COUNTRY CHARTBEAT (Read 14,326 times)

[countrychartnut]

1. STILL #1: Kenny Chesney rules the chart for a third week with Save It For A Rainy Day. He has not had a three week #1 since 2011's Somewhere With You. This is the third three week #1 since Billboard 2015 started (since December, 2014). Shotgun Rider by Tim McGraw held sway between December-January while the Zac Brown Band had one in April with Homegrown. If Chesney manages a fourth week at the top, it'll be the first four week #1 since Play It Again by Luke Bryan from last year.
2. BACK TO BACK TOP 20S: Big & Rich's second Gravity single, Run Away With You is at #18 for the week. It is the follow up to their career second top ten, Look At You (#7). They haven't scored back to back top 20s since 2006-2007 when 8th Of November peaked at #18 during the former year while Lost In This Moment became their only #1 during the latter year.
3. MOVING ON: Clare Dunn scores the fastest climbing song of the week as Move On jumps twelve to #46.
4. OUCH!: After debuting at #35 last week, Cold Beer Conversation by George Strait takes a fourteen point fall to #49.
5. GOING FOR THREE: Dustin Lynch debuts his third Where It's At single, Mind Reader at #57. He is hoping it becomes his third consecutive #1 following the title track (2014) and Hell Of A Night (2015).
6. SOME CD NEWS: There are four country albums making their debut on the chart this week. They are:
1. AN EAGLE HAS LANDED: Don Henley collects his first #1 country album with Cass County. 88,000 were sold last week. He becomes the first member of the Eagles to top the country albums chart. He has backed up Trisha Yearwood on two of her hits: Walkaway Joe (#2 in 1993) and Inside Out (#31 in 2002).
2. STRAIT'S FIFTH #2: George Strait comes in at a close second with Cold Beer Conversation. 83,000 were sold. It becomes his fifth #2 peaking album following:
1. Easy Come, Easy Go-1993
2. Always Never The Same-1999
3. For The Last Time: Live From The Astrodome-2003
4. The Cowboy Rides Away: Live From AT&T Stadium-2014
5. Cold Beer Conversation-2015
3. RHETT'S TANGLED AT #3: Thomas Rhett 's second album, Tangled Up debuts at #3 after 63,000 copies were sold. It follows his #2 debut from 2013, It Goes Like This.
4. BLACK'S BACK: Clint Black's first studio album in a decade debuts at #13. It is On Purpose and it sold 3000 copies. His last, Drinkin' Songs And Other Logic was released on his Equity label. It topped off at #36 in 2005.
7. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: The Boys Of Fall-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2005: Something To Be Proud Of-Montgomery Gentry-Columbia
2000: That's The Way-Jo Dee Messina-Curb
1995: I Like It, I Love It-Tim McGraw-Curb
1990: Friends In Low Places-Garth Brooks-Capitol
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney rank in the top two in two key categories during the 2000s. Keith has more #1s (16 versus 14 for Chesney) while Chesney has more top tens (28 versus 24 for Keith). Keith collected his final chart topper of the decade just six years ago this week with American Ride.
Keith's chart toppers between 2000-2009 are:
1. How Do You Like Me Now-2000-the biggest hit of the year according to the American Country Countdown and Billboard
2. You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This-2001
3. I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight-2001-Keith wins the C.M.A. Male Vocalist of the Year Award
4. I Wanna Talk About Me-2001
5. My List-2002
6. Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue The Angry American-2002
7. Who's Your Daddy-2002
8. Beer For My Horses-with Willie Nelson-2003-chart wise, his biggest hit
9. I Love This Bar-2003
10. American Soldier-2004
11. Whiskey Girl-2004
12. As Good As I Once Was-2005
13. Love Me If You Can-2007
14. She Never Cried In Front Of Me-2008
15. God Love Her-2009
16. American Ride-2009
American Ride (title track) was selected as the lead single. The song was written by Joe West and Dave Pahanish. It was custom built for Keith. It certainly espoused the views of Keith, first established after 9/11 with Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue. Not only stacked with political commentary, it also noted the top news stories of the day and gave a slap to American culture. Released in July, it became Keith's 19th chart topper overall and 16th of the decade. Keith did a 180 with his next release. Cryin' For Me Wayman's Song, a tune dedicated to his friend, Wayman Tisdale, who died earlier in the year. Released the week after American Ride topped the chart, it peaked at #6 in early 2010. Every Dog Has Its Day wrapped up the era on a #15 note. His next CD, Bullets In The Gun (2010) became the first Keith CD released after his Show Dog label merged with Universal Music. It became his first not to have ANY top tens on it. However, the three singles still made the top 20. They are:
1. Trailerhood-2010-#19
2. Bullets In The Gun-2010-#12
3. Somewhere Else-2011-#12
Clancy's Tavern was released in 2011. It started with Made In America that was released in June. It became his 20th (and so far final) #1 in October. Red Solo Cup was released just before the year was over. It hit #9 in early 2012 and became the biggest crossover hit in Keith's career, peaking at #15 pop. It is his biggest selling single being certified double platinum. The star-studded clip won the C.M.A. Video of the Year Award. Beers Ago was the third and final single, peaking at #6 becoming so far, final top ten hit. Keith's chart fortunes began to decline with the Hope On The Rocks CD (2012). I Like Girls That Drink Beer hit #17 in 2012 while the title track peaked at #18 in 2013. Drinks After Work (2013) did not improve things for Keith. The title track peaked at #17 in 2013 while Shut Up And Hold On hit #48, becoming his first non-top 40 hit since 1999's When Love Fades (#44). In 2014, Keith released the lead single to his upcoming CD, 35 MPH Town. That was Drunk Americans and that brought him back to the top 40 at #27. The title track hit #42 this year. The third single (the CD is not out yet), Rum Is The Reason has just been released. I hope it becomes a big hit for Keith this year. Here is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 10, 2009:
1. AMERICAN RIDE-TOBY KEITH-SHOW DOG
2. Small Town USA-Justin Moore-Valory
3. Gettin' You Home The Black Dress Song-Chris Young-RCA
4. Only You Can Love Me This Way-Keith Urban-Capitol
5. Big Green Tractor-Jason Aldean-Broken Bow
6. Welcome To The Future-Brad Paisley-Arista
7. Toes-Zac Brown Band-Atlantic
8. Living For The Night-George Strait-MCA
9. I'll Just Hold On-Blake Shelton-Warner Bros.
10. Love Your Love The Most-Eric Church-EMI

[countrychartnut]

