)
Single of the Year — "Behind Closed Doors", Charlie Rich
Album of the Year — Behind Closed Doors, Charlie Rich
Male Vocalist of the Year — Charlie Rich
Female Vocalist of the Year — Loretta Lynn
Vocal Duo of the Year — Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
Vocal Group of the Year — The Statler Brothers
Instrumentalist of the Year — Charlie McCoy
Instrumental Group of the Year — Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass
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 (0-8118-3572-3)
Millard, Bob, Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music, HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (0-06-273244-7)
Whitburn, Joel, Top Country Songs 1944–2005 (6th Edition). 2005.
References
Brooks, Tim and Earl Marsh. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows Eighth Ed., Ballantine Books, 2003. 0-345-45542-8
Erickson, Hal. Syndicated Television: The First Forty Years, 1947–1987. McFarland & Co. Inc. Publishers, Jefferson, North Carolina, 1989. 0-89950-410-8.
Hendler, Herb, Year by Year in the Rock Era: Events and Conditions Shaping the Rock Generations That Reshaped America, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, 1983. 0-313-23456-6
Other links
Country Music Association
Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame
External links
Country Music Hall of Fame
Country
Category:Country music by year