1976 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1976.

1976 in music
By location
By genre
By topic
  • List of albums released
List of years in country music (table)

Events

No dates
  • 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

Number one hits

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

Date Single Name Artist Wks. No.1 CAN peak Spec. Note
January 31 This Time I've Hurt Her More than She Loves Me Conway Twitty 1
February 7 Sometimes Bill Anderson and
Mary Lou Turner		 1 3 [B] – Bill Anderson
[C] – Mary Lou Turner
February 14 The White Knight Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band 1 8 [C]
  • Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band is a pseudonym for Jay Huguely.
February 21 Good Hearted Woman Waylon Jennings
and Willie Nelson		 3 5
March 13 The Roots of My Raising Merle Haggard 1 7
March 20 Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet) Tom T. Hall 1 2 [B]
March 27 'Til the Rivers All Run Dry Don Williams 1 —
April 3 You'll Lose a Good Thing Freddy Fender 1 — [B]
April 10 'Til I Can Make It on My Own Tammy Wynette 1
April 17 Drinkin' My Baby (Off My Mind) Eddie Rabbitt 1 [A]
April 24 Together Again Emmylou Harris 1 3 [A]

Cover of the Buck Owens' #1 song in 1964.

May 1 Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time Mickey Gilley 1
May 8 My Eyes Can Only See as Far as You Charley Pride 1
May 15 What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down Ronnie Milsap 1
May 22 After All the Good is Gone Conway Twitty 1
May 29 One Piece at a Time Johnny Cash 2
June 12 I'll Get Over You Crystal Gayle 1 2 [A]
June 19 El Paso City Marty Robbins 2
July 3 All These Things Joe Stampley 1 22
July 10 The Door Is Always Open Dave & Sugar 1 [A]
July 17 Teddy Bear Red Sovine 3 [B]
August 7 Golden Ring George Jones and
Tammy Wynette		 1 5
August 14 Say It Again Don Williams 1 4
August 21 Bring It on Home to Me Mickey Gilley 1
August 28 (I'm A) Stand by My Woman Man Ronnie Milsap 2
September 11 I Don't Want to Have to Marry You Jim Ed Brown and
Helen Cornelius		 2 7 [C] – Jim Ed Brown
[C] – Helen Cornelius
September 25 If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time Willie Nelson 1 5
October 2 Here's Some Love Tanya Tucker 1 2
October 9 The Games That Daddies Play Conway Twitty 1
October 16 You and Me Tammy Wynette 2 6
October 30 Among My Souvenirs Marty Robbins 2 3 [B]
November 6 Cherokee Maiden Merle Haggard 1 Cover of the Bob Wills hit.
November 13 Somebody Somewhere (Don't Know What He's Missin' Tonight) Loretta Lynn 2
November 27 Good Woman Blues Mel Tillis 2
December 11 Thinkin' of a Rendezvous Johnny Duncan 2 [A]
December 25 Sweet Dreams Emmylou Harris 2
Notes
  • 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
  • A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • B^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.

Canada

(as certified by RPM)

Date Single Name Artist Wks. No.1 U.S. peak Spec. Note
January 10 Easy as Pie Billy "Crash" Craddock 1 2 [B]
January 17 Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.) Glen Campbell 2 3 [B]
January 31 The Blind Man in the Bleachers Kenny Starr 1 2 [C]
February 7 This Time I Hurt Her More than She Loves Me Conway Twitty 1
February 14 The Happiness of Having You Charley Pride 1 3
February 21 Don't Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You Tanya Tucker 1 4
February 28 Somebody Loves You Crystal Gayle 1? 8 [A]
March 6 ??? ??? ??? ???
  • This chart is missing from the RPM archives.
March 13 One Night of Cheatin' Carroll Baker 1? —
March 20 On the Road Dick Damron 1 —
March 27 Motels and Memories T. G. Sheppard 1 7
April 3 Angels, Roses and Rain Dickey Lee 1 9 [C]
April 10 You Are the Song (Inside of Me) Freddie Hart 1 11 [B]
April 17 (Till) I Kissed You Connie Smith 1 10 [B]
April 24 If I Let Her Come In Ray Griff 1 11 [C]
May 1 'Til I Can Make It on My Own Tammy Wynette 1
May 8 Drinkin' My Baby (Off My Mind) Eddie Rabbitt 1 [A]
May 15 Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time Mickey Gilley 1
May 22 My Eyes Can Only See as Far as You Charley Pride 1
May 29 What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down Ronnie Milsap 1
June 5 After All the Good is Gone Conway Twitty 2
June 19 One Piece at a Time Johnny Cash 1
June 26 El Paso City Marty Robbins 1
July 3 I Wouldn't Want It Any Other Way Lyle 1 — [C]
July 10 Tonight with Love Carroll Baker 1 —
July 17 The Door is Always Open Dave & Sugar 1 [C]
July 24 Vaya con Dios Freddy Fender 1 7
July 31 Here Comes the Freedom Train Merle Haggard 1 10
August 7 Teddy Bear Red Sovine 2 [C]
August 21 The Letter Conway Twitty and
Loretta Lynn		 2 3
September 4 Rocky Mountain Music Eddie Rabbitt 1 5
September 11 Bring It on Home to Me Mickey Gilley 1
September 18 (I'm A) Stand by My Woman Man Ronnie Milsap 2
October 2 Can't You See Waylon Jennings 1 4
October 9 All I Can Do Dolly Parton 2 3 [2]
  • Fell to #4 on the week of October 16.
October 16 If You Keep Throwing Dirt Family Brown 1 — [A]
October 30 The Games That Daddies Play Conway Twitty 1
November 6 The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Gordon Lightfoot 1 50 [B]
November 13 Why I Had to Pass This Way Carroll Baker 1 —
November 20 A Whole Lotta Things to Sing About Charley Pride 1 2
November 27 Cherokee Maiden Merle Haggard 1
December 4 Somebody Somewhere (Don't Know What He's Missin' Tonight) Loretta Lynn 1
December 11 Living It Down Freddy Fender 1 2
December 18 Good Woman Blues Mel Tillis 1
December 25 Thinkin' of a Rendezvous Johnny Duncan 1 [A]
Notes
  • 2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
  • A^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • B^ Last RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • C^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.

Other major hits

Singles released by American artists
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
11 1 You Are the Song (Inside of Me) Freddie Hart
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
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
— 2 One Way Ticket to a Lady Jerry Palmer
— 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
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

Other new albums
Single Artist Record Label
2020 Vision Ronnie Milsap RCA
Alone Again George Jones Epic
The Best of Johnny Duncan Johnny Duncan Columbia
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
Peanuts and Diamonds and Other Jewels Bill Anderson MCA
Rock 'n' Country Freddy Fender ABC-Dot
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

Deaths

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Major awards

Grammy Awards

Juno Awards

Academy of Country Music

Country Music Association

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.
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