1. BRETT LOSES #1: Brett Eldredge claims the fourth #1 in his career with Lose My Mind. It is the lead single to his #1 album, Illinois. Illinois opened with 44,000 in sales. His previous album, Bring You Back had three chart toppers. They are:
1. Don't Ya-2013
2. Beat Of The Music-2014 and the biggest hit of the year according to Billboard
3. Mean To Me-2015
2. THEIR FIRST: Dan + Shay celebrate their first top ten this week as Nothin' Like You is at #10. They came close last year in scoring a top ten as their debut single, 19 You + Me hit #11. They followed it up with Show You Off (#21 in 2015). All of these songs are from their debut CD, Where It All Began.
3. COLD BEER IS FAST: George Strait scores the fastest climbing song of the week as Cold Beer Conversation talks up nine spots to #40.
4. STRAIT'S 26TH: George Strait leads the country albums chart for a record breaking 26th time as Cold Beer Conversation claims the top spot. Last week it debuted at #2 with 83,000 sold. This week it sells 30,000-the most of any country album. Here is a list of ALL Strait albums that topped the chart:
1. Right Or Wrong-1984
2. Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind-1985
3. Something Special-1985
4. #7-1986
5. Ocean Front Property-1987-the first country album to debut at #1
6. Greatest Hits Volume 2-1987
7. If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin'-1988
8. Beyond The Blue Neon-1989
9. Livin' It Up-1990
10. Pure Country-1993
11. Lead On-1994
12. Blue Clear Sky-1996
13. Carrying Your Love With Me-1997
14. One Step At A Time-1998
15. Latest Greatest Straitest Hits-2000
16. George Strait-2000
17. The Road Less Traveled-2001
18. Honkytonkville-2003
19. 50 Number Ones-2004
20. Somewhere Down In Texas-2005
21. It Just Comes Natural-2006
22. Troubadour-2008
23. Twang-2009
24. Here For A Good Time-2011
25. Love Is Everything-2013
26. Cold Beer Conversation-2015
Add that to his 44 #1 hits and Strait has 70 country #1s on singles and album charts.
5. #1 CDS: These were the chart selling CDs in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: Hemingway's Whiskey-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2005: All Jacked Up-Gretchen Wilson-Epic
2000: Greatest Hits-Kenny Chesney-BNA
1995: All I Want-Tim McGraw-Curb
1990: No Fences-Garth Brooks-Capitol
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: RCA Records was dominating the charts between October and November, 1982. They had a quartet of chart toppers that went back to back. They are:
1. I Will Always Love You/Do I Ever Cross Your Mind-Dolly Parton
2. He Got You-Ronnie Milsap
3. Close Enough To Perfect-Alabama
4. You're So Good When You're Bad-Charley Pride
Now, let us take a look at those songs and artists:
1. I Will Always Love You-We all know this one, but it's worth repeating here. In 1967, Parton switched labels from Monument to RCA. She also replaced Norma Jean on the Porter Wagoner Show. She was free to record with Wagoner as he was already signed to RCA. In fact, Parton's first RCA single was a duet with Wagoner called The Last Thing On My Mind (#7 in 1968). Things went well over the next five years as she charted solo singles and duets with Wagoner, collecting her first #1 in 1971 with Joshua. In 1973, she was contemplating leaving Wagoner. She wrote a song about it letting everyone know what she was going through. Knowing Parton, she did not take pity on herself or the situation. Titled I Will Always Love You, it was placed on the 1974 album, Jolene. The title track was the lead single and it became her second #1 in February. It gave her debut showings on pop (#60) and adult contemporary charts (#44). In March, I Will Always Love You was released. During its chart run, Parton indeed left Wagoner. That became her third chart topper in June. Ironically, four months later, Parton and Wagoner would have their ONLY chart topping duet with Please Don't Stop Loving Me. After 1974, Parton was well on her way to superstardom. Six years later, she added movie star to her resume as her first film, 9 To 5 was a blockbuster in 1980. Two years later, she starred in her second, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. He co-star was Burt Reynolds. She needed a song that would be used in a key scene in the movie. She decided to rerecord I Will Always Love You. In July, the single was released off the soundtrack, paired with Do I Ever Cross Your Mind, also written by Parton. It topped the chart in October, making Parton so far, the ONLY artist to take two versions of the same song to #1. Her sixteenth chart topper was a crossover hit, peaking at #53 pop and #17 A.C.. A second single was a hit called Hard Candy Christmas (#8 in 1983). A decade later, Whitney Houston recorded her version for The Bodyguard soundtrack. It became her biggest hit by staying at #1 on the pop chart for fourteen weeks (a record at the time) while topping r&b and A.C. charts. In 1995, it became a hit on the country chart for the third time. This time, it was a duet between Parton and Vince Gill. It hit #15 late in the year. It won the 1996 Vocal Event Award from the C.M.A.. Parton's last chart appearance was a duet with Kenny Rogers called You Can't Make Old Friends (#57 in 2013). Her last CD was released the following year called Blue Smoke.
2. He Got You-Milsap was on a roll. In 1981, he released the There's No Gettin' Over Me album. The title track became his biggest crossover hit, peaking at #1 country for two weeks, #5 pop for five weeks, and #2 A.C. for four weeks. I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World was the second and final single, peaking at #1 country, #20 pop, and #3 A.C. in early 1982. The Inside Ronnie Milsap album was next. Any Day Now was the lead single and it hit #1 country, #14 pop, and #1 A.C., chart wise, his biggest A.C. hit and the biggest A.C. hit of the year according to Billboard. He Got You, a title similar to the Patsy Cline classic was released in July. It became his 21st country chart topper in October while peaking at #59 pop and #15 A.C.. The album ended with the double-sided Inside/Carolina Dreams single. That hit #1 in early 1983. It crossed over to #27 A.C.. That was Milsap's tenth single of the 1980s and his tenth consecutive #1 hit. That was broken by the lead single to his next album, Keyed Up. Stranger In My House was released in March and it topped off at #5 country, #23 pop, and #8 A.C.. Milsap's last chart appearance was 2006's Local Girls (#54). Last year, RCA released a box set of ALL Milsap studio albums called The RCA Albums Collection.
3. Close Enough To Perfect-After signing to RCA in 1980, Alabama shot to stardom with the My Home's In Alabama album. They got chart toppers with Tennessee River and Why Lady Why. Their second RCA album gave them superstardom status. That was Feels So Right, their first chart topping album. A trio of singles hit the top in 1981: Old Flame, Feels So Right (also #20 pop), and Love In The First Degree (also #15 pop and #5 A.C.). Between Feels So Right and Love In The First Degree, Alabama won the first of three Vocal Group of the Year Awards from the C.M.A.. The pattern was repeated with the 1982 Mountain Music album. The title track was the first single and that became their sixth #1 hit. Take Me Down was a crossover hit reaching #1 country, #18 pop, and #5 A.C.. Close Enough To Perfect was released in August, hitting the top in October. It also peaked at #65 pop. While they were enjoying that #1, they won the first of three C.M.A. Awards for Entertainer of the Year. Their last chart appearance was a duet with Brad Paisley called Old Alabama (#1). Their current CD was just released called Southern Drawl.
4. You're So Good When You're Bad-Pride released a greatest hits album in 1981. A new song, Never Been So Loved In All My Life became his 25th #1 hit. He was the fourth artist in history to have that many following Eddy Arnold, Conway Twitty, and Merle Haggard. He released an album in 1982 called Charley Sings Everybody's Choice. The first single, Mountain Of Love was a remake. Harold Dorman took his version to #21 pop and #7 r&b in 1960. Pride's version hit the top in March. I Don't Think She's In Love Anymore became his sixth #2 hit during the summer, unable to get past Janie Frickie's Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby and Till You're Gone by Barbara Mandrell. After that near miss, the third single, You're So Good When You're Bad was released in August and it became Pride's 27th chart topping hit in November. You're So Good When You're Bad was used in a 1989 episode of Designing Women. He would have five more top tens at RCA. They are:
1. Why Baby Why-1983-#1
2. More And More-1983-#7
3. Night Games-1983-#1
4. Ev'ry Heart Should Have One-1984-#2
5. The Power Of Love-1984-#9
In 1986, Pride switched labels to 16th Avenue. He collected a trio of major hits there: Have I Got Some Blues For You (#14 in 1987), Shouldn't It Be Easier Than This (#5 in 1988), and I'm Gonna Love Her On The Radio (#13 in 1988). He charted for the last time when Amy's Eyes peaked at #28 in 1990. His last CD was released in 2011 called Choices.
Parton (1999), Milsap (2014), Alabama (2005) and Pride (2000) are all members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Coincidentally, RCA would be the next label to have four consecutive #1s on the chart. They did it between December, 1988 to January, 1989 with these hits and artists:
1. A Tender Lie-Restless Heart
2. When You Say Nothing At All-Keith Whitley
3. Hold Me-K.T. Oslin
4. Change Of Heart-the Judds
This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 1982:
1. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU/DO I EVER CROSS YOUR MIND-DOLLY PARTON-RCA
2. HE GOT YOU-RONNIE MILSAP-RCA
3. Let It Be Me-Willie Nelson-Columbia
4. CLOSE ENOUGH TO PERFECT-ALABAMA-RCA
5. Mistakes-Don Williams-MCA
6. YOU'RE SO GOOD WHEN YOU'RE BAD-CHARLEY PRIDE-RCA
7. She's Lying-Lee Greenwood-MCA
8. Break It To Me Gently-Juice Newton-Capitol
9. Yesterday's Wine-Merle Haggard and George Jones-Epic
10. I Wish You Could Have Turned My Head And Left My Heart Alone-Oak Ridge Boys-MCA

Videos:
I Will Always Love You: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GBVGZOkRUA
He Got You: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HA-i8vs7ME
Close Enough To Perfect: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be31JM4Wblo
You're So Good When You're Bad: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMfyFhRfoig

[countrychartnut]

1. BRYAN STRIPS #1: For the thirteenth time in his career, Luke Bryan has the top song in country music. He does it this week with the second Kill The Lights single, Strip It Down. The era has been perfect so far as Kick The Dust Up, the lead single hit the top in August. Furthermore, Bryan becomes the second artist in Billboard 2015 (since December, 2014) to have three #1s. The last Crash My Party single, I See You went to the top in February. He joins Kenny Chesney in having three #1s this year. Chesney's trio:
1. Til It's Gone
2. Wild Child
3. Save It For A Rainy Day
2. RICE AT 50: Chase Rice rises three spots to #2 with Gonna Wanna Tonight. It has been on the chart for 50 weeks, making it the seventh single in history to spend at least that amount of time on the chart. It follows:
1. 56 weeks-Love Like Crazy-Lee Brice-2010
2. 54 weeks-Bouquet Of Roses-Eddy Arnold-1948
3. 52 weeks-Fraulein-Bobby Helms-1957
4. 52 weeks-Voices-Chris Young-2011
5. 51 weeks-Let It Rain-David Nail-2012
6. 50 weeks-Love You Like That-Canaan Smith-2015
7. 50 weeks-Gonna Wanna Tonight-Chase Rice-2015
3. BACKROAD FAST: Granger Smith has the fastest climbing song of the week as Backroad Song takes an eleven point jump to #26.
4. NICHOLS DEBUTS: Joe Nichols has the Hot Shot Debut of the week with Freaks Like Me at #56. It is the lead single to his upcoming CD. His last, Crickets yielded a trio of top 40 hits. They are:
1. Sunny And 75-2013-#1
2. Yeah-2014-#1
3. Hard To Be Cool-2015-#22
5. 35 IS #2: Toby Keith lands at #2 on the country albums chart with 35 MPH Town. 19,000 were sold last week. This is his third #2 album following:
1. Greatest Hits 2-2004
2. White Trash With Money-2006
3. 35 MPH Town-2015
6. THIRTY ONE IS #3: Jana Kramer debuts at #3 on the country albums chart with Thirty One. 18,000 were sold last week. It follows her #5 self-titled debut from 2012.
7. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: All Over Me-Josh Turner-MCA
2005: Better Life-Keith Urban-Capitol
2000: Kiss This-Aaron Tippin-Lyric Street
1995: She's Every Woman-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1990: Friends In Low Places-Garth Brooks-Capitol
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: MCA Records gathered ALL George Strait singles that topped various charts in 2004. When they did, they realized they had fifty chart toppers. When they released the album, it was titled 50 Number Ones, our top seller from eleven years ago this week.
Being a Billboard purist, I am going to reveal the track listing of the two CD set with the chart peaks from that publication. Ready?
Disc 1:
1. I Hate Everything-2004-#1
2. Fool Hearted Memory-1982-#1
3. A Fire I Can't Put Out-1983-#1
4. You Look So Good In Love-1984-#1
5. Right Or Wrong-1984-#1
6. Let's Fall To Pieces Together-1984-#1
7. Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind-1985-#1
8. The Chair-1985-#1
9. Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her-1986-#1
10. It Ain't Cool To Be Crazy About You-1986-#1
11. Ocean Front Property-1987-#1
12. All My Ex's Live In Texas-1987-#1
13. Am I Blue-1987-#1
14. Famous Last Words Of A Fool-1988-#1
15. Baby Blue-1988-#1
16. If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin'-1988-#1
17. Baby's Gotten Good At Goodbye-1989-#1
18. What's Going On In Your World-1989-#1
19. Ace In The Hole-1989-#1
20. Love Without End, Amen-1990-#1-chart wise, his biggest hit
21. I've Come To Expect It From You-1990-#1
22. If I Know Me-1991-#1
23. You Know Me Better Than That-1991-#1
24. The Chill Of An Early Fall-1991-#3
25. So Much Like My Dad-1992-#3
26. I Cross My Heart-1992-#1
Disc 2:
1. Heartland-1993-#1
2. Easy Come, Easy Go-1993-#1
3. I'd Like To Have That One Back-1994-#3
4. The Man In Love With You-1994-#4
5. The Big One-1994-#1
6. You Can't Make A Heart Love Somebody-1995-#1
7. Lead On-1995-#7-?
8. Check Yes Or No-1995-#1-C.M.A. and A.C.M. Single of the Year
9. I Know She Still Loves Me-1996-#5
10. Blue Clear Sky-1996-#1
11. Carried Away-1996-#1
12. I Can Still Make Cheyenne-1996-#4
13. One Night At A Time-1997-#1
14. Carrying Your Love With Me-1997-#1
15. Today My World Slipped Away-1997-#3
16. Round About Way-1998-#1
17. I Just Want To Dance With You-1998-#1
18. True-1998-#2
19. We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This-1998-#4
20. Write This Down-1999-#1
21. The Best Day-2000-#1-with this song, Strait tops the chart for nineteen consecutive years (1982-2000), a record
22. Go On-2000-#2
23. Run-2001-#2-his biggest #2 hit
24. Living And Living Well-2002-#1
25. She'll Leave You With A Smile-2002-#1
The only new song on the 50 Number Ones was I Hate Everything. That was released in July and became Strait's 39th chart topping hit in October. It crossed over and hit #35 pop. With that feat, Strait passed Merle Haggard on the all-time list of those with the most #1s (Haggard has 38). Only Conway Twitty (he has 40) stood in Strait's way. When I Hate Everything moved to the top of the singles chart, 50 Number Ones debuted at the top of BOTH country and top 200 charts when 343,000 copies were sold during the first week. As a matter of fact, Strait dethroned Rascal Flatts' Feels Like Today from both charts (see below). The 50 Number Ones CD was the top selling country album for five weeks and #1 on the top 200 for two weeks. Strait continued to make history with the follow up album, Somewhere Down In Texas in 2005. Lead single, You'll Be There debuted at #30 in April and climbed all the way to #4 during the summer. She Let Herself Go was released in September and became the first chart topper of 2006. In the meantime, Strait equaled Twitty's mark of having 40 chart topping hits. Would Strait have the record for having more #1s than any artist with the next single? No. The Seashores Of Old Mexico written and recorded by Haggard in 1974 peaked at #11 for Strait. It was his second #11 hit after 2003's Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa. After The Seashores Of Old Mexico ran its course, Strait was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
It Just Comes Natural was released in October, 2006. Lead single, Give It Away was released three months prior to the CD. It claimed the top spot in September, making Strait the king of #1 hits. The title track was the next release and it topped the chart in February, 2007. In the meantime, the A.C.M. named Give It Away the Single and Song of the Year. Wrapped, the third single hit #2 for two weeks becoming his fifth runner up hit. The album closed with How 'Bout Them Cowgirls that hit #3 just before 2007 ended. While that song was on the charts, MCA released a companion CD to 50 Number Ones called 22 More Hits (#4 country and #13 top 200 CD-certified gold). 50 Number Ones is now certified seven times platinum (because it is a two CD set, over three and a half million physical copies have been sold). In 2012, Strait announced a farewell tour that would take place between 2013-2014. The C.M.A. awarded him the Entertainer of the Year Award in 2013 while in 2014, the A.C.M. followed suit. In 2013, MCA released Sixty Number Ones with the addition of nine hits. They are (all Billboard peaks):
1. She Let Herself Go-2006-#1
2. Give It Away-2006-#1
3. It Just Comes Natural-2007-#1
4. Wrapped-2007-#2
5. I Saw God Today-2008-#1-C.M.A. Single of the Year
6. River Of Love-2009-#1-Strait named Artist of the Decade by the A.C.M.
7. Here For A Good Time-2011-#2
8. Love's Gonna Make It All Right-2012-#3
9. Give It All We Got Tonight-2013-#2
Strait is currently on the charts with Cold Beer Conversation, the single and the CD. The album just became his record extending 26th chart topping release. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 23, 2004:
1. 50 NUMBER ONES-GEORGE STRAIT-MCA
2. Feels Like Today-Rascal Flatts-Lyric Street
3. Live Like You Were Dying-Tim McGraw-Curb
4. Be Here-Keith Urban-Capitol
5. Here For The Party-Gretchen Wilson-Epic
6. Horse Of A Different Color-Big & Rich-Warner Bros.
7. What I Do-Alan Jackson-Arista
8. License To Chill-Jimmy Buffett-Mailboat
9. Definitive All-Time Greatest Hits-John Denver-RCA
10. Mud On The Tires-Brad Paisley-Arista

