1980 in country music

none May 2015 May 2015 This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1980. 1980 1980 country music Events January 25 — At age 84, octogenarian comedian George Burns becomes by far the oldest performer (to that time) to have a single in the top 40 of Billboards Hot Country Singles chart with "I Wish I Was 18 Again." The song peaks at No. 15 in March. March 2 — The Public Broadcasting Company (PBS) telecasts the Grand Ole Opry for the third time, and this telecast lasts longer than any of the other telecasts. The telecast featured Tom T. Hall, Ronnie Milsap, Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Minnie Pearl, Porter Wagoner, Billy Grammer, George Hamilton IV, Marty Robbins, and many others. Sissy Spacek also appeared on this telecast with Loretta Lynn, promoting the new movie Coal Miner's Daughter, which opened the next week. March — Alabama, a southern rock-influenced band from Fort Payne, Alabama, signs a recording contract with RCA Records, and records its first album, My Home's in Alabama. The album is released in May, and by late in the year, the band was on its way to superstardom. April 19 — For the first time in chart history, the top 5 positions on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart are held (or co-held) by female artists. The list: "It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" by Crystal Gayle "A Lesson in Leavin'" by Dottie West "Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me Again" by Debby Boone "Beneath Still Waters" by Emmylou Harris "Two Story House" by Tammy Wynette (Duet with George Jones) July 5 — George Jones' classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today" reaches #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. November 18 — The country-variety TV series, Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, debuts. Country music goes Hollywood Country music had a major impact on the motion picture industry throughout the year, with no less than four major box office hits released during the year: March 7 — Coal Miner's Daughter, the biography of Loretta Lynn told in film, opens. Sissy Spacek wins that year's Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Lynn; Tommy Lee Jones and Beverly D'Angelo also play leading roles. The movie is a huge success with critics and at the box office, and briefly sparks Spacek's singing career. June 6 — The movie Urban Cowboy, starring John Travolta and Debra Winger, opens in American theaters. The movie — which showcases Mickey Gilley's nightclub, Gilley's — is a huge success at the box office ($54 million), and its soundtrack includes several major hits and makes stars out of several of the artists (most notably Johnny Lee), and will have a major impact on the direction of country music of the early 1980s. July 18 — Honeysuckle Rose, starring Willie Nelson, opens. Nelson also had a starring role in The Electric Horseman, which opened in December 1979 and continued to be a major box office hit into 1980. Both films' soundtracks featured Nelson songs that became major hits on both the country and (in some cases) pop charts. December 19 — 9 to 5 – with Dolly Parton in one of the leading roles – opens. The title song from the movie becomes a No. 1 hit on both the country and pop charts and is a milestone in Parton's acting career. Additionally, Clint Eastwood continues to cement his association with country music through two films released during the year: Bronco Billy, released in June, and Any Which Way