1980 in country music: Wikis

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Categories: 1980 in music | Years in country music

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1980.

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Events

January 25 — At age 84, octogenerian comedian George Burns becomes by far the oldest performer (to that time) to have a single in the top 40 of Billboard's 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.
- December 19 — Nine to Five – with Dolly Parton in one of the leading roles – opens.

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 5	Coward of the County	Kenny Rogers	3
January 26	I'll Be Coming Back for More	T. G. Sheppard	2	23
February 9	Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight	The Oak Ridge Boys	1
February 16	Love Me Over Again	Don Williams	1
February 23	Years	Barbara Mandrell	1
March 1	I Ain't Living Long Like This	Waylon Jennings	1
March 8	My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys	Willie Nelson	2
March 22	Why Don't You Spend the Night	Ronnie Milsap	1	2
March 29	I'd Love to Lay You Down	Conway Twitty	1
April 5	Sugar Daddy	The Bellamy Brothers	1	2
April 12	Honky Tonk Blues	Charley Pride	1
April 19	It's Like We Never Said Goodbye	Crystal Gayle	1
April 26	A Lesson in Leavin'	Dottie West	1	23
May 3	Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me Again	Debby Boone	1	20	^[C]
May 10	Beneath Still Waters	Emmylou Harris	1	2
May 17	Gone Too Far	Eddie Rabbitt	1	7
May 24	Starting Over Again	Dolly Parton	1	2	Co-written by Donna Summer
May 31	My Heart	Ronnie Milsap	3	13	^[1]
June 21	One Day at a Time	Cristy Lane	1	10	^[C] Cover of the 1974 Top 20 country hit by Marilyn Sellars.
June 28	Trying to Love Two Women	The Oak Ridge Boys	1
July 5	He Stopped Loving Her Today	George Jones	1	2
July 12	You Win Again	Charley Pride	1	2	Cover of the 1952 Top 10 hit by Hank Williams.
July 19	True Love Ways	Mickey Gilley	1		Co-written by Buddy Holly
July 26	Bar Room Buddies	Merle Haggard and Clint Eastwood	1		^{[C] - Clint Eastwood}
August 2	Dancin' Cowboys	The Bellamy Brothers	1	4
August 9	Stand by Me	Mickey Gilley	1	3	Cover of the 1961 R&B hit by Ben E. King.
August 16	Tennessee River	Alabama	1		^[A]
August 23	Drivin' My Life Away	Eddie Rabbitt	1	2
August 30	Cowboys and Clowns	Ronnie Milsap	1	10
September 6	Lookin' for Love	Johnny Lee	3	18	^[A]
September 27	Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You	Dolly Parton	1	2
October 4	Do You Wanna Go to Heaven	T. G. Sheppard	1	15
October 11	Loving Up a Storm	Razzy Bailey	1	10	^[A]
October 18	I Believe in You	Don Williams	2
November 1	Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)	Waylon Jennings	1	2
November 8	On the Road Again	Willie Nelson	1	2
November 15	Could I Have This Dance	Anne Murray	1
November 22	Lady	Kenny Rogers	1	2
November 29	If You Ever Change Your Mind	Crystal Gayle	1	3
December 6	Smoky Mountain Rain	Ronnie Milsap	1	8
December 13	Why Lady Why	Alabama	1	3
December 20	That's All That Matters	Mickey Gilley	1	9
December 27	One in a Million	Johnny Lee	2	8

Notes

1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
A^ First 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 5	Coward of the County	Kenny Rogers	3
February 2	Help Me Make It Through the Night	Willie Nelson	1	4	Cover the Sammi Smith hit.
February 9	Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight	The Oak Ridge Boys	1
February 16	Love Me Over Again	Don Williams	1
February 23	Sparkle in Her Eyes	Terry Carisse	1	—	^[C]
March 1	Love Was on Our Side	Family Brown	1	—
March 8	Years	Barbara Mandrell	2
March 22	Daydream Believer	Anne Murray	1	3
March 29	My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys	Willie Nelson	2
April 12	I Ain't Living Long Like This	Waylon Jennings	1
April 19	I'd Love to Lay You Down	Conway Twitty	1
April 26	Honky Tonk Blues	Charley Pride	1		Cover of the Hank Williams hit.
May 3	Two Story House	George Jones and Tammy Wynette	1	2	^{[B] - Tammy Wynette}
May 10	It's Like We Never Said Goodbye	Crystal Gayle	1
May 17	The Way I Am	Merle Haggard	2	2
May 31	Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer	Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes	4	3	^{[C] - Kim Carnes}
June 28	Trying to Love Two Women	The Oak Ridge Boys	1
July 5	Midnight Rider	Willie Nelson	2	6
July 19	Bar Room Buddies	Merle Haggard and Clint Eastwood	2		^{[C] - Clint Eastwood}
August 2	Hollywood Love	Carroll Baker	1	—	^[1]
August 9	Clyde	Waylon Jennings	1	7
Augsut 16	True Love Ways	Mickey Gilley	1
August 23	The Wayfaring Stranger	Emmylou Harris	1	7
August 30	Love the World Away	Kenny Rogers	2	4
September 13	Tennessee River	Alabama	1		^[A] Starting on September 13, RPM began publishing on a biweekly basis.
September 27	But It's Cheating	Family Brown	1	—
October 11	Guess I Went Crazy	Canadian Zephyr	1	—	^[B]
October 25	I Believe in You	Don Williams	2
November 22	Could I Have This Dance	Anne Murray	2
December 20	Still Falling in Love	Carroll Baker	1	—	^[B]