[countrychartnut]

1. STILL STRIPPING: Luke Bryan continues to have the top song in country music this week with Strip It Down. It is the biggest hit off Kill The Lights so far as Kick The Dust Up held the top spot for one week earlier this year.
2. GONNA HAVE A HIT: Three out of the four songs in positions #8 through #11 have the word 'Gonna' in them. They are:
1. Gonna-Blake Shelton-#8
2. Gonna Wanna Tonight-Chase Rice-#10
3. Gonna Know We Were Here-Jason Aldean-#11
3. BACK TO #35: George Strait matches his peak position of #35 with Cold Beer Conversation. It debuted there five weeks ago. It fell to #49 the following week and began climbing from there.
4. A TIE: We have a trio of songs taking six point jumps for fastest climbers of the week. They are:
1. Better In Boots-Tyler Farr-#47 to #41
2. Southern Belle-Scotty McCreery-#54 to #48
3. High Class-Eric Paslay-#57 to #51
5. HOPING FOR #1: Keith Urban debuts at #54 with the second single to his upcoming CD, Break On Me. The lead single, John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 recently became his sixth #2 hit.
6. THE FIRST CHRISTMAS: Already? Yes! LeAnn Rimes debuts at #18 with Today Is Christmas. 2000 people were in a holiday mood to buy it last week.
7. A 40S LOOK: These were the chart topping hits during the last week of October during the 1940s:
1944: Smoke On The Water-Red Foley-Decca
1945: You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often-Tex Ritter-Capitol
1946: Divorce Me C.O.D.-Merle Travis-Capitol
1947: I'll Hold You In My Heart Till I Can Hold You In My Arms-Eddy Arnold-RCA
1948: Just A Little Lovin' Will Go A Long Way-Eddy Arnold-RCA
1949: Slippin' Around-Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely-Capitol
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Little did we know at the time, but when Shania Twain topped the chart for the seventh time with Honey, I'm Home, it would be her last (so far). That song was tops seventeen years ago this week.
Honey, I'm Home came from her second diamond CD, Come On Over (double diamond). Her first, The Woman In Me was her breakthrough in 1995. It yielded a septet of top 40 hits:
1. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?-1995-#11
2. Any Man Of Mine-1995-#1
3. The Woman In Me Needs The Man In You-1995-#14
4. If You're Not In It For Love I'm Outta Here!-1996-#1
5. You Win My Love-1996-#1
6. No One Needs To Know-1996-#1
7. Home Ain't Where His Heart Is Anymore-1996-#28
Twain was preparing her third album in 1997. She and her (then) husband, Robert John 'Mutt' Lange wrote ALL sixteen songs for Come On Over. The first single, Love Gets Me Every Time was released in September. That became her fifth #1 hit and by staying at #1 for five weeks became her biggest country hit. It also crossed over to #25 pop. While that song was at #1, Come On Over was released. It debuted at #1 on the country albums chart and #2 on the top 200 chart after 172,000 copies were sold. The second single, Don't Be Stupid You Know I Love You was released just before 1997 ended. It became her first top ten NOT to reach the top (#6). That also became a top 40 pop hit at #40. Her first release of 1998 became her biggest crossover hit. That was You're Still The One. Released in February, it became her sixth #1 country hit for a week, held the #2 position on the pop chart for nine weeks, and became her first adult contemporary chart topper for eight weeks. Bryan White came along for the ride on her next hit, From This Moment On. That peaked at #6 country. Without him, it crossed over to #4 pop and #1 A.C.. Honey, I'm Home was released In August. It became her seventh and so far final chart topper in October. Because it was only promoted to country, it was shut out of the other charts. That Don't Impress Me Much kicked off Twain's 1999 on a #8 country note while peaking at #7 pop. Man! I Feel Like A Woman! hit #4 country and #23 pop. You've Got A Way faltered a bit at country, hitting #13 there while peaking at #49 pop and #6 A.C.. The title track was next and it hit #6 country and #58 pop. While that song was on the charts, Twain won her ONLY C.M.A. Award for Entertainer of the Year. In January 2000, Come On Over spent its 50th and final week at #1 on the country albums chart, breaking Randy Travis' 43 week reign with Always & Forever. January also saw her charting with the tenth single Rock This Country! (#30 country). The A.C.M. awarded their Entertainer of the Year to Twain. She finally closed the era with an ELEVENTH release, I'm Holdin' On To Love To Save My Life (#17 country). In late 2000, Come On Over was set to pass Garth Brooks' No Fences as the top selling country CD of all time. That is why he released a fifth single in Wild Horses (#7 in 2001). Shortly after his single peaked, Come On Over did indeed pass No Fences in sales.
After the complete success of Come On Over, Twain released a follow up in Up!, so far her last studio album. That debuted at #1 on BOTH country and top 200 charts when 874,000 copies were sold. A quintet of major hits were released. They are:
1. I'm Gonna Getcha Good!-2002-#7 country, #34 pop, and #10 A.C.
2. Up!-2003-#12 country and #63 pop
3. Forever And For Always-2003-#4 country, #20 pop, and #1 A.C.
4. She's Not Just A Pretty Face-2004-#9 country and #56 pop
5. It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing-2004-#18 country, #71 pop, and #16 A.C.
After a decade of hits, Twain released Greatest Hits in late 2004. On it, the singles were in backwards order. Three new songs made chart appearances. They are:
1. Party For Two-with Billy Currington-2004-#7 country-with Mark McGrath-2004-#58 pop and #16 A.C.
2. Don't!-2005-#24 country and #18 A.C.
3. I Ain't No Quitter-2005-#45 country
Her contribution to the Desperate Housewives soundtrack, Shoes hit #29 country. She was off the charts for the next six years. A promo single in Today Is Your Day brought her back into the country top 40 at #36 while peaking at #66 pop. Right after that single peaked, she participated in Lionel Richie's duets album called Tuskegee. They remade his biggest hit, Endless Love (with Diana Ross in 1981-#1 pop, #1 r&b, and #1 A.C.). This time, it hit #12 A.C. in 2012. That remains her last chart appearance anywhere. She had a Las Vegas residency between 2012-2014 called Still The One. This year, she announced a world tour called Rock This Country. It will run between this year and next year. The real question remains: When will we see her next album? Stay tuned! This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1998:
1. HONEY, I'M HOME-SHANIA TWAIN-MERCURY
2. Everything's Changed-Lonestar-BNA
3. Wide Open Spaces-Dixie Chicks-Monument
4. Where The Green Grass Grows-Tim McGraw-Curb
5. How Do You Fall In Love-Alabama-RCA
6. Don't Laugh At Me-Mark Wills-Mercury
7. Forever Love-Reba McEntire-MCA
8. You Move Me-Garth Brooks-Capitol
9. A Little Past Little Rock-Lee Ann Womack-MCA
10. Nothin' New Under The Moon-LeAnn Rimes-Curb

