How to Be a Country Star

"How to Be a Country Star" is a song recorded by American country music group The Statler Brothers, written by group members Harold Reid and Don Reid. The song – a humorous, tongue-in-cheek advice song that names many of the top country music recording artists of the time, along with a number of classic country artists – was released in March 1979 as the first single from the album The Originals. The song eventually climbed to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart that May, and also No. 18 on the Canadian RPM country singles chart.[1]

"How to Be a Country Star"
Single by The Statler Brothers
from the album The Originals
B-side"A Little Farther Down the Road"
ReleasedMarch 1979
RecordedSeptember 28, 1978
GenreCountry
Length3:30
LabelMercury 55057
Songwriter(s)Don Reid and Harold Reid
Producer(s)Jerry Kennedy
The Statler Brothers singles chronology
"The Official Historian on Shirley Jean Berrell"
(1978)		 "How to Be a Country Star"
(1979)		 "Here We Are Again"
(1979)

Names of artists

As mentioned in the lyrics, directly or indirectly referred to, the song mentions the following country music artists, in order:

The final verse also name drops each one of the Statler Brothers, whose membership at the time included Harold Reid, Don Reid, Phil Balsley and Lew DeWitt.

The song itself gives intended-to-be-taken-lightly advice about what it takes to be a country star, suggesting that if an aspiring star has a quality of one of the mentioned stars (such as being able to play piano like Ronnie Milsap, Mickey Gilley or Jerry Lee Lewis), that would guarantee country stardom. However, if no talent is apparent (as mentioned in the final verse), any beautiful woman could come backstage and meet up with one of the Statlers for advice and audition for their "Statler Brothers Revue."

Chart performance
Chart (1979) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2] 7
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 18
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References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs: 1944-2012, Eighth edition. Record Research. p. 320.
  2. "The Statler Brothers Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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