1971 in country music

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1971.

1971 in music
By location
By genre
By topic
  • List of albums released
List of years in country music (table)

Events[]

No dates[]

Fans of Hee Haw were quickly soothed when the show entered syndication in the fall. The show was an immediate success, and viewers would continue to make their weekly visit to Kornfield County for the next 20 years. Meanwhile, both The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres would continue to live on in syndication.
ABC, also hoping to draw in younger viewers, canceled, among other shows, The Johnny Cash Show. Although not country-music oriented, The Lawrence Welk Show, which had among its older-leaning demographics country music fans, is also canceled, but like Hee Haw will be revived in the fall in syndication to great success.
  • Up-and-coming country music star Mickey Gilley and business partner Sherwood Cryer open Gilley's, a bar/honky tonk that was featured in the 1980 movie Urban Cowboy, and became famous for featuring up-and-coming country acts and its mechanical bulls.

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 30 Flesh and Blood Johnny Cash 1
February 6 Joshua Dolly Parton 1 2 [A]
February 13 Help Me Make It Through the Night Sammi Smith 3 [C]
March 6 I'd Rather Love You Charley Pride 3
March 27 After the Fire Is Gone Conway Twitty
and Loretta Lynn 		2 4
April 10 Empty Arms Sonny James 4
May 8 How Much More Can She Stand Conway Twitty 1
May 15 I Won't Mention It Again Ray Price 3
June 5 You're My Man Lynn Anderson 2
June 19 When You're Hot, You're Hot Jerry Reed 5 [A]
July 24 Bright Lights, Big City Sonny James 1 4
July 31 I'm Just Me Charley Pride 4
August 28 Good Lovin' (Makes It Right) Tammy Wynette 2
September 11 Easy Loving Freddie Hart 3 [1], [2], [A]
  • Returned to Number One on October 2.
September 18 The Year Clayton Delaney Died Tom T. Hall 2 6
October 16 How Can I Unlove You Lynn Anderson 3
November 6 Here Comes Honey Again Sonny James 1 4
November 13 Lead Me On Conway Twitty
and Loretta Lynn 		1
November 20 Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man) Merle Haggard 2 2
December 4 Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' Charley Pride 5
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.
  • 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 9 Old Bill Jones Mercey Brothers 1 —
January 16 (I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden Lynn Anderson 2 [2]
  • Fell to #6 on the week of January 23.
January 23 Flesh and Blood Johnny Cash 4
February 27 Sing High, Sing Low Anne Murray 1 53
March 6 A Woman Always Knows David Houston 1 2 [B]
March 13 Help Me Make It Through the Night Sammi Smith 1 [C]
March 20 A Stranger in My Place Anne Murray 2 27
April 3 I'd Rather Love You Charley Pride 1
April 10 Anyway George Hamilton IV 1 13
April 17 Empty Arms Sonny James 1
April 24 Man from the City 1 — [C]
May 1 We Sure Can Love Each Other Tammy Wynette 2 2
May 15 How Much More Can She Stand Conway Twitty 1
May 22 I Won't Mention It Again Ray Price 2 [B]
June 5 The Final Hour Hank Smith 1 —
June 12 I Wanna Be Free Loretta Lynn 1 3
June 19 Hello Mom Mercey Brothers 2 —
July 3 You're My Man Lynn Anderson 1
July 10 When You're Hot, You're Hot Jerry Reed 1 [A]
