1955 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1955.

List of years in country music (table)

Events

  • January 22 — Ozark Jubilee debuts on ABC-TV, the first popular country music show on network TV. It would run through September 1960.
  • July 15 — Slim Whitman's "Rose Marie" becomes an international smash, debuting on the British charts and quickly rising to No. 1; its 11-week run will stand as one of the longest runs for many years.[1]
  • July 27 — Billboard magazine claims that Webb Pierce is one of only two singing stars that "can be considered guaranteed hitmakers these days"; pop and R&B singer Nat King Cole is the other.[2]
  • November 12 — Elvis Presley is voted the most promising country and western artist, according to Billboard magazine's annual disc jockey poll.

No dates

  • 1955 was one of the most prolific years for new artists, many of whom would revolutionize country music. Some of the more prominent names were Johnny Cash, George Jones, Elvis Presley and Porter Wagoner; it was also the year one of the best-known duos ever — the Louvin Brothers (Charlie and Ira) — would join the Grand Ole Opry. Many of them would go on to record and popularize the best known songs in the genre, and have recording careers that lasted for decades. It would be more than 30 years before another gifted group this prominent would rise to fame and create a revolution in country music in a single year.

Top hits of the year

Number-one hits

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

Date Single Name Artist Wks. No.1 Spec. Note
January 8 Loose Talk Carl Smith 7
January 29 Let Me Go, Lover! Hank Snow 2
February 26 In the Jailhouse Now Webb Pierce 21 [1]
June 18 Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young Faron Young 3
July 9 A Satisfied Mind Porter Wagoner 4 [A]
  • Country artists Red Foley (with wife Betty) and Jean Shepard both recorded versions of the song that reached the Top 5 on the Billboard country chart in 1955.
July 16 I Don't Care Webb Pierce 12
October 8 The Cattle Call Eddy Arnold 2
October 22 Love Love Love Webb Pierce 13 [2]
October 22 That Do Make It Nice Eddy Arnold 2
December 17 Sixteen Tons Tennessee Ernie Ford 10
Notes
  • 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
  • 2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
  • A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
Note: Several songs were simultaneous No. 1 hits on the separate "Most Played in Juke Boxes," "Most Played by Jockeys" and "Best Sellers in Stores" charts.

Other major hits

US Single Artist
2 All Right Faron Young
13 Annie Over Hank Thompson
2 Are You Mine Ginny Wright and Tom Tall
6 Are You Mine Myrna Lorrie and Buddy DeVal
14 Are You Mine Red Sovine and Goldie Hill
3 As Long as I Live Kitty Wells and Red Foley
5 Baby Let's Play House Elvis Presley
4 The Ballad of Davy Crockett Tennessee Ernie Ford
10 The Ballad of Davy Crockett Mac Wiseman
4 Beautiful Lies Jean Shepard
7 Blue Darlin' Jimmy C. Newman
5 Born to Be Happy Hank Snow
7 Breakin' In Another Heart Hank Thompson
11 The Cattle Call Slim Whitman
7 Company's Comin' Porter Wagoner
14 Cry! Cry! Cry! Johnny Cash
7 Cryin', Prayin', Waitin', Hopin' Hank Snow
5 Cuzz Yore So Sweet Simon Crum
8 Daddy, You Know What? Jim Wilson
7 Daydreamin' Jimmy C. Newman
12 Don't Forget Eddy Arnold
5 Don't Take It Out On Me Hank Thompson
11 Don't Tease Me Carl Smith
9 Drinking Tequila Jim Reeves
11 Go Back You Fool Faron Young
4 Hearts of Stone Red Foley
7 Here Today and Gone Tomorrow The Browns
13 His Hands Tennessee Ernie Ford
10 I Dreamed of a Hill-Billy Heaven Eddie Dean
6 I Feel Better All Over (More Than Anywhere's Else) Ferlin Husky
8 I Gotta Go Get My Baby Justin Tubb
13 I Guess I'm Crazy Tommy Collins
11 I Love You Mostly Lefty Frizzell
10 I Thought of You Jean Shepard
6 I Walked Alone Last Night Eddy Arnold
13 I Wanna Wanna Wanna The Wilburn Brothers
14 I'll Baby Sit with You Ferlin Husky
7 I'm Glad I Got to See You Once Again Hank Snow
10 I'm Gonna Fall Out of Love with You Webb Pierce
12 I'm in Love with You Kitty Wells
2 I've Been Thinking Eddy Arnold
7 I've Kissed You My Last Time Kitty Wells
12 If Lovin' You Is Wrong Hank Thompson
2 If You Ain't Lovin' Faron Young
7 If You Were Me Webb Pierce
7 In the Jailhouse Now No. 2 Jimmie Rodgers
6 In Time Eddy Arnold
5 It Tickles Tommy Collins
2 Just Call Me Lonesome Eddy Arnold
8 The Kentuckian Song Eddy Arnold
7 Kiss-Crazy Baby Johnnie & Jack
5 Kisses Don't Lie Carl Smith
7 Little Tom Ferlin Husky
5 Mainliner (The Hawk with Silver Wings) Hank Snow
6 Make Believe ('Til We Can Make It Come True) Kitty Wells and Red Foley
2 Making Believe Kitty Wells
5 Making Believe Jimmy Work
9 Maybellene Marty Robbins
13 Mister Sandman Chet Atkins
5 More Than Anything Else in the World Carl Smith
6 Most of All Hank Thompson
15 The Next Voice You Hear Hank Snow
13 No, I Don't Believe I Will Carl Smith
14 No One Dear but You Johnnie & Jack
11 Old Lonesome Times Carl Smith
5 Penny Candy Jim Reeves
9 Please Don't Let Me Love You Hank Williams
10 The Richest Man (In the World) Eddy Arnold
15 S.O.S. Johnnie & Jack
3 A Satisfied Mind Red Foley and Betty Foley[3]
4 A Satisfied Mind Jean Shepard
15 Silver Bell Hank Snow and Chet Atkins
14 So Lovely, Baby Rusty & Doug
11 Sure Fire Kisses Justin Tubb and Goldie Hill
13 Take Possession Jean Shepard
7 That's All Right Marty Robbins
6 That's What Makes the Juke Box Play Jimmy Work
3 There She Goes Carl Smith
9 There's Poison in Your Heart Kitty Wells
7 Thirty Days (To Come Back Home) Ernest Tubb
14 Time Goes By Marty Robbins
9 Two Kinds of Love Eddy Arnold
10 Untied Tommy Collins
12 Wait a Little Longer Please, Jesus Carl Smith
8 When I Stop Dreaming The Louvin Brothers
7 Whose Shoulder Will You Cry On Kitty Wells
4 Why Baby Why George Jones
5 Wildwood Flower Hank Thompson and Merle Travis
3 Would You Mind? Hank Snow
7 The Yellow Rose of Texas Ernest Tubb
3 Yellow Roses Hank Snow
4 Yonder Comes a Sucker Jim Reeves
15 You Oughta See Pickles Now Tommy Collins

Top new album releases

Births

Deaths

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References

  1. Rolling Stone Rock Almanac: The Chronicles of Rock & Roll," Collier Books, MacMillan Publishing Co., New York and London, 1983, p. 15. ISBN 0-02-081320-1
  2. Rolling Stone Rock Almanac, p. 15.
  3. Barry McCloud (1995) Definitive Country: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Country Music and Its Performers, p. 290, ISBN 0-399-52144-5
  4. The Man in the Picture songwriter, Garry Koehler of The Bobkatz, dies aged 64

Further reading

  • 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.
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