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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1968.
January 13 – Johnny Cash records his legendary concert at Folsom State Prison. The resulting album, At Folsom Prison, becomes a huge international success and a cornerstone of his music catalog; the lead single, "Folsom Prison Blues" (an update of his 1956 hit) becomes one of the most famous recordings of his career.
February 1 – Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, is born in Memphis, Tennessee.
March 1 – Johnny Cash and June Carter are married.
November – The Country Music Association Awards are aired on television for the first time. Hosted by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the awards show is taped in October and aired on NBC a month later.
December 3 – Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special airs on NBC. Although this special focuses more on the pop/rock side of his musical talents, the special will reinvigorate Presley's career in both the country and mainstream pop genres.
Originally the B-side single of "So Doggone Lonesome" in 1956, "Folsom Prison Blues" was re-released as a live cut, becoming the more-remembered version of the song.
Originally known as a Rock & Roll singer in the early 1960s, Conway Twitty crossed over into country music in the mid-1960s, with this song becoming the first of 45 Number One hits of his career.
November 9
I Walk Alone
Marty Robbins
2
3
November 23
Stand by Your Man
Tammy Wynette
3
Released during the height of the women's rights movement, "Stand by Your Man" was often derided by many feminist supporters.
December 14
Born to Be with You
Sonny James
1
9
December 21
Wichita Lineman
Glen Campbell
2
Also reached Number Three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and Number One on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.
Notes
1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
January 27 — Tracy Lawrence, singer with a string of hits in the 1990s and 2000s (decade) ("Sticks and Stones", "Alibis", "Find Out Who Your Friends Are", and others)
March 26 — Kenny Chesney, became one of the genre's leading superstars in the late 1990s onward.
June 3 — Jamie O'Neal, Australian-born female vocalist of the 2000s (decade).
August 5 — Terri Clark, Canadian-born female vocalist since the mid-1990s.
November 10 — Chris Cagle, contemporary-styled singer of the 2000s (decade)
December 22 - Lori McKenna, singer/songwriter whose songs have impacted the lives of millions around the world. McKenna penned such hits as "Girl Crush" by Little Big Town and "Humble & Kind" by Tim McGraw. McKenna first gained fame in 2004, while in 2005 Faith Hill used 3 of McKenna’s songs on her Fireflies album. McKenna is currently one of the most in-demand artists on Music Row.
Deaths[]
April 22 – Stephen H. Sholes, 57, music executive and record producer, most prominently with RCA Records (heart attack).
May 8 – George D. Hay, 72, "The Solemn Old Judge", legendary announcer, first on WLS and later on WSM's Grand Ole Opry radio program.
June 14 — Ernest "Pop" Stoneman, 75, country music pioneer and leader of the Stoneman Family.
September 19 — Red Foley, 58, one of country music's top stars of the 1940s and 1950s (respiratory failure).
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees[]
Bob Wills (1905–1975)
Major awards[]
Grammy Awards[]
Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Harper Valley PTA", Jeannie C. Riley
Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "Folsom Prison Blues", Johnny Cash
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 (ISBN0-8118-3572-3)
Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN0-06-273244-7)
Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.