July 17 Rise 'n' Shine Dick Damron 1 —
July 24 Countryfied George Hamilton IV 5 35
August 28 Sweet City Woman The Stampeders 2 — [C]
September 11 I'm Just Me Charley Pride 1
September 18 Good Lovin' (Makes It Right) Tammy Wynette 1
September 25 When He Walks on You Jerry Lee Lewis 1 11
October 2 Easy Loving Freddie Hart 1 [A]
October 9 Who Wrote the Words Mercey Brothers 2 — [B]
October 23 Talk It Over in the Morning Anne Murray 1 —
October 30 You're Lookin' at Country Loretta Lynn 1 5
November 6 How Can I Unlove You Lynn Anderson 1
November 13 Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms Buck Owens 2 2
November 27 Where Do We Go from Here Hank Smith 1 —
December 4 I Say a Little Prayer/
By the Time I Get to Phoenix 		Anne Murray and
Glen Campbell 		1 40
December 11 Lead Me On Conway Twitty and
Loretta Lynn 		1
December 18 Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' Charley Pride 2
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
18 21 After All They Used to Belong to Me Hank Williams, Jr.
18 — All I Ever Need Is You Ray Sanders
6 5 Always Remember Bill Anderson
13 12 Angel's Sunday Jim Ed Brown
5 13 Another Night of Love Freddy Weller
4 13 The Arms of a Fool Mel Tillis
5 8 Baby I'm Yours Jody Miller
30 7 Bar Room Talk Del Reeves
11 20 Be a Little Quieter Porter Wagoner
9 3 Bed of Rose's The Statler Brothers
7 8 Better Move It on Home Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
41 18 Big River (Johnny Cash song) Johnny Cash
8 46 Brand New Mister Me Mel Tillis
9 8 Bridge over Troubled Water Buck Owens
26 19 Catch the Wind Jack Barlow
12 11 Cedartown, Georgia Waylon Jennings
7 6 The Chair Marty Robbins
15 10 Charley's Picture Porter Wagoner
23 7 Chip 'N' Dale's Place Claude King
4 15 Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton
7 6 Come Sundown Bobby Bare
8 17 Comin' Down Dave Dudley
5 7 Country Green Don Gibson
23 20 Day Drinkin' Dave Dudley and Tom T. Hall
4 11 Dis-Satisfied Bill Anderson and Jan Howard
17 — Do Right Woman, Do Right Man Barbara Mandrell
16 30 (Don't Let the Sun Set on You) Tulsa Waylon Jennings
7 4 Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) Glen Campbell
5 — Dream Lover Billy "Crash" Craddock
9 12 Early Morning Sunshine Marty Robbins
13 26 Fancy Satin Pillows Wanda Jackson
8 5 Fly Away Again Dave Dudley
7 22 Good Enough to Be Your Wife Jeannie C. Riley
27 12 A Good Man June Carter Cash
2 4 Good Year for the Roses George Jones
19 4 Guess Away the Blues Don Gibson
7 5 Guess Who Slim Whitman
5 2 Gwen (Congratulations) Tommy Overstreet
16 14 Gypsy Feet Jim Reeves
26 19 Hanging Over Me Jack Greene
5 3 He's So Fine Jody Miller
13 21 Here I Go Again Bobby Wright
12 — Hitchin' a Ride Jack Reno
5 3 I Don't Know You (Anymore) Tommy Overstreet
15 25 I Love the Way That You've Been Lovin' Me Roy Drusky
4 3 I Wonder What She'll Think About Me Leaving Conway Twitty
2 2 I'd Rather Be Sorry Ray Price
13 — I'll Follow You (Up to Our Cloud) George Jones
17 34 I'm Gonna Act Right Nat Stuckey
3 26 I'm Gonna Keep on Keep on Lovin' You Billy Walker
6 17 I've Got a Right to Cry Hank Williams, Jr.
19 29 If You Think I Love You Now (I've Just Started) Jody Miller
3 4 Indian Lake Freddy Weller
20 37 It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels Lynn Anderson