[countrychartnut]

1. IN CASE I DON'T MAKE IT NEXT WEEK: Thank a veteran. Tell them how much their service to the country means to you. It'll make their day.
2. A #1 BREAK UP: Old Dominion scores their first #1 this week with Break Up With Him. It is a vast improvement over their previous single, the #58 peaking Shut Me Up. Both are from their debut album, Meat And Candy. Furthermore, Old Dominion becomes the seventh act since Billboard 2015 started (since December, 2014) to score their first chart topper. The others:
1. Girl In A Country Song-Maddie & Tae
2. A Guy Walks Into A Bar-Tyler Farr
3. Smoke-A Thousand Horses
4. Love Me Like You Mean It-Kelsea Ballerini
5. Love You Like That-Canaan Smith
6. Kiss You In The Morning-Michael Ray
7. Break Up With Him-Old Dominion
3. A FAST BREAK: Keith Urban has the fastest climbing song of the week as Break On Me breaks twenty-one spots to #33.
4. DRINK MOORE: Justin Moore debuts a single from an upcoming CD. He has the Hot Shot Debut this week at #41 with You Look Like I Need A Drink. His last CD, Off The Beaten Path yielded a trio of singles. They are:
1. Point At You-2013-#2
2. Lettin' The Night Roll-2014-#1
3. This Kind Of TOwn-2015-#44
5. DOUBLE THE FAIRCHILD: Luke Bryan debuts his third Kill The Lights single, Home Alone Tonight at #55. It features Karen Fairchild, a member of Little Big Town. They are on the chart at #48 with Pain Killer.
6. SIX FOR SIX: Carrie Underwood debuts at #1 on the country albums chart for the sixth time with Storyteller. 164,000 copies were sold last week. That is her entire output. It joins these chart topping albums:
1. Some Hearts-2005-Billboard's #1 country album of the decade
2. Carnival Ride-2007
3. Play On-2009
4. Blown Away-2012
5. Greatest Hits: Decade #1-2014
6. Storyteller-2015
7. 20 #1S IS #2: Blake Shelton's second greatest hits album, Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits debuts at #2 with 33,000 sold. His first, Loaded: The Best Of Blake Shelton peaked at #4 in 2010. It is certified platinum.
8. A STATLER CHARTS: Jimmy Fortune, a one time member of the Statler Brothers debuts at #10 on the country albums chart with Hits & Hymns. 4000 were sold last week. He has released five other albums, but none of those charted.
9. MORE HITS: Colt Ford debuts at #14 with 3000 copies sold of Answer To No One: Hits. He has one chart topping album in Declaration Of Independence from 2012.
10. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: Come Back Song-Darius Rucker-Capitol
2005: Better Life-Keith Urban-Capitol
2000: The Little Girl-John Michael Montgomery-Atlantic
1995: Dust On The Bottle-David Lee Murphy-MCA
1990: You Lie-Reba McEntire-MCA
11. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Blake Shelton currently has country music's longest chart topping streak of hits at fifteen. So far, ALL of his singles this decade have hit the top from 2010's Hillbilly Bone with Trace Adkins to this year's Sangria. I am discounting Gonna for the time being because we do not know where that will peak. Shelton's streak replaced the last great one held by Brad Paisley. Paisley took ten consecutive singles to the top. That started in 2006 with When I Get Where I'm Going with Dolly Parton to 2009's Then. That streak ended six years ago this week when Welcome To The Future peaked at #2. Ironically, during this time, Shelton released Hillbilly Bone to start his streak.
In 2005, Paisley released an album called Time Well Wasted. It's lead single, Alcohol peaked at #4. The second single, When I Get Where I'm Going was released before 2005 ended. It started Paisley's chart topping streak in 2006. When it did hit the top, it became Parton's first #1 in fifteen years when her duet with Ricky Van Shelton, Rockin' Years did the same. It gave her chart toppers during the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. At age 60 at the time, it made Parton the oldest female to top the chart. The World was next and that topped the chart during the summer. She's Everything, the fourth and final single became the first chart topping hit of 2007. An album cut, Waitin' On A Woman would lay for a year before being rerecorded and released as a single. Paisley would win A.C.M. and C.M.A. Awards for Time Well Wasted. They are:
1. A.C.M. Vocal Event and Video of the Year for When I Get Where I'm Going
2. C.M.A. Musical Event for When I Get Where I'm Going and Album of the Year for Time Well Wasted
The 5th Gear album was released in 2007. Naturally, it continued Paisley's chart topping streak. First single, Ticks topped the chart shortly after Paisley winning the first of five A.C.M. Awards for Male Vocalist of the Year. Online followed Ticks to #1 while Letter To Me became his biggest hit when it topped the chart for four weeks in early 2008. He scored his biggest hit after winning the first of three C.M.A. Awards for Male Vocalist of the Year. I'm Still A Guy topped the chart during the spring. Paisley went back to the Time Well Wasted CD to rerecord Waitin' On A Woman. He even rereleased the 5th Gear album to include the song. Released as the 'fifth' single, it topped the chart during the late summer of 2008. In the meantime, Paisley equaled the mark set by Rodney Crowell's Diamonds & Dirt in producing a quintet of chart topping hits. Waitin' On A Woman won Video of the Year from both the A.C.M. and the C.M.A.. His next album, Play yielded a lone single in Start A Band, a duet with Keith Urban. That topped the chart in early 2009 and remains Urban's ONLY chart topping hit on a label other than his, Capitol. It won Musical Event from the A.C.M. and Vocal Event from the C.M.A..
The American Saturday Night album was next and it started with Then, Paisley's tenth consecutive chart topper and fourteenth overall. Welcome To The Future was the next single. Released in July 2009, it looked like Paisley's chart topping streak would continue. Not so. Welcome To The Future peaked at #2 for two weeks while the Zac Brown Band's Toes was at #1 for two weeks. That became his third #2 hit and first since 2004's Little Moments. Paisley would kick off the 2010's on another #2 note, the title track. Water, the final single brought Paisley back to the top. With that, he had chart toppers during the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. A greatest hits CD called Hits Alive yielded one single in Anything Like Me, a #1 during the latter part of 2010. In the meantime, Paisley won the Entertainer of the Year Award from the C.M.A.. 2011's This Is Country Music yielded the #2 title track. He then scored two monster #1 duets with Alabama on Old Alabama and Carrie Underwood on Remind Me. Remind Me is Paisley's biggest crossover hit, peaking at #17 pop. Camouflage ended the era on a #15 note, his first miss of the top ten since Me Neither (#18 in 2000). The Wheelhouse album of 2013 started with a pair of #2 hits: Southern Comfort Zone and Beat This Summer. I Can't Change The World faltered at #22 while The Mona Lisa kicked off his 2014 on a #19 note.
His latest CD, Moonshine In The Trunk started with a #2 in River Bank. Perfect Storm, released during the summer of 2014, became his first #1 in three and a half years when it topped the chart early this year. Crushin' It peaked at #9. He is currently on the chart with the fourth single, Country Nation. He is set to host tonight's C.M.A. Awards with Underwood for the eighth time. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 7, 2009:
1. Toes-Zac Brown Band-Atlantic
2. WELCOME TO THE FUTURE-BRAD PAISLEY-ARISTA
3. Only You Can Love Me This Way-Keith Urban-Capitol
4. Gettin' You Home The Black Dress Song-Chris Young-RCA
5. Cowboy Casanova-Carrie Underwood-Arista
6. Need You Now-Lady Antebellum-Capitol
7. American Ride-Toby Keith-Show Dog
8. Do I-Luke Bryan-Capitol
9. I'm Alive-Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews-BNA
10. Fifteen-Taylor Swift-Big Machine

[countrychartnut]