You Can, debuting in December. One of the songs on the Bronco Billy soundtrack was a duet by Merle Haggard and Eastwood, one of three major hits from the movie. Any Which Way You Can also had a soundtrack that spawned several successful hits in late 1980 into early 1981, including the breakthrough hit by David Frizzell and Shelly West. Top hits of the year List of number-one country singles of 1980 (U.S.) List of number-one country hits of 1980 (Canada) Singles released by American artists USCANSingleArtist1759After HoursJoe Stampley1821AlwaysPatsy Cline120Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me AgainDebby Boone77Baby, You're SomethingJohn Conlee6—Back to BackJeanne Pruett11Bar Room BuddiesMerle Haggard and Clint Eastwood1843Bedroom BalladGene Watson12Beneath Still WatersEmmylou Harris69The Best of StrangersBarbara Mandrell749Blue HeartacheGail Davies84The Blue SideCrystal Gayle218Bombed, Boozed and BustedJoe Sun138The BoxerEmmylou Harris20—Bring It on HomeBig Al Downing914Broken TrustBrenda Lee with The Oak Ridge Boys2214The ChampMoe Bandy527Charlotte's WebThe Statler Brothers2021Cheatin' on a CheaterLoretta Lynn71ClydeWaylon Jennings247Coal Miner's DaughterSissy Spacek1635Come to My LoveCristy Lane1526Couldn't Do Nothin' RightRosanne Cash11Coward of the CountyKenny Rogers110Cowboys and ClownsRonnie Milsap108The Cowgirl and the DandyBrenda Lee36CrackersBarbara Mandrell1453CryingStephanie Winslow328DallasFloyd Cramer14Dancin' CowboysThe Bellamy Brothers115Do You Wanna Go to HeavenT. G. Sheppard31Don't Fall in Love with a DreamerKenny Rogers with Kim Carnes17—Drinkin' and Drivin'Johnny Paycheck12Drivin' My Life AwayEddie Rabbitt33Faded LoveWillie Nelson and Ray Price14—Free to Be Lonely AgainDebby Boone23Friday Night BluesJohn Conlee17Gone Too FarEddie Rabbitt23Good Ole Boys Like MeDon Williams716Hard TimesLacy J. Dalton12He Stopped Loving Her TodayGeorge Jones1728He Was There (When I Needed You)Tammy Wynette1720He's Out of My LifeJohnny Duncan with Janie Fricke33Heart of MineThe Oak Ridge Boys41Help Me Make It Through the NightWillie Nelson77Holding the BagMoe Bandy and Joe Stampley11Honky Tonk BluesCharley Pride11I Ain't Living Long Like ThisWaylon Jennings11I Believe in YouDon Williams1833I Can See Forever in Your EyesReba McEntire5—I Can't Get Enough of YouRazzy Bailey20—I Don't Want to Lose YouCon Hunley158I Wish I Was Eighteen AgainGeorge Burns11I'd Love to Lay You DownConway Twitty123I'll Be Coming Back for MoreT. G. Sheppard88I'll Even Love You (Better Than I Did Then)The Statler Brothers525I'm Already BlueThe Kendalls1748I'm Gonna Love You Tonight (In My Dreams)Johnny Duncan24I'm Not Ready YetGeorge Jones67I've Never Seen the Likes of YouConway Twitty13If You Ever Change Your MindCrystal Gayle1362In AmericaCharlie Daniels104It's Hard to Be HumbleMac Davis11It's Like We Never Said GoodbyeCrystal Gayle1435It's OverRex Allen, Jr.9—It's Too LateJeanne Pruett52It's True LoveLoretta Lynn and Conway Twitty128Kaw-LigaHank Williams Jr.12LadyKenny Rogers1239The Last Cowboy SongEd Bruce13—Lay Back in the Arms of SomeoneRandy Barlow13—Leavin's for UnbelieversDottie West11Leaving Louisiana in the Broad DaylightThe Oak Ridge Boys123A Lesson in Leavin'Dottie West617Let's Get It While the Getting's GoodEddy Arnold1015Let's Keep it That WayMac Davis17—A Little Getting Used ToMickey Gilley2716Long Haired Country BoyCharlie Daniels118Lookin' for LoveJohnny Lee1457Losing Kind of LoveLacy J. Datlon11Love Me Over AgainDon Williams41Love the World AwayKenny Rogers330Lovers