2 2 Just One Time Connie Smith
3 21 Knock Three Times Billy "Crash" Craddock
11 3 Ko-Ko Joe Jerry Reed
9 26 L.A. International Airport Susan Raye
18 13 The Last One to Touch Me Porter Wagoner
9 11 Leavin' and Sayin' Goodbye Faron Young
15 5 Listen Betty (I'm Singing Your Song) Dave Dudley
9 16 Living and Learning Mel Tillis and Sherry Bryce
12 33 Lovenworth Roy Rogers
28 8 Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) Roger Miller
10 19 Maiden's Prayer David Houston
3 2 Man in Black Johnny Cash
18 18 The Mark of a Heel Hank Thompson
17 13 Mary's Vineyard Claude King
7 3 Me and You and a Dog Named Boo Stonewall Jackson
14 6 Mississippi Woman Waylon Jennings
19 39 The Morning After Jerry Wallace
20 — Mountain of Love Bobby G. Rice
17 4 My Blue Tears Dolly Parton
9 24 Nashville David Houston
8 31 Never Ending Song of Love Dickey Lee
19 34 New York City The Statler Brothers
15 36 Next Time I Fall in Love (I Won't) Hank Thompson
15 7 No Need to Worry Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash
23 3 North Country/West Texas Highway George Hamilton IV
21 18 Ode to Half a Pound of Ground Round Tom T. Hall
4 5 Oh Singer Jeannie C. Riley
14 11 One Hundred Children Tom T. Hall
5 3 Padre Marty Robbins
16 17 Papa Was a Good Man Johnny Cash
9 38 The Philadelphia Fillies Del Reeves
13 27 Pictures The Statler Brothers
6 9 Pitty Pitty Patter Susan Raye
8 3 Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends Bobby Bare
49 19 Pledging My Love Kitty Wells
26 9 Portrait of My Woman Eddy Arnold
3 9 The Promised Land Freddy Weller
3 2 Quits Bill Anderson
3 2 Rainin' in My Heart Hank Williams Jr. and The Mike Curb Congregation
14 26 The Right Combination Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
7 10 Right Won't Touch a Hand George Jones
7 21 Rings Tompall & the Glaser Brothers
15 15 Roses and Thorns Jeannie C. Riley
3 3 Ruby (Are You Mad) Buck Owens
24 13 Saturday Morning Confusion Bobby Russell
19 9 She Don't Make Me Cry David Rogers
11 5 She Wakes Me with a Kiss Every Morning
(And She Loves Me to Sleep Every Night) 		Nat Stuckey
2 2 She's All I Got Johnny Paycheck
8 9 The Sheriff of Boone County Kenny Price
18 — Singing in Viet Nam Talking Blues Johnny Cash
20 28 So This Is Love Tommy Cash
3 4 Soldiers Last Letter Merle Haggard
2 2 Someday We'll Look Back Merle Haggard
6 23 Something Beautiful (To Remember) Slim Whitman
10 7 Sometimes You Just Can't Win George Jones
6 11 Step Aside Faron Young
14 23 Sweet Misery Ferlin Husky
50 17 Take Me Home, Country Roads John Denver
8 15 Take My Hand Mel Tillis and Sherry Bryce
10 16 Then You Walk In Sammi Smith
9 — There Goes My Everything Elvis Presley
13 15 There's a Whole Lot About a Woman (A Man Don't Know) Jack Greene
19 — There's Something About a Lady Johnny Duncan
11 13 Tomorrow Night in Baltimore Roger Miller
3 4 Touching Home Jerry Lee Lewis
12 — Treat Him Right Barbara Mandrell
11 18 Waiting for a Train (All Around the Watertank) Jerry Lee Lewis
7 7 Watching Scotty Grow Bobby Goldsboro
20 — We've Got Everything but Love David Houston and Barbara Mandrell
11 20 Where Is My Castle Connie Smith
10 9 Willy Jones Susan Raye
5 2 The Wonders You Perform Tammy Wynette
10 — You Better Move On Billy "Crash" Craddock
38 17 You're Just More a Woman