1. THE C.M.A. KING IS #1: Well, we do have to start with Chris Stapleton. After a stunning performance at the C.M.A. Awards with Justin Timberlake, Stapleton won ALL three awards he was nominated for: New Artist, Male Vocalist, and Album of the Year for Traveller. Traveller, originally a #2 peaking album, rockets to #1 this week with 153,000 copies sold since the awards show. Not bad for an artist with little to no country airplay backing him up.
2. STILL BREAKING: Old Dominion continues to have the top song in country this week with Break Up With Him.
3. C.M.A. CHART: This year's winners on this week's chart:
4. Smoke Break-Carrie Underwood-C.M.A. Hostess
7. Anything Goes-Florida Georgia Line-Vocal Duo
21. Country Nation-Brad Paisley-C.M.A. Host
29. Break On Me-Keith Urban-Musical Event
36. Mr. Misunderstood-Eric Church-Musical Event
38. Home Alone Tonight-Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild-Entertainer of the Year for Bryan
46. Nobody To Blame-Chris Stapleton-New Artist, Male Vocalist, and Album of the Year
47. Confession-Florida Georgia Line-Vocal Duo
48. Pain Killer-Little Big Town-Vocal Group and Single of the Year
59. Roller Coaster Ride-Eric Church-Musical Event
4. TOP TWO STREAK IS OVER: Florida Georgia Line slides from #3 to #7 with Anything Goes. It is their first single not to make the top two. A review of their top two hits:
1. Cruise-2012-#1
2. Get Your Shine On-2013-#1
3. Round Here-2013-#1
4. Stay-2014-#1-chart wise, their biggest hit
5. This Is How We Roll-with Luke Bryan-2014-#2
6. Dirt-2014-#1
7. Sun Daze-2015-#1
8. Sippin' On Fire-2015-#1
5. ALONE IS FAST: Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild have the fastest climbing song of the week with Home Alone Tonight (#55 to #38).
6. CHURCH DEBUTS: Eric Church lands at #3 on the country albums chart with Mr. Misunderstood. 71,000 copies were sold last week. His last album, The Outsiders reached the top in 2014 and is certified platinum.
7. HIS BOAT DEBUTS: Coming in at #4 with 19,000 sold is Chris Janson's debut album, Buy Me A Boat. The title track peaked at #3.
8. #1 CDS: These were the top selling CDs in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: Speak Now-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2005: Timeless-Martina McBride-RCA
2000: Breathe-Faith Hill-Warner Bros.
1995: The Greatest Hits Collection-Alan Jackson-Arista
1990: No Fences-Garth Brooks-Capitol
9. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: The offspring of country music stars lead interesting lives. They also have interesting stories to tell. Two of the most successful had back to back #1s in late 1981. They are Rosanne Cash (you know who her father is) with My Baby Thinks He's A Train and All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down by Hank Williams, Jr. (who know who his father is). They were our top songs 34 years ago this week.
Cash released an album in Germany in 1978 simply called Rosanne Cash. Columbia Records became interested in her after the album was released and signed her in 1979, making her the second Cash on the label (she said she did not receive any help from her father at the time). She went to work on the Right Or Wrong album that year and her first single, No Memories Hangin' Round was a duet with Bobby Bare and it peaked at #17 in late 1979. The album was released at the same time of the second single, Couldn't Do Nothin' Right (#15). The album ended with a third release, the #25 peaking Take Me, Take Me. While the Right Or Wrong album was a middling success, Cash went to work on an album that would make her a star, Seven Year Ache. The Rodney Crowell (Cash married him in 1979) produced album yielded a trio of chart topping hits. Lead single, the title track was written by Cash. She calls it a 'street song'. Nevertheless, it was released in February, 1981 and became the first of eleven chart toppers for her in May. It also became her biggest crossover hit, peaking at #22 pop and #6 adult contemporary. My Baby Thinks He's A Train was the next single. Released in August, it topped the chart in November. Blue Moon With Heartache was the final single. Released in December, it topped the chart in March, 1982. When it did, it made Cash the first female artist to score a trio of #1s from an album. Seven Year Ache topped the country albums chart and is certified gold.
Cash continued to make the charts until 1991's On The Surface (#69) that came from her dark, personal album, Interiors. The following year, Cash divorced Crowell. The most comprehensive album of Cash's hits is The Essential Rosanne Cash from 2011. Her last CD was released last year called The River & The Thread (#2). It won a trio of Grammys for Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song, and Best American Roots Performance for A Feather's Not A Bird.
Bocephus was on a roll in 1981, his greatest chart year. His #2 gold album, Rowdy gave him a pair of chart topping hits: Texas Women, his first chart topper since 1972's Eleven Roses and Dixie On My Mind. He followed that with The Pressure Is On album. All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down was released in September. In the song, Hank recalls how rowdy his friends were at one time, but priorities have them 'settled down'. He namedrops George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. Jr. even mentions Sr. in the chorus: 'And I think I know what my father meant when he sang about a lost highway'. Anyway, All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down became his fifth #1 in November. His most famous recording became his biggest #2 hit. That was A Country Boy Can Survive. Released as a single in January 1982, it went on to hit the runner up position, unable to get past three chart toppers:
1. The Clown-Conway Twitty-his first chart topper for the Elektra label
2. Crying My Heart Out Over You-Ricky Skaggs-his first #1 overall
3. Mountain Music-Alabama-their sixth #1
The Pressure Is On reached #5 on the country albums chart and is certified platinum. A Country Boy Can Survive did survive very well on the charts in the ensuing years. In 1999, Chad Brock released his version with Williams and George Jones off his Yes! album. It peaked at #30 in 2000. Williams released a version after 9/11 called America Will Survive. It peaked at #45 that year. Finally, for the silver anniversary of the single being released, a video for the song was released. It too peaked at #45 in 2007. It has been announced that Williams has signed to the Nash Icon label. He will be releasing a CD next year called It's About Time. A single, Are You Ready For The Country will be a duet with Eric Church. It is a remake of the 1977 hit that Waylon Jennings had (#7). This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 1981:
1. MY BABY THINKS HE'S A TRAIN-ROSANNE CASH-COLUMBIA
2. ALL MY ROWDY FRIENDS HAVE SETTLED DOWN-HANK WILLIAMS, JR.-ELEKTRA
3. Wish You Were Here-Barbara Mandrell-MCA
4. Miss Emily's Picture-John Conlee-MCA
5. Share Your Love With Me-Kenny Rogers-Liberty
6. Bet Your Heart On Me-Johnny Lee-Full Moon
7. My Favorite Memory-Merle Haggard-Epic
8. If I Needed You-Emmylou Harris and Don Williams-Warner Bros.
9. Heart On The Mend-Sylvia-RCA
10. It's All I Can Do-Anne Murray-Capitol

Videos:

My Baby Thinks He's A Train: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYLWmOt_BX0
All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct8V4nF9oOI

[countrychartnut]

1. YOUNG COMES OVER TO #1: Chris Young scores his sixth #1 this week with the title track to his current CD, I'm Comin' Over. Young has not seen the top of the chart in almost four years since You hit #1 in early 2012. He has done well since, getting hits with these songs:
1. Neon-2012-#23
2. I Can Take It From Here-2013-#4
3. Aw Naw-2013-#3
4. Who I Am With You-2014-#2
5. Lonely Eyes-2015-#2
2. THEIR FIRST: The Brothers Osborne after three singles are in the top ten for the first with Stay A Little Longer at #10. It is from their upcoming CD, Pawn Shop. They graced the chart on two other occasions: Let's Go There (#36 in 2013) and Rum (#27 in 2014).
3. 21 IS AT #21: How appropriate that Hunter Hayes is at #21 with 21.
4. NOBODY IS FAST: Chris Stapleton takes a fifteen point jump to #31 with Nobody To Blame, the week's fastest climbing song.
5. WILLIAMS COVERS JENNINGS: Making his Nash Icon debut (under Bocephus/Big Machine labels) is Hank Williams, Jr. with Are You Ready For The Country at #58. He is joined here with Eric Church. This is a remake of the Waylon Jennings hit of 1977 (#7). Williams is the third Nash Icon artist to chart following Reba McEntire and Ronnie Dunn.
6. DAMN MCGRAW: Tim McGraw debuts at #3 on the country albums chart with Damn Country Music. 39,000 copies were sold last week. This is his third Big Machine album following Two Lanes Of Freedom (#1 in 2013) and Sundown Heaven Town (#1 in 2014).
7. MEAT AND CANDY ARE HERE: Old Dominion debuts at #5 with 21,000 copies sold of Meat And Candy. It features their first chart topper, Break Up With Him.
8. FRONT ROW IS TOP TEN: The Josh Abbott Band land at #9 with 13,000 sold of Front Row Seat. It is their third album to chart following 2010's She's Like Texas (#28) and 2012's Small Town Family Dream (#5).
9. THE 21 IS #16: Hunter Hayes' current album, The 21 Project debuts at #16 with 5000 sold. There are seven songs repeated on three discs. Disc One has studio versions of songs, Disc Two has acoustic versions of songs, and Disc Three has live versions of songs.
10. THE COMPLETE JACKSON: Finally, at #17 is the most complete Alan Jackson set of music you can buy called Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story. 3000 physical copies were sold but the RIAA will say 9000 CDs were sold because it is a three CD set.
11. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: As She's Walking Away-Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson-Atlantic
2005: Better Life-Keith Urban-Capitol
2000: Best Of Intentions-Travis Tritt-Columbia
1995: Check Yes Or No-George Strait-MCA
1990: You Really Had Me Going-Holly Dunn-Warner Bros.
12. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Lonestar landed their first #1 in 1996 with No News. In 2004, they collected their last with Mr. Mom, our top song from eleven years ago this week.
In 2003, Lonestar released their first greatest hits CD, From There To Here: Greatest Hits. The platinum album yielded two hits: My Front Porch Looking In (#1) and Walking In Memphis (#8). Walking In Memphis was a #13 pop and #12 adult contemporary hit for Marc Cohn in 1991. It even made a brief appearance on the country chart at #74. After Lonestar's version ran its course, Billboard named My Front Porch Looking In the top single of the year. After the success of the greatest hits album, Lonestar went to work on the follow up, Let's Be Us Again. The lead single, the title track peaked at #4 in 2004. Mr. Mom, a song about an out of work father (and husband) stays home to take care of the kids. He thinks it will be easy, but finds out real fast it isn't. In any case, Mr. Mom was released in July and became the ninth and final #1 in Lonestar's career in November. It even peaked at #33 pop. Class Reunion That Used To Be Us kicked off their 2005 on a #16 note. Check out their version of Let Them Be Little which became Billy Dean's last top ten hit in 2005 (#8). Their 2005 album, Coming Home yielded two chart singles: You're Like Coming Home (#8 in 2005) and I'll Die Tryin' (#43 in 2006). Their last BNA album, Mountains also contained a pair of chart singles: Mountains (#10 in 2006 and so far, their last top ten) and Nothing To Prove (#51 in 2007). In 2007, Lonestar was dropped by BNA after twelve years at the label.
That was not the only change with Lonestar. Their lead singer, Richie McDonald left the group to pursue a solo career. He released two albums in I Turn To You in 2008 and Slow Down in 2010. He made two chart appearances in 2009, both peaking at #51: How Do I Stop and Six Foot Teddy Bear. In the meantime, Cody Collins took over for McDonald and the new Lonestar signed to the Saguaro Road label in 2007. They released just one album for them called Party Heard Around The World. Only one single charted with Let Me Love You in 2008 (#50). Another single did not chart in You're The Reason Why. After four years with Lonestar, Collins left the group and McDonald came back. They released an album on the 4 Star label called Life As We Know It in 2013. Their last chart appearances came from that CD: The Countdown (#52 in 2012) and Maybe Someday (#56 in 2013). Mr. Mom appears on three Lonestar hits collections. They are:
1. 16 Biggest Hits-2006
2. Super Hits-2007
3. Playlist: The Very Best Of Lonestar-2008
This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 20, 2004:
1. MR. MOM-LONESTAR-BNA
2. That's What It's All About-Brooks & Dunn-Arista
3. Stays In Mexico-Toby Keith-DreamWorks
4. Nothing On But The Radio-Gary Allan-MCA
5. In A Real Love-Phil Vassar-Arista
6. The Woman With You-Kenny Chesney-BNA
7. Back When-Tim McGraw-Curb
8. Some Beach-Blake Shelton-Warner Bros.
9. How Am I Doin'-Dierks Bentley-Capitol
10. Suds In The Bucket-Sara Evans-RCA

[countrychartnut]