Live LongerThe Bellamy Brothers110Loving Up a StormRazzy Bailey612Lying Time AgainMel Tillis238Making PlansPorter Wagoner and Dolly Parton12—Man Just Doesn't Know What a Woman Goes ThroughCharlie Rich712MenCharly McClain61Midnight RiderWillie Nelson34Misery and GinMerle Haggard22Missin' YouCharley Pride546Morning Comes Too EarlyJim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius113My HeartRonnie Milsap11My Heroes Have Always Been CowboysWillie Nelson17—My Home's in AlabamaAlabama3011Naked in the RainLoretta Lynn1810New York Wine and Tennessee ShineDave & Sugar2011Night GamesRay Stevens209Night LifeWillie Nelson with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass1322No One Will Ever KnowGene Watson1716North of the BorderJohnny Rodriguez43Nothing Sure Looked Good on YouGene Watson1126NumbersBobby Bare640Oh, How I Miss You TonightJim Reeves and Deborah Allen12Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to YouDolly Parton658Old HabitsHank Williams Jr.99The Old Side of TownTom T. Hall12On the Road AgainWillie Nelson110One Day at a TimeCristy Lane18One in a MillionJohnny Lee13—One of a KindMoe Bandy10—OverLeon Everette1018Over the RainbowJerry Lee Lewis1959A Pair of Old SneakersGeorge Jones and Tammy Wynette2212Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)Janie Fricke107Pecos PromenadeTanya Tucker1731Play Another Slow SongJohnny Duncan53Pour Me Another TequilaEddie Rabbitt3513Pregnant AgainLoretta Lynn95Put It Off Until TomorrowThe Kendalls2118Rainy Days and Stormy NightsBillie Jo Spears15—Raisin' Cane in TexasGene Watson3820The Real Buddy Holly StorySonny Curtis2017Real Cowboy (You Say You're)Billy Crash Craddock8—Save Your Heart for MeJacky Ward211She Can't Say That AnymoreJohn Conlee1360She Just Started Liking Cheatin' SongsJohn Anderson2313Shotgun RiderJoe Sun72Shriner's ConventionRay Stevens1321The Shuffle SongMargo Smith18Smoky Mountain RainRonnie Milsap67Smooth Sailin'T. G. Sheppard13Stand by MeMickey Gilley159Standing TallBillie Jo Spears1741Starting OverTammy Wynette12Starting Over AgainDolly Parton9—Steppin' OutMel Tillis12Sugar DaddyThe Bellamy Brothers1213Sugarfoot RagJerry Reed15—Sure ThingFreddie Hart816Sweet Sexy EyesCristy Lane10—Take Me in Your Arms and Hold MeJim Reeves and Deborah Allen512Take Me to Your Lovin' PlaceLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers1215Taking Somebody with Me When I FallLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers1115Tell Ole I Ain't Here, He Better Get on HomeMoe Bandy and Joe Stampley525Temporarily YoursJeanne Pruett11Tennessee RiverAlabama1843The Tennessee WaltzLacy J. Dalton940Texas in My Rear View MirrorMac Davis63That Lovin' You Feelin' AgainRoy Orbison and Emmylou Harris19That's All That MattersMickey Gilley7—That's the Way a Cowboy Rocks and RollsJacky Ward1050That's What I Get for Loving YouEddy Arnold12Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)Waylon Jennings1836There's Another WomanJoe Stampley19—They Never Lost YouCon Hunley13—Too Old to Play CowboyRazzy Bailey11True Love WaysMickey Gilley11Trying to Love Two WomenThe Oak Ridge Boys10—TumbleweedSylvia21Two Story HouseGeorge Jones & Tammy Wynette21The Way I AmMerle Haggard71Wayfaring StrangerEmmylou Harris1815We're Number OneLarry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers1933What'll I Tell VirginiaJohnny Rodriguez1517WhenSlim Whitman1115When Two Worlds CollideJerry Lee Lewis12Why Don't You Spend the NightRonnie Milsap13Why Lady WhyAlabama1823Women Get LonelyCharly McClain59Women I've