Notes

1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by RPM.
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
17	59	After Hours	Joe Stampley
18	21	Always	Patsy Cline
7	7	Baby You're Something	John Conlee
6	—	Back to Back	Jeanne Pruett
18	43	Bedroom Ballad	Gene Watson
6	9	The Best of Strangers	Barbara Mandrell
7	49	Blue Heartache	Gail Davies
8	4	The Blue Side	Crystal Gayle
21	8	Bombed, Boozed and Busted	Joe Sun
13	8	The Boxer	Emmylou Harris
20	—	Bring It on Home	Big Al Downing
9	14	Broken Trust	Brenda Lee with The Oak Ridge Boys
22	14	The Champ	Moe Bandy
5	27	Charlotte's Web	The Statler Brothers
20	21	Cheatin' on a Cheater	Loretta Lynn
24	7	Coal Miner's Daughter	Sissy Spacek
16	35	Come to My Love	Cristy Lane
15	26	Couldn't Do Nothin' Right	Rosanne Cash
10	8	The Cowgirl and the Dandy	Brenda Lee
3	6	Crackers	Barbara Mandrell
14	53	Crying	Stephanie Winslow
32	8	Dallas	Floyd Cramer
17	—	Drinkin' and Drivin'	Johnny Paycheck
3	3	Faded Love	Willie Nelson and Ray Price
14	—	Free to Be Lonely Again	Debby Boone
2	3	Friday Night Blues	John Conlee
2	3	Good Ole Boys Like Me	Don Williams
7	16	Hard Times	Lacy J. Dalton
17	28	He Was There (When I Needed You)	Tammy Wynette
17	20	He's Out of My Life	Johnny Duncan with Janie Fricke
3	3	Heart of Mine	The Oak Ridge Boys
7	7	Holding the Bag	Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley
18	38	I Can See Forever in Your Eyes	Reba McEntire
5	—	I Can't Get Enough of You	Razzy Bailey
20	—	I Don't Want to Lose You	Con Hunley
15	8	I Wish I Was Eighteen Again	George Burns
8	8	I'll Even Love You (Better Than I Did Then)	The Statler Brothers
5	25	I'm Already Blue	The Kendalls
17	48	I'm Gonna Love You Tonight (In My Dreams)	Johnny Duncan
2	4	I'm Not Ready Yet	George Jones
6	7	I've Never Seen the Likes of You	Conway Twitty
13	62	In America	Charlie Daniels
10	4	It's Hard to Be Humble	Mac Davis
14	35	It's Over	Rex Allen, Jr.
9	—	It's Too Late	Jeanne Pruett
5	2	It's True Love	Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty
12	8	Kaw-Liga	Hank Williams, Jr.
12	39	The Last Cowboy Song	Ed Bruce
13	—	Lay Back in the Arms of Someone	Randy Barlow
13	—	Leavin's for Unbelievers	Dottie West
6	17	Let's Get It While the Getting's Good	Eddy Arnold
10	15	Let's Keep it That Way	Mac Davis
17	—	A Little Getting Used To	Mickey Gilley
27	16	Long Haired Country Boy	Charlie Daniels
14	57	Losing Kind of Love	Lacy J. Datlon
3	30	Lovers Live Longer	The Bellamy Brothers
6	12	Lying Time Again	Mel Tillis
2	38	Making Plans	Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
12	—	Man Just Doesn't Know What a Woman Goes Through	Charlie Rich
7	12	Men	Charly McClain
3	4	Misery and Gin	Merle Haggard
2	2	Missin' You	Charley Pride
5	46	Morning Comes Too Early	Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius
17	—	My Home's in Alabama	Alabama
30	11	Naked in the Rain	Loretta Lynn
18	10	New York Wine and Tennessee Shine	Dave & Sugar
20	11	Night Games	Ray Stevens
20	9	Night Life	Willie Nelson with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass
13	22	No One Will Ever Know	Gene Watson
17	16	North of the Border	Johnny Rodriguez
4	3	Nothing Sure Looked Good on You	Gene Watson
11	26	Numbers	Bobby Bare
6	40	Oh, How I Miss You Tonight	Jim Reeves and Deborah Allen
6	58	Old Habits	Hank Williams, Jr.
9	9	The Old Side of Town	Tom T. Hall
13	—	One of a Kind	Moe Bandy
10	—	Over	Leon Everette
10	18	Over the Rainbow	Jerry Lee Lewis
19	59	A Pair of Old Sneakers	George Jones and Tammy Wynette
22	12	Pass Me By	Janie Fricke
10	7	Pecos Promenade	Tanya Tucker
17	31	Play Another Slow Song	Johnny Duncan
5	3	Pour Me Another Tequilla	Eddie Rabbitt
35	13	Pregnant Again	Loretta Lynn
9	5	Put It Off Until Tomorrow	The Kendalls
21	18	Rainy Days and Stormy Nights	Billie Jo Spears
15	—	Raisin' Cane in Texas	Gene Watson
38	20	The Real Buddy Holly Story	Sonny Curtis
20	17	Real Cowboy (You Say You're)	Billy Crash Craddock
8	—	Save Your Heart for Me	Jacky Ward
2	11	She Can't Say That Anymore	John Conlee
13	60	She Just Started Liking Cheating Songs	John Anderson
23	13	Shotgun Rider	Joe Sun
7	2	Shriner's Convention	Ray Stevens
13	21	The Shuffle Song	Margo Smith
6	7	Smooth Sailing	T. G. Sheppard
15	9	Standing Tall	Billie Jo Spears
17	41	Starting Over	Tammy Wynette
9	—	Steppin' Out	Mel Tillis
12	13	Sugarfoot Rag	Jerry Reed
15	—	Sure Thing	Freddie Hart
8	16	Sweet Sexy Eyes	Cristy Lane
10	—	Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me	Jim Reeves and Deborah Allen
5	12	Take Me to Your Lovin' Place	Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers
12	15	Takin' Somebody with Me When I Fall	Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers
11	15	Tell Ole I Ain't Here, He Better Get on Home	Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley
5	25	Temporarily Yours	Jeanne Pruett
18	43	The Tennessee Waltz	Lacy J. Dalton
9	40	Texas in My Rear View Mirror	Mac Davis
6	3	That Lovin' You Feelin' Again	Roy Orbison and Emmylou Harris
7	—	That's the Way a Cowboy Rocks and Rolls	Jacky Ward
10	50	That's What I Get for Loving You	Eddy Arnold
18	36	There's Another Woman	Joe Stampley
19	—	They Never Lost You	Con Hunley
13	—	Too Old to Play Cowboy	Razzy Bailey
10	—	Tumbleweed	Sylvia
18	15	We're Number One	Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers
19	33	What'll I Tell Virginia	Johnny Rodriguez
15	17	When	Slim Whitman
11	15	When Two Worlds Collide	Jerry Lee Lewis
18	23	Women Get Lonely	Charly McClain
5	9	Women I've Never Had	Hank Williams, Jr.
10	6	Yesterday Once More	Moe Bandy
4	5	You Almost Slipped My Mind	Charley Pride
9	5	You Know Just What I'd Do	Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty
19	19	You Lay a Whole Lot of Love on Me	Con Hunley
8	22	(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven	Reba McEntire
5	17	You'd Make an Angel Wanna Cheat	The Kendalls
22	8	You're Gonna Love Yourself	Charlie Rich
60	12	You're Only Lonely	J. D. Souther
3	32	Your Body Is an Outlaw	Mel Tillis
15	39	Your Lying Blue Eyes	John Anderson
5	5	Your Old Cold Shoulder	Crystal Gayle