1. YOUNG STILL TOPS: Chris Young enjoys a second week at #1 with I'm Comin' Over. If he manages a third week at the top, it will match his stay there of his biggest hit, 2010's The Man I Want To Be.
2. DRINK FAST: Justin Moore has the fastest climbing song of the week with You Look Like I Need A Drink. It sips up nine to #48.
3. A DAUGHTER DEBUTS: Ashley Campbell makes her debut on the chart with Remembering at #56. She is the daughter of Glen Campbell. Remembering is from the soundtrack I'll Be Me that features Glen on tour while struggling with Alzheimer's Disease. Furthermore, Glen and Ashley join a notable list of fathers and daughters charting in country music. They are:
1. Johnny and Rosanne Cash
2. George and Lorrie Morgan
3. Mel and Pam Tillis
4. Johnny and Ruby Wright
5. Carl Smith and Carlene Carter
6. Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus
4. A LOVE AND THEFT DEBUT: Making their debut at #59 is Love And Theft with Whiskey On My Breath. It is their debut on the Hate And Purchase label. They have charted on two other labels: Carolwood and RCA. Their biggest hit is their only #1, Angel Eyes from 2012.
5. YOUNG IS TOPS HERE, TOO: Chris Young tops the country albums chart for the first time with his current CD, I'm Comin' Over. 57,000 copies were sold last week. It is his fifth top ten album following:
1. Chris Young-2006-#3
2. The Man I Want To Be-2009-#6
3. Neon-2011-#2
4. A.M.-2013-#2
5. I'm Comin' Over-2015-#1
6. MORE CHRISTMAS: Three Christmas albums reach the top 25 on the albums chart. They are:
1. NOW That's What I Call Country Christmas-Various Artists-#15
2. Elvis: Ultimate Christmas-Elvis Presley-#18
3. Once Again, It's Christmas-Kenny Rogers-#22
7. A 00S LOOK: These were the chart topping hits during the last week of November during the 2000s:
2000: We Danced-Brad Paisley-Arista
2001: I Wanna Talk About Me-Toby Keith-DreamWorks
2002: These Days-Rascal Flatts-Lyric Street
2003: I Love This Bar-Toby Keith-DreamWorks
2004: Mr. Mom-Lonestar-BNA
2005: Come A Little Closer-Dierks Bentley-Capitol
2006: Before He Cheats-Carrie Underwood-Arista
2007: So Small-Carrie Underwood-Arista
2008: Love Story-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2009: Need You Now-Lady Antebellum-Capitol
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Steve Wariner was named Billboard Country Singles Artist of the Year for 1987. His fourth hit of the year, Lynda was our top song 28 years ago this week.
Wariner came to MCA Records in 1984 after being at RCA Records the previous eight years. At RCA, Wariner collected ten top 40 hits which seven hit the top twenty while five of those hit the top ten. Only one chart topper was earned in 1981's All Roads Lead To You, a song I saluted a year ago. His debut MCA album, One Good Night Deserves Another started with What I Didn't Do. That was released during Wariner's 30th birthday in December, 1984. It peaked at #3 during the spring of 1985. Heart Trouble followed, hitting #8. Third and final single, Some Fools Never Learn was released in July. It became Wariner's second chart topper in November, four years after his first, All Roads Lead To You. His second MCA disc, Life's Highway would showcase Wariner as a songwriter. He wrote the first single, You Can Dream Of Me. That was also written by John Hall, a member of the pop group Orleans. That was released in November, 1985 and hit the top in February, 1986. He would score a classic with the title track. That hit the top in June. His next hit came from someone else's album. It was a duet with Nicolette Larson on That's How You Know When Love's Right (from the Rose Of My Heart album). That became her only top 40 hit when it peaked at #9. It was Wariner's first ever hit duet. The era wrapped up on a #4 note with Starting Over Again.
1987 would go down as Wariner's greatest year as an artist. The It's A Crazy World album would be his most successful in terms of singles. Small Town Girl was released in December, 1986. It became his fifth chart topper in March, 1987. Another classic was born in The Weekend, a #1 during the summer. Wariner would score his second hit duet next. This time, he teamed up with Glen Campbell on a song fit for Mother's Day: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. That came from Campbell's Still Within The Sound Of My Voice album. That was Campbell's first top ten at MCA when it peaked at #6. Lynda would be released in August. It was the most rocking sounding single in Wariner's career to date. The song mentions two superheroes: Wonder Woman (played by LYNDA Carter during the 1970s) and Spiderman. It topped the chart in November, giving Wariner a perfect track record during the year. While Lynda was in release, MCA released the first greatest hits CD on Wariner. In December, Billboard gave Wariner the Country Singles Artist Award. His entrance into 1988 would give Wariner a dubious distinction. His album, I Should Be With You (the first produced by Wariner) started with a pair of #2 hits, something he never had before: Baby I'm Yours and the title track. Hold On A Little Longer peaked at #6 in 1989. His I Got Dreams album of 1989 got him back to the top when Where Did I Go Wrong became his eighth chart topper in June (a song he wrote himself). The title track ended his 1980s on a chart topping note (he scats in that one). 1990 started with the #5 peaking When I Could Come Home To You. Laredo would be the final album Wariner would release on MCA. He continued to do well, getting a trio of major hits. They are:
1. The Domino Theory-1990-#7
2. Precious Thing-1990-#8
3. There For Awhile-1991-#17
A second greatest hits album was released. MCA dropped Wariner in 1991. However, Arista stepped in and signed him. During the transition, Wariner would score a top 40 hit with Mark O'Connor, Vince Gill, and Ricky Skaggs with Restless (#25). Wariner would score eight top 40 hits on Arista, the biggest being The Tips Of My Fingers (#3 in 1992). After five years there, he signed to Capitol Records. During that transitional period, he scored another hit duet with Anita Cochran from her Back To You album with What If I Said. That became her only top 40 hit when it hit the top in 1998. It was Wariner's tenth and final single to see the top of the page. While at Capitol, he scored seven top 40 hits, the biggest being Holes In The Floor Of Heaven (#2 in 1998). It won Song of the Year by the A.C.M. and Song and Single of the Year by the C.M.A.. He also wrote hits for others. They are:
1. Longneck Bottle-Garth Brooks-1997-#1
2. One Small Miracle-Bryan White-1998#16
3. Nothin' But The Taillights-Clint Black-1998-#1
After five years at Capitol, he formed Selectone Records. His last chart appearance came in 2003 with the #52 peaking Snowfall On The Sand. His last CD was released in 2013 with It Ain't All Bad. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 28, 1987:
1. LYNDA-STEVE WARINER-MCA
2. Somebody Lied-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
3. The Last One To Know-Reba McEntire-MCA
4. Only When I Love-Holly Dunn-MTM
5. One For The Money-T.G. Sheppard-Columbia
6. She Couldn't Love Me Anymore-T. Graham Brown-Capitol
7. Do Ya'-K.T. Oslin-RCA
8. Those Memories Of You-Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt-Warner Bros.
9. Somewhere Tonight-Highway 101-Warner Bros.
10. Bonnie Jean Little Sister-David Lynn Jones-Mercury

P.S.: Happy Thanksgiving!

[countrychartnut]

1. A YOUNG TRIFECTA: For the third week, Chris Young has the top song with I'm Comin' Over, the title track to his current CD. This is his second three week #1 as his first, The Man I Want To Be ruled for three weeks in 2010. If I'm Comin' Over manages a fourth week at the top, Young will have his biggest hit this year.
2. THE SECOND TIME: By sliding from #2 to #5, Carrie Underwood's Smoke Break becomes her seventh runner up hit. This is the second time she's charted consecutive #2 hits as her previous single, Little Toy Guns from Greatest Hits: Decade #1 claimed the #2 spot earlier this year. She charted consecutive #2s for the first time in 2013 with the third and fourth Blown Away singles, Two Black Cadillacs and See You Again, respectively.
3. THEIR FIRST: LoCash, formerly LoCash Cowboys collect their first top ten this week with I Love This Life at #10. This is their sixth single. Their other chart appearances are:
1. Here Comes Summer-2010-#41
2. Keep In Mind-2010-#34
3. You Got Me-2011-#52
4. Chase A Little Love-2013-#54
5. Best Seat In The House-2013-#52
4. FISHING FAST: Maddie & Tae have the fastest climbing song of the week as Shut Up And Fish reels up seven to #40.
5. A 00S LOOK PART II: These were the top selling CDs during the first week of December during the 2000s:
2000: Greatest Hits-Tim McGraw-Curb
2001: Scarecrow-Garth Brooks-Capitol
2002: Up!-Shania Twain-Mercury
2003: Shock'n Y'all-Toby Keith-DreamWorks
2004: Greatest Hits-Shania Twain-Mercury
2005: The Road And The Radio-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2006: Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing-Keith Urban-Capitol
2007: The Ultimate Hits-Garth Brooks-Pearl
2008: Fearless-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2009: Play On-Carrie Underwood-Arista
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Let us review those topics covered in this section of this column from the past year. Ready?
1. Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits & Some That Will Be is a top seller for Willie Nelson in 1981.
2. Steve Wariner lands his first #1, All Roads Lead To You in 1981.
3. None
4. Reba McEntire lands her biggest hit, Consider Me Gone in 2010.
5. Give Me Wings becomes Michael Johnson's first chart topper in 1987.
6. A reworked One Friend is a #1 for Dan Seals in 1988.
7. He's Got You reaches #2 for Brooks & Dunn in 1998.
8. Ricky Van Shelton lands his final top ten, Wild Man in 1993.
9. I Keep Coming Back/True Life Country Music becomes the first of three consecutive double-sided #1 hits for Razzy Bailey in 1981.
10. It's Just A Matter Of Time becomes a huge hit for Sonny James in 1970.
11. There's No Stopping Your Heart reaches the top for Marie Osmond in 1986.
12. Better Class Of Losers becomes Randy Travis' biggest #2 hit in 1992.
13. Shiftwork becomes a #2 duet for Kenny Chesney and George Strait in 2008.
14. Guitar Man becomes Elvis Presley's final chart topper in 1981.
15. Two suggestive songs, Why Don't You Spend The Night by Ronnie Milsap and Conway Twitty's I'd Love To Lay You Down top the chart in 1980.
16. How Was I To Know tops the chart for Reba McEntire in 1997.
17. Ronnie McDowell and Conway Twitty remake the latter's It's Only Make Believe in 1988.
18. Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton take We've Got Tonight to the top in 1983.
19. Wheels becomes a top seller for Restless Heart in 1987.
20. A Lesson In Leavin' becomes a chart topper for Dottie West in 1980.
21. My Woman, My Woman, My Wife becomes a classic hit for Marty Robbins in 1970.
22. Brooks & Dunn take It's Getting Better All The Time to the top in 2005.
23. Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis take I Told You So to #2 in 2009.
24. The O'Kanes land their only #1, Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You in 1987.
25. Johnny Cash takes One Piece At A Time to the top in 1976.
26. Jo Dee Messina tops the country albums chart with Greatest Hits in 2003.
27. Stranger In My House breaks Ronnie Milsap's string of #1s in 1983.
28. Eddie Rabbitt and Mickey Gilley see their chart topping streaks end in 1982.
29. Out Last Night becomes a chart topper for Kenny Chesney in 2009.
30. Barbara Mandrell and George Jones get together for a memorable duet, I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool in 1981.
31. Money In The Bank becomes John Anderson's final chart topper in 1993.
32. Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White have a top ten duet, Love Can't Ever Get Better Than This in 1987.
33. Who I Am is a top seller for Alan Jackson in 1994.
34. Merle Haggard takes Are The Good Times Really Over I Wish A Buck Was Still Silver to #2 in 1982. Meanwhile, the b-side of the record, I Always Get Lucky With You becomes George Jones' final #1 in 1983.
35. Somebody reaches the top for Reba McEntire in 2004.
36. I Don't Need You becomes a #1 for Kenny Rogers in 1981.
37. God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You is a big duet between Alabama and *NSYNC in 1999.
38. Give A Little Love reaches the runner up spot for the Judds in 1988.
39. She's Too Good To Be True becomes a #1 hit for Exile in 1987.
40. Girls Lie Too becomes Terri Clark's final #1 in 2004.
41. Play Something Country becomes Brooks & Dunn's final #1 in 2005.
42. Love You Like Crazy by Lee Brice spends its 56th and final week on the chart in 2010.
43. Here's Some Love becomes Tanya Tucker's final #1 of the 1970s in 1976.
44. American Ride becomes a chart topper for Toby Keith in 2009.
45. Four RCA artists, Dolly Parton, Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, and Charley Pride have #1s in 1982.
46. George Strait's 50 Number Ones debuts at #1 on the country albums chart in 2004.
47. Honey, I'm Home becomes Shania Twain's final chart topper in 1998.
48. Welcome To The Future snaps Brad Paisley's chart topping streak at ten in 2009.
49. Rosanne Cash and Hank Williams, Jr. have back to back #1s in 1981.
50. Lonestar lands their final chart topper, Mr. Mom in 2004.
51. Lynda becomes a #1 hit for Steve Wariner in 1987.