Never HadHank Williams Jr.11YearsBarbara Mandrell106Yesterday Once MoreMoe Bandy45You Almost Slipped My MindCharley Pride95You Know Just What I'd DoLoretta Lynn and Conway Twitty1919You Lay a Whole Lot of Love on MeCon Hunley822(You Lift Me) Up to HeavenReba McEntire12You Win AgainCharley Pride517You'd Make an Angel Wanna CheatThe Kendalls228You're Gonna Love YourselfCharlie Rich6012You're Only LonelyJD Souther332Your Body Is an OutlawMel Tillis1539Your Lying Blue EyesJohn Anderson55Your Old Cold ShoulderCrystal Gayle Singles released by Canadian artists USCANSingleArtist—10All Her LettersTerry Carisse—10The Ballad of Lucy JordanMarie Bottrell—14The Ballad of T.J.'sDick Damron—15Brown Eyed GirlThe Good Brothers—1But It's CheatingFamily Brown—13Casey's Last RideBytown Bluegrass—16Caught in the MiddleJack Hennig11Could I Have This DanceAnne Murray31Daydream BelieverAnne Murray—20DollarsDick Damron—4Don't Ask the QuestionCanadian Zephyr808Dream Street RoseGordon Lightfoot—8EvangelineC-Weed Band—6Flames of Evil DesireMarie Bottrell—1Guess I Went CrazyCanadian Zephyr—10Hard Times (Comin' Down Again)Carlton Showband—1Hollywood LoveCarroll Baker—4I Think I'll Say GoodbyeEddie Eastman—15I Wish You Could Have Turned My HeadMercey Brothers—10I'd Rather Be in L.A.Gurney Anderson2310I'm Happy Just to Dance with YouAnne Murray—9In My EyesGlory-Anne Carriere—14Liftin' Me Up, Lettin' Me DownEddie Eastman—1Love Was on Our SideFamily Brown94Lucky MeAnne Murray—7Meant to BeR. Harlan Smith and Chris Nielsen—10My Broken Old HeartDavid Thompson—3Phantom of the OpryRonnie Prophet—20Rideau Street QueenWayne Rostad—18Somebody's WomanRalph Carlson—20Sorry Doesn't Always Make It RightIris Larratt—1Sparkle in Her EyesTerry Carisse—3The StarMarie Bottrell—1Still Falling in LoveCarroll Baker—9Sweet Mountain MusicLaura Vinson—6Thanks for the DanceRalph Carlson—10We Could Make Beautiful Music TogetherTerry Carisse—4We've Got the MagicR. Harlan Smith—16What's Forever ForCliff Edwards—7Your Used to BeEddie Eastman Top new album releases List of number-one country albums of 1980 (U.S.) US CAN Album Artist Record label 10 6 Cylinder 6 Cylinder RCA 1 3 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs Dolly Parton RCA 13 10th Anniversary The Statler Brothers Mercury 6 All for the Love of a Song Carroll Baker RCA 24 American Son Levon Helm MCA 2 1 Anne Murray's Greatest Hits Anne Murray Capitol 5 7 Any Which Way You Can (Soundtrack) Various Artists Warner Bros. 14 Ask Me to Dance Cristy Lane United Artists 8 Back to the Barrooms Merle Haggard MCA 12 Back to the Sod Carlton Showband RCA 18 Best Country Duets Various Artists Epic 57 21 The Best of Jerry Jeff Walker Jerry Jeff Walker MCA 18 Best of the Family Brown Family Brown RCA 11 Best of the Good Brothers The Good Brothers RCA 20 Blue Pearl Earl Thomas Conley Sunbird 10 Bronco Billy (Soundtrack) Various Artists Elektra 57 6 The Champ Moe Bandy Columbia 2 1 Coal Miner's Daughter (Soundtrack) Various Artists MCA 8 Come with Me Nana Mouskouri Grand 7 2 A Country Collection Anne Murray Capitol 16 Crying Stephanie Winslow Warner Bros./Curb 14 Danny Davis & Willie Nelsonwith the Nashville Brass Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass& Willie Nelson RCA 7 1 Dolly, Dolly, Dolly Dolly Parton RCA 21 4 Down & Dirty Bobby Bare Columbia 58 1 Dream Street Rose Gordon Lightfoot Warner Bros. 47 17 Drunk & Crazy Bobby Bare Columbia 22 Ed Bruce Ed Bruce MCA 9 Eddie Eastman Eddie Eastman Columbia 8 2 Elvis Aron Presley Elvis Presley RCA 14 Encore Mickey