Singles released by Canadian artists[]

US CAN Single Artist
— 2 24 Hours from Tulsa Tommy Graham
— 2 The Bridge Came Tumbling Down Stompin' Tom Connors
— 11 Carry Me The Stampeders
— 4 Federal Grain Train
— 3 Good Morning World
— 8 Goofie Newfie
— 11 It Seems
— 2 It Takes Time
— 6 It Takes Time Anne Murray
— 12 Kelly
— 15 Love Now and Pay Later Carroll Baker
— 2 Luke's Guitar Stompin' Tom Connors
— 14 Mem'ries of Home Carroll Baker
— 17 The Moods of My Man
14 12 The Morning After Baby Let Me Down Ray Griff
— 10 Nobody's Singing Them Cowboy Songs No More Gordie Tapp
— 18 Parliament Hill Angus Walker
— 2 R.R. #2 Family Brown
— 15 Sault Ste. Marie Original Caste
— 14 Six Days of Paper Ladies
— 7 Skip a Rope
— 12 Tillsonburg Stompin' Tom Connors
— 16 (The Whole World's) Down on You
— 13 Wrote a Song

Top new album releases[]

Single Artist Record Label
Always Remember Bill Anderson Decca
Bed of Rose's Statler Brothers Mercury
Bill Anderson's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Bill Anderson Decca
Cedartown, Georgia Waylon Jennings RCA
Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton RCA
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Johnny Cash Columbia
How Can I Unlove You Lynn Anderson Columbia
I Wanna Be Free Loretta Lynn Decca
I've Gotta Sing Wanda Jackson Capitol
In Search of a Song Tom T. Hall Mercury
Joshua Dolly Parton RCA
Man in Black Johnny Cash Columbia
Pitty Pitty Patter Susan Raye Capitol
Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton RCA
The Silver Tongued Devil and I Kris Kristofferson Monument
Treat Him Right Barbara Mandrell Columbia
A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills) Merle Haggard Capitol
Two of a Kind Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton RCA
We Only Make Believe Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn Decca
When You're Hot, You're Hot Jerry Reed RCA
Yesterday's Wine Willie Nelson RCA
You're My Man Lynn Anderson Columbia

Births[]

  • January 17 – Kid Rock (born Robert Ritchie), white rap vocalist who had major country hits with "Picture" (duet with Sheryl Crow) and "All Summer Long."
  • February 5 — Sara Evans, female vocalist from the late 1990s–2000s (decade).
  • March 4 – Jason Sellers, singer-songwriter.
  • March 10 – Daryle Singletary, neotraditonalist singer of the 1990s (died 2018).
  • April 26 — Jay DeMarcus, member of Rascal Flatts.
  • May 16 — Rick Trevino, Mexican-American singer who had several hits in the 1990s.
  • April 30 — Carolyn Dawn Johnson, singer-songwriter.
  • July 23 — Alison Krauss, bluegrass artist, vocalist and leader of Union Station.
  • October 20 – Jimi Westbrook, member of Little Big Town.

Deaths[]

  • February 7 — Dock Boggs, 73, influential old-time country singer.
  • February 28 – Fiddlin' Arthur Smith, 72, old-time fiddle player.
  • June 12 — J. E. Mainer, 72, old-time fiddle player and early country music star.
  • August 7 – Henry D. "Homer" Haynes, 50, of the Homer and Jethro comedy duo.
  • August 20 — Tom Darby, 79, one half of the duo Darby and Tarlton, an early country music duo.

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees[]

Arthur Edward Satherley (1889–1986)[1]

Major awards[]

Grammy Awards[]

  • Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Help Me Make It Through the Night", Sammi Smith
  • Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "When You're Hot, You're Hot", Jerry Reed
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "After the Fire Is Gone", Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Snowbird" Chet Atkins
  • Best Country Song — "Help Me Make It Through the Night", Kris Kristofferson (Performer: Sammi Smith)

Juno Awards[]

Academy of Country Music[]

  • Entertainer of the Year — Freddie Hart
  • Song of the Year — "Easy Loving", Freddie Hart (Performer: Freddie Hart)
  • Single of the Year — "Easy Loving", Freddie Hart
  • Album of the Year — Easy Loving, Freddie Hart
  • Top Male Vocalist — Freddie Hart
  • Top Female Vocalist — Loretta Lynn
  • Top Vocal Duo — Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
  • Top New Male Vocalist — Tony Booth
  • Top New Female Vocalist — Barbara Mandrell

Country Music Association[]

  • Entertainer of the Year — Charley Pride
  • Song of the Year — "Easy Loving", Freddie Hart (Performer: Freddie Hart)
  • Single of the Year — "Help Me Make It Through the Night", Sammi Smith
  • Album of the Year — I Won't Mention It Again, Ray Price
  • Male Vocalist of the Year — Charley Pride
  • Female Vocalist of the Year — Lynn Anderson
  • Vocal Duo of the Year — Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
  • Vocal Group of the Year — Osborne Brothers
  • Instrumentalist of the Year — Jerry Reed
  • Instrumental Group of the Year — Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass

References[]

  1. ^ "Art Satherley | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved September 17, 2021.

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.

Other links[]

External links[]

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