More to come!

[ozbest1]

This is a great trip down Memory Lane. Thanks, CCNut!

[countrychartnut]

Dec 1, 2015 21:57:19 GMT -6 ozbest1 said:

This is a great trip down Memory Lane. Thanks, CCNut!

You're welcome.  I do it as a labor of love.

[ozbest1]

Dec 2, 2015 16:57:07 GMT -6 countrychartnut said:

Dec 1, 2015 21:57:19 GMT -6 ozbest1 said:

This is a great trip down Memory Lane. Thanks, CCNut!

You're welcome.  I do it as a labor of love.

I can tell! All the more reason to show appreciation for all your hard work.

[countrychartnut]

1. NOTHIN' LIKE #1: Dan + Shay celebrate their first #1 this week with their third single, Nothin' Like You. It is from their debut album, Where It All Began. It could have been their second top ten, but their debut single, 19 You + Me peaked at #11 last year. They followed it up with a #21 peaker, Show You Off. Dan + Shay become the first duo to celebrate their first chart topper since Maddie & Tae topped the chart a year ago with Girl In A Country Song.
2. A FAST BEAT: Carrie Underwood has the fastest climbing song of the week as Heartbeat pulses up nine to #32.
3. ON HIS OWN: Charles Kelley makes his solo debut at #60 with The Driver. He is one third of Lady Antebellum. With him on this song is Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay. Bentley is on the chart at #24 with the title track to his current album, Riser. Paslay's charting with High Class at #48. Charles' brother, Josh Kelley has already charted two singles: Georgia Clay (#17 in 2011) and Gone Like That (#53 in 2011).
4. MORE CHRISTMAS: Another Christmas album makes the top 25 on the albums chart and that is Country Faith Christmas, a various artists disc that is at #24 this week.
5. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping songs in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: If I Die Young-Band Perry-Republic Nashville
2005: Come A Little Closer-Dierks Bentley-Capitol
2000: We Danced-Brad Paisley-Arista
1995: Tall, Tall Trees-Alan Jackson-Arista
1990: I've Come To Expect It From You-George Strait-MCA
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: The Eagles were flying high in 1980. They scored a monster hit in I Can't Tell You Why. After that song peaked, they disbanded for next thirteen years. Three years later, country artists would score hits with their songs. As a matter of fact, they even shared the same top ten space. Those songs and artists are Heartache Tonight by Conway Twitty and Take It To The Limit by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. Those two songs resided in our top ten 32 years ago this week. Since Twitty debuted on the chart before Nelson/Jennings, let us talk about Heartache Tonight first.
Heartache Tonight was written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bob Seger, and J.D. Souther. It was the lead single to the Eagles' 1979 album, The Long Run. The song was released in September and became their fifth and final #1 on the pop chart in November. It even peaked at #38 on the adult contemporary chart. The title track was next and that was released just before 1979 ended. That peaked at #8 pop and #34 A.C. in early 1980. After that one peaked, the Eagles won a Grammy Award for Heartache Tonight in the Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group category. Their first single release of the 1980s, I Can't Tell You Why hit #8 pop and #3 A.C.. They shocked the world by announcing their break up during the summer of 1980. They still owed their label another album, so they released Eagles Live during the fall. A single charted in Seven Bridges Road (#21 pop, #17 A.C., and even #55 country). They would not chart a single for fourteen years. In the meantime, Twitty released his third Elektra/Warner Bros. album in 1983 called Lost In The Feeling. If you look real close, you'll see Naomi Judd on the cover. That was before she signed a contract with RCA Records as the Judds with her daughter, Wynonna Judd. The first single, the title track features Ricky Skaggs on back up vocals. It peaked at #2 for two weeks, unable to topple Janie Frickie's He's A Heartache Looking For A Place To Happen and Love Song by the Oak Ridge Boys from the top. Heartache Tonight was next and that features the Osmond Brothers as back up vocalists. They were signed to a country contract at the time. Ironically, they were labelmates of Twitty's. Their biggest hit was I Think About You Lovin' that peaked at #17 in 1982. Twitty's single was released in September and peaked at #6 in November (for the record, Nelson and Jennings were at #17 with Take It To The Limit). Twitty ended the era on another remake, Three Times A Lady, originally a triple #1 on pop, r&b, and A.C. charts for the Commodores in 1978. Twitty's version would peak at #7 in 1984.
As for Take It To The Limit, that one was written by Henley, Frey, and Randy Meisner. That was off their 1975 album, One Of Those Nights. The title track was the lead single and that became their second #1 on the pop chart while hitting #20 on the A.C. chart. Lyin' Eyes was next and that peaked at #2 pop and #3 A.C.. It became their debut on the country chart, peaking at #8 and becoming their ONLY top ten country hit. Final single, Take It To The Limit was released in December, 1975 and kicked off their 1976 on a #4 note on both pop and A.C. charts. Meanwhile, Nelson and Jennings released a duets album in 1983 called Take It To The Limit. It was a remakes album with Nelson and Jennings covering:
1. No Love At All-#15 for Lynn Anderson in 1970
2. Why Baby Why-#4 for George Jones in 1955, #1 for Red Sovine and Webb Pierce in 1956, #9 for Hank Locklin in 1956, #23 for Warren Smith and Shirley Collie in 1961, and #1 for Charley Pride in 1983
3. We Had It All-#28 for Jennings in 1973 and #31 for Dolly Parton in 1986
4. Homeward Bound-#5 pop for Simon and Garfunkel in 1966
5. Blackjack County Chain-#21 for Nelson in 1967
6. 'Til I Gain Control Again-#1 for Crystal Gayle in 1983
7. Old Friends-#19 for Roger Miller, Ray Price, and Nelson in 1982
8. Would You Lay With Me In A Field Of Stone-#1 for Tanya Tucker in 1974
However, the first single was a solo Nelson song called Why Do I Have To Choose. That hit #3 during the fall. Next up was Take It To The Limit. That was released in October and hit #8 in December (Twitty would be at #9 with Heartache Tonight). Nelson and Jennings would cross over to #31 A.C.. It would be their fifth top ten duet following:
1. Good Hearted Woman-1976-#1
2. Luckenbach, Texas Back To The Basics Of Love-1977-#1-chart wise, their biggest hit
3. Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys-1978-#1
4. Just To Satisfy You-1982-#1
5. Take It To The Limit-1983-#8
In 1993, Heartache Tonight would be covered by John Anderson and Take It To The Limit would be redone by Suzy Bogguss for a tribute album called Common Thread: The Songs Of The Eagles. The triple platinum CD spent thirteen weeks at the top of the country albums chart while claiming a #3 peak on the top 200 chart. The biggest hit off that album was Travis Tritt's version of Take It Easy (#21 in 1994). That was a #12 pop and A.C. hit for the Eagles in 1972. Tritt said he would do a video for the song if the Eagles were to reunite. They did and the video was born. Common Thread won the 1994 C.M.A. Album of the Year Award. The Eagles decided to release an album in 1994 called Hell Freezes Over. Four singles charted on various formats. They are:
1. Get Over It-1994-#31 pop and #21 A.C.
2. Love Will Keep Us Alive-1994-#1 A.C.
3. The Girl From Yesterday-1994-#58 country
4. Learn To Be Still-1995-#15 A.C.
The album topped the top 200 chart for two weeks and is certified nine times platinum. They went on a world tour to support the album. It was a success, grossing over $175 million. They released a two disc set of their music called The Very Best Of The Eagles in 2003. A new song, Hole In The World hit #69 pop and #5 A.C.. In 2007, the Eagles released their Long Road Out Of Eden album. It topped BOTH country and top 200 charts gaining septuple platinum certification in the process. The singles were:
1. No More Cloudy Days-2005-#3 A.C.
2. How Long-2007-#23 country and #7 A.C.
3. Busy Being Fabulous-#28 country and #12 A.C.
4. What Do I Do With My Heart-2008-#13 A.C.
5. I Don't Want To Hear Any More-2009-#23 A.C.
How Long won a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals. What the Eagles will do next is anyone's guess. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 10, 1983:
1. Tell Me A Lie-Janie Frickie-Columbia
2. Black Sheep-John Anderson-Warner Bros.
3. Houston Means I'm One Day Closer To You-Gatlin Brothers-Columbia
4. A Little Good News-Anne Murray-Capitol
5. You Look So Good In Love-George Strait-MCA
6. Slow Burn-T.G. Sheppard-Warner Bros.
7. Queen Of My Heart-Hank Williams, Jr.-Warner Bros.
8. TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT-WILLIE NELSON AND WAYLON JENNINGS-COLUMBIA
9. HEARTACHE TONIGHT-CONWAY TWITTY-WARNER BROS.
10. Ev'ry Heart Should Have One-Charley Pride-RCA