Gilley Epic 18 The Entertainer Artie MacLaren Broadland 16 11 Friday Night Blues John Conlee MCA 5 9 Full Moon Charlie Daniels Epic 1 1 Gideon Kenny Rogers United Artists 22 Greatest Hits Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Columbia 1 10 Greatest Hits Ronnie Milsap RCA 5 13 Greatest Hits The Oak Ridge Boys MCA 1 2 Greatest Hits Kenny Rogers Liberty 18 Gypsy Johnny Rodriguez Epic 4 7 Habits Old and New Hank Williams, Jr. Elektra/Curb 18 Hard Times Lacy J. Dalton Columbia 10 3 Heart & Soul Conway Twitty MCA 11 13 Help Yourself Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Columbia 1 4 Honeysuckle Rose Willie Nelson Columbia 1 5 Horizon Eddie Rabbitt Elektra 7 I Am What I Am George Jones Epic 2 3 I Believe in You Don Williams MCA 12 I Wish I Was Eighteen Again George Burns Mercury 18 Into a Mystery Murray McLauchlan True North 22 Iris Larratt Iris Larratt RCA 3 It's Hard to Be Humble Mac Davis Casablanca 23 King of the Newfies Michael T. Wall Boot 11 Lacy J. Dalton Lacy J. Dalton Columbia 4 Live The Good Brothers Solid Gold 8 6 Lookin' for Love Johnny Lee Asylum 17 Lookin' Good Loretta Lynn MCA 24 5 Loretta Loretta Lynn MCA 17 Love Has No Reason Debby Boone Warner Bros./Curb 6 12 Love Is Fair Barbara Mandrell MCA 24 M-M-Mel Live Mel Tillis MCA 12 Make a Little Magic Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Liberty 3 Milsap Magic Ronnie Milsap RCA 1 1 Music Man Waylon Jennings RCA 3 1 My Home's in Alabama Alabama RCA 9 Porter & Dolly Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton RCA 12 Razzy Razzy Bailey RCA 12 16 Rest Your Love on Me Conway Twitty MCA 23 Rockabilly Blues Johnny Cash Columbia 2 2 Roses in the Snow Emmylou Harris Warner Bros. 1 The Rovers The Rovers Attic 3 1 San Antonio Rose Willie Nelson & Ray Price Columbia 20 She Don't Like the Highway Dale Russell Sunshine 4 Shriner's Convention Ray Stevens RCA 10 11 Smokey and the Bandit 2 (Soundtrack) Various Artists MCA 19 Smooth Sailin' T. G. Sheppard Warner Bros./Curb 15 1 Somebody's Waiting Anne Murray Capitol 25 24 Songs I Love to Sing Slim Whitman Cleveland Int'l. 18 Sons of the Sun The Bellamy Brothers Warner Bros./Curb 22 Southern Rain Mel Tillis Elektra 3 The Star Marie Bottrell MBS 12 Texas in My Rear View Mirror Mac Davis Casablanca 8 That's All That Matters to Me Mickey Gilley Epic 1 There's a Little Bit of Hank in Me Charley Pride RCA 6 These Days Crystal Gayle Columbia 10 1 Together The Oak Ridge Boys MCA 22 True Feelings Sonny Sinclair Rural Root 1 2 Urban Cowboy (Soundtrack) Various Artists Asylum 16 The Way I Am Merle Haggard MCA 13 We Could Make Beautiful Music Together Terry Carisse MBS 5 With Love Marty Robbins Columbia 9 You Can Get Crazy The Bellamy Brothers Warner Bros./Curb 25 Your Body Is an Outlaw Mel Tillis Elektra 2 Zephyr Canadian Zephyr RCA Other top albums {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! US ! CAN ! Album ! Artist ! Record label |- | align="center"| 60 | align="center"| | After Hours | Joe Stampley | Epic |- | align="center"| 27 | align="center"| | Always | Patsy Cline | MCA |- | align="center"| 28 | align="center"| | Autograph | John Denver | RCA |- | align="center"| 43 | align="center"| | The Best of Chet on the Road — Live | Chet Atkins | RCA |- | align="center"| 34 | align="center"| | The Best of the Kendalls | The Kendalls | Ovation |- | align="center"| 64 | align="center"| | But What Will the Neighbors Think | Rodney Crowell | Warner Bros. |- | align="center"| 49 | align="center"| | Cactus and a Rose | Gary Stewart | RCA |- | align="center"| 71 | align="center"| | Changes | Billy "Crash" Craddock | Capitol |- | align="center"| 47 | align="center"| | Christmas with Slim Whitman | Slim Whitman | Cleveland Int'l. |- | align="center"| 29 | align="center"| | Dallas | Floyd Cramer | RCA Victor |- | align="center"| 51 | align="center"| | Don't It Break Your Heart | Con Hunley | Warner Bros. |- | align="center"| 45 | align="center"| | Double Trouble | George Jones & Johnny Paycheck | Epic |- | align="center"| 41 | align="center"| | Dreamlovers | Tanya Tucker | MCA |- | align="center"| 37 | align="center"| | Even Cowgirls Get the Blues | Lynn Anderson | Columbia |- | align="center"| 55 | align="center"| | Eyes | Eddy Raven | Dimension |- | align="center"| 26 | align="center"| | Family Bible | Willie Nelson | MCA |- | align="center"| 37 | align="center"| | Favorites | Crystal Gayle | United Artists |- | align="center"| 44 | align="center"| | Following the Feeling | Moe Bandy | Columbia |- | align="center"| 40 | align="center"| | The Game | Gail Davies | Warner Bros. |- | align="center"| 59 | align="center"| | Greatest Country Hits of the 70's | Various Artists | Columbia |- | align="center"| 61 | align="center"| | I Don't Want to Lose | Leon Everette | Orlando |- | align="center"| 29 | align="center"| | I Don't Want to Lose You | Con Hunley | Warner Bros. |- | align="center"| 27 | align="center"| | I'll Be There | Gail Davies | Warner Bros. |- | align="center"| 28 | align="center"| | I'll Need Someone to Hold Me When I Cry | Janie Fricke | Columbia |- | align="center"| 66 | align="center"| | I've Got Something to Say | David Allan Coe | Columbia |- | align="center"| 61 | align="center"| | In My Dreams | Johnny Duncan | Columbia |- | align="center"| 56 | align="center"| | Jerry Reed Sings Jim Croce | Jerry Reed | RCA |- | align="center"| 61 | align="center"| | John Anderson | John Anderson | Warner Bros. |- | align="center"| 35 | align="center"| | Killer Country | Jerry Lee Lewis | Elektra |- | align="center"| 26 | align="center"| | A Legend and His Lady | Eddy Arnold | RCA |- | align="center"| 59 | align="center"| | Love So Many Ways | Ronnie McDowell | Epic |- | align="center"| 61 | align="center"| | Many Moods of Mel | Mel Street | Sunbird |- | align="center"| 48 | align="center"| | New York Town | Johnny Paycheck | Epic |- | align="center"| 47 | align="center"| | New York Wine Tennessee Shine | Dave Rowland & Sugar | RCA |- | align="center"| 45 | align="center"| | No One Will Ever Know | Gene Watson | Capitol |- | align="center"| 69 | align="center"| | Oklahoma Rose | Rex Allen, Jr. | Warner Bros. |- | align="center"| 52 | align="center"| | Once a Drifter | Charlie Rich | Elektra |- | align="center"| 35 | align="center"| | One Man, One Woman | Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius | RCA |- | align="center"| 37 | align="center"| | Only Lonely Sometimes | Tammy Wynette | Epic |- | align="center"| 70 | align="center"| | Standing Tall | Billie Jo Spears | United Artists |- | align="center"| 52 | align="center"| | A Sure Thing | Freddie Hart | Sunbird |- | align="center"| 30 | align="center"| | Take Me Back | Brenda Lee | MCA |- | align="center"| 43 | align="center"| | ''Texas Bound and Flyin | Jerry Reed | RCA |- | align="center"| 56 | align="center"| | There's Always Me| Jim Reeves | RCA |- | align="center"| 26 | align="center"| | Together Again| George Jones & Tammy Wynette | Epic |- | align="center"| 32 | align="center"| | When Two Worlds Collide| Jerry Lee Lewis | Elektra |- | align="center"| 31 | align="center"| | Where Did the Money Go?