Singles released by Canadian artists

US	CAN	Single	Artist
—	10	All Her Letters	Terry Carisse
—	10	The Ballad of Lucy Jordan	Marie Bottrell
—	14	The Ballad of T.J.'s	Dick Damron
—	15	Brown Eyed Girl	The Good Brothers
—	13	Casey's Last Ride	Bytown Bluegrass
—	16	Caught in the Middle	Jack Hennig
—	20	Dollars	Dick Damron
—	4	Don't Ask the Question	Canadian Zephyr
80	8	Dream Street Rose	Gordon Lightfoot
—	8	Evangeline	C-Weed Band
—	6	Flames of Evil Desire	Marie Bottrell
—	10	Hard Times (Comin' Down Again)	Carlton Showband
—	4	I Think I'll Say Goodbye	Eddie Eastman
—	15	I Wish You Could Have Turned My Head	Mercey Brothers
—	10	I'd Rather Be in L.A.	Gurney Anderson
23	10	I'm Happy Just to Dance with You	Anne Murray
—	9	In My Eyes	Glory-Anne Carriere
—	14	Liftin' Me Up, Lettin' Me Down	Eddie Eastman
9	4	Lucky Me	Anne Murray
—	7	Meant to Be	R. Harlan Smith and Chris Nielsen
—	10	My Broken Old Heart	David Thompson
—	3	Phantom of the Opry	Ronnie Prophet
—	20	Rideau Street Queen	Wayne Rostad
—	18	Somebody's Woman	Ralph Carlson
—	20	Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right	Iris Larratt
—	3	The Star	Marie Bottrell
—	9	Sweet Mountain Music	Laura Vinson
—	6	Thanks for the Dance	Ralph Carlson
—	10	We Could Make Beautiful Music Together	Terry Carisse
—	4	We've Got the Magic	R. Harlan Smith
—	16	What's Forever For	Cliff Edwards
—	7	Your Used to Be	Eddie Eastman

On television

Regular series

Hee Haw (1969-1993, syndicated)

Specials

Births

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

April 4 — Red Sovine, 61, best known for recitations of truck driving life (car accident resulting from a heart attack).

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

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

External links

Country Music Hall of Fame

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