| Hoyt Axton | Jeremiah |- | align="center"| 28 | align="center"| | Who's Cheatin' Who| Charly McClain | Epic |- | align="center"| 73 | align="center"| | Women Get Lonely| Charly McClain | Epic |} On television Regular series Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (1980–1982, NBC) Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated) Pop! Goes the Country (1974–1982, syndicated) The Porter Wagoner Show (1960–1981, syndicated) That Nashville Music (1970–1985, syndicated) Specials Births April 1 – Kip Moore, country singer of the 2010s. April 2 – Bobby Estell, radio personality of the 2010s-onward who uses the on-air name Bobby Bones and host of his eponymously named show. July 3 – Sarah Buxton, singer-songwriter best known as co-writer of "Stupid Boy." October 18 — Josh Gracin, rose to fame as fourth-place contestant on American Idol in 2003; had a string of hits thereafter ("I Want to Live," "Nothin' to Lose"). Deaths March 17 – Hugh Farr, 76, member of the Sons of the Pioneers. April 4 — Red Sovine, 62, best known for recitations of truck driving life (car accident resulting from a heart attack). June 16 – Bob Nolan, 72, member of the Sons of the Pioneers. Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees Johnny Cash (1932–2003) Connie B. Gay (1914–1989) Original Sons of the Pioneers (Roy Rogers 1911–1998, Bob Nolan 1908–1980, Lloyd Perryman 1917–1977, Tim Spencer 1908–1974, Hugh Farr 1903–1980 and Karl Farr 1909–1961) Major awards Grammy Awards Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Could I Have This Dance", Anne Murray Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "He Stopped Loving Her Today", George Jones Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again", Emmylou Harris and Roy Orbison Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown", Gilley's Urban Cowboy Band Best Country Song — "On the Road Again," Willie Nelson (Performer: Willie Nelson) Juno Awards Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Murray McLauchlan Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Anne Murray Country Group or Duo of the Year — The Good Brothers Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year — Barbara Mandrell Song of the Year — "He Stopped Loving Her Today", Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman (Performer: George Jones) Single of the Year — "He Stopped Loving Her Today", George Jones Album of the Year — Urban Cowboy, Soundtrack Top Male Vocalist — George Jones Top Female Vocalist — Dolly Parton Top New Male Vocalist — Johnny Lee Top New Female Vocalist — Terri Gibbs Country Music Association Founding President's Award (formerly Connie B. Gay Award) — Charlie Daniels Entertainer of the Year — Barbara Mandrell Song of the Year — "He Stopped Loving Her Today", Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman (Performer: George Jones) Single of the Year — "He Stopped Loving Her Today", George Jones Album of the Year — Coal Miner's Daughter'', Soundtrack Male Vocalist of the Year — George Jones Female Vocalist of the Year — Emmylou Harris Vocal Duo of the Year — Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley Vocal Group of the Year — The Statler Brothers Instrumentalist of the Year — Roy Clark Instrumental Group of the Year — Charlie Daniels Band Hollywood Walk of Fame Country stars who got a star in 1980 Anne Murray 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 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