Videos:
Heartache Tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcIhyo8phus
Take It To The Limit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAkn7SI1eXk

[countrychartnut]

1. SHELTON'S GONNA TIE JAMES: Blake Shelton is making history this week. He is tying a record that has stood for four and half decades. The fourth single from his Bringing Back The Sunshine album, Gonna becomes his twenty-first chart topping hit. More important, it becomes his sixteenth consecutive #1, tying a record Sonny James set in 1971. Let us review BOTH artists' chart topping streaks:
S.J.:
1. Need You-1967
2. I'll Never Find Another You-1967
3. It's The Little Things-1967
4. A World Of Our Own-1968
5. Heaven Says Hello-1968
6. Born To Be With You-1968
7. Only The Lonely-1969
8. Running Bear-1969
9. Since I Met You, Baby-1969
10. It's Just A Matter Of Time-1970
11. My Love-1970
12. Don't Keep Me Hangin' On-1970
13. Endlessly-1970
14. Empty Arms-1971
15. Bright Lights, Big City-1971
16. Here Comes Honey Again-1971
B.S.:
1. Hillbilly Bone-with Trace Adkins-2010
2. All About Tonight-2010
3. Who Are You When I'm Not Looking-2011
4. Honey Bee-2011
5. God Gave Me You-2011
6. Drink On It-2012
7. Over-2012
8. Sure Be Cool If You Did-2013
9. Boys 'Round Here-2013
10. Mine Would Be You-2013
11. Doin' What She Likes-2014
12. My Eyes-2014
13. Neon Light-2014
14. Lonely Tonight-2015
15. Sangria-2015
16. Gonna-2015
Furthermore, Bringing Back The Sunshine is Shelton's third consecutive album to contain at least four #1 hits. Red River Blue produced titles #4-#7. Based On A True Story yielded titles #8-#12. Bringing Back The Sunshine bred titles #13-#16. You will also find Gonna on Shelton's latest greatest hits CD, Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits (should be called 21 #1 Hits). Bringing Back The Sunshine is the 37th album in country music history to contain a quartet of #1 hits. The others:
1. Don't Make It Easy For Me-Earl Thomas Conley
2. Roll On-Alabama
3. Why Not Me-the Judds
4. Rockin' With The Rhythm-the Judds
5. Lost In The Fifties Tonight-Ronnie Milsap
6. Hang On To Your Heart-Exile
7. Wheels-Restless Heart
8. Always & Forever-Randy Travis
9. King's Record Shop-Rosanne Cash
10. The Heart Of It All-Earl Thomas Conley
11. Southern Star-Alabama
12. Killin' Time-Clint Black
13. No Fences-Garth Brooks
14. Don't Rock The Jukebox-Alan Jackson
15. Brand New Man-Brooks & Dunn
16. I Still Believe In You-Vince Gill
17. Alibis-Tracy Lawrence
18. Who I Am-Alan Jackson
19. The Woman In Me-Shania Twain
20. Everywhere-Tim McGraw
21. A Place In The Sun-Tim McGraw
22. Lonely Grill-Lonestar
23. Set This Circus Down-Tim McGraw
24. If You're Going Through Hell-Rodney Atkins
25. Golden Road-Keith Urban
26. Time Well Wasted-Brad Paisley
27. Carnival Ride-Carrie Underwood
28. The Foundation-Zac Brown Band
29. You Get What You Give-Zac Brown Band
30. Hemingway's Whiskey-Kenny Chesney
31. Red River Blue-Blake Shelton
32. Barefoot Blue Jean Night-Jake Owen
33. Here's To The Good Times-Florida Georgia Line
34. Night Train-Jason Aldean
35. Fuse-Keith Urban
36. The Big Revival-Kenny Chesney
37. Bringing Back The Sunshine-Blake Shelton
2. OLD DOMINION IS FAST: Old Dominion has the fastest climbing song of the week as Snapback snaps up eight to #34.
3. I NEED A FIX: Scoring the Hot Shot Debut of the week is Chris Lane at #50 with Fix. This is his second time on the chart as his debut single, Broken Windshield View peaked at #56 in 2014.
4. DECKER THE HALLS: Jesse James Decker debuts a Christmas album on the albums chart at #16. It's called This Christmas and 6000 were sold last week.
5. NASHVILLE RETURNS: Coming in at #17 with 5000 sold is Nashville: The Music Of Nashville, Season 4, Volume 1. This is the lowest charting soundtrack in the series as the other six have made the top ten.
6. #1 CDS: These were the top selling CDs in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: Speak Now-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2005: Some Hearts-Carrie Underwood-Arista
2000: Greatest Hits-Tim McGraw-Curb
1995: Fresh Horses-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1990: No Fences-Garth Brooks-Capitol
7. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: When Doug Supernaw debuted in 1993, he was hailed as the next big star. For the record, I heard the same thing two years later with Ty Herndon. Getting back to Supernaw, his top 40 reign lasted just three years between 1993-1996. His biggest hit was I Don't Call Him Daddy, our top song from 22 years ago this week.
Supernaw signed to BNA Records in 1992. He went to work on his debut album called Red And Rio Grande. His debut single, Honky Tonkin' Fool was released during the spring of 1993 and bombed at #50. Things would change with the next single, Reno. Released in May, it climbed all the way to #4, giving Supernaw his first top ten. Things looked rosy for awhile. Third single was I Don't Call Him Daddy, a song that had already charted for Kenny Rogers in 1988 as his final RCA single (#86). The song is about a father who doesn't live with his son and would love to be with him more. The son lives with his mother and mother's boyfriend and despite what the boyfriend does, the son reassures the father he doesn't 'call him daddy'. Released in September, it climbed all the way to the top in December, making Supernaw the third chart topping artist for BNA following John Anderson and Lorrie Morgan. In February 1994, the title track was released and that peaked at #23. The album remains Supernaw's highest charted set at #27 country and #147 on the top 200 chart. It is certified gold. A follow up album, 1994's Deep Thoughts From A Shallow Mind (love that title) started with the #55 peaking State Fair. He released his second remake in You Never Even Called Me By My Name. The song dubbed 'the perfect country and western song' was a hit for David Allan Coe in 1975 (#8). This time, it peaked at #60 for Supernaw in 1994. Another remake finally became a hit. That was What'll You Do About Me. That was recorded by McGuffey Lane, John Schneider, Randy Travis, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Steve Earle charted with it in 1984 (#76) and the Forester Sisters did eight years later (#74). Surpernaw's version became a hit when it peaked at #16 in 1995. It saved the era, but not his stay at BNA. After three years there, he landed at Giant Records.
His debut album for them, You Still Got Me (1995) started with Not Enough Hours In The Night. That was released in November and peaked at #3 during the spring of 1996. That was his third and final top ten and fifth and final top 40 hit. Two more singles dented the chart: She Never Looks Back (#51) and You Still Got Me (#53). He was dropped by Giant and went without a label for three years. The label that picked him up was Tack Records. A CD was released in Fadin' Renegade (1999). Two singles were released, but did not chart: the title tack and 21-17. Supernaw's recording career officially ended in 2000, just eight years after it started. What a shame. I know a series of personal and health issues held him back, but he certainly had the talent to be the 'next big thing'. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 18, 1993:
1. I DON'T CALL HIM DADDY-DOUG SUPERNAW-BNA
2. Soon-Tanya Tucker-Capitol
3. Fast As You-Dwight Yoakam-Reprise
4. The Song Remembers When-Trisha Yearwood-MCA
5. God Blessed Texas-Little Texas-Warner Bros.
6. My Second Home-Tracy Lawrence-Atlantic
7. Queen Of My Double Wide Trailer-Sammy Kershaw-Mercury
8. The Boys And Me-Sawyer Brown-Curb
9. Wild One-Faith Hill-Warner Bros.
10. I Never Knew Love-Doug Stone-Epic

[countrychartnut]

1. RHETT'S HAPPY AT #1: For the fifth time in his career, Thomas Rhett has the top song in country music. This week, it is the second single from his current CD, Tangled Up. It is Die A Happy Man and it makes Rhett the 125th artist in history to have at least five #1 hits. The others:
1. It Goes Like This-2013
2. Get Me Some Of That-2014
3. Make Me Wanna-2015
4. Crash And Burn-2015
5. Die A Happy Man-2016
The first three chart toppers are from his debut album, It Goes Like This while the other two are from Tangled Up.
2. EVEN MORE ON SHELTON: Gonna by Blake Shelton slides from the top to #5 this week. It just became his sixteenth consecutive chart topper and twenty-first overall. It ties him with Sonny James for the most consecutive #1s by a male artist. Furthermore, it is the second longest streak overall. The top five:
1. Alabama-21-1980-1987
2. Sonny James-16-1967-1971
3. Blake Shelton-16-2010-2015
4. Buck Owens-14-1963-1967
5. George Strait-11-1986-1989
3. ALDEAN'S STREAK SNAPPED: While Thomas Rhett and Blake Shelton enjoy their current chart topping streaks, one is broken by Jason Aldean. Gonna Know We Were Here was #2 last week, #3 this week. It is the fourth single to his current CD, Old Boots, New Dirt. It would have been his sixth consecutive #1. His streak is stopped at five, his longest. Let's review his string:
1. Night Train-2013
2. When She Says Baby-2014
3. Burnin' It Down-2014
4. Just Gettin' Started-2015
5. Tonight Looks Good On You-2015
4. HER SECOND: Landing her second top ten this week is Jana Kramer with I Got The Boy at #10. Her first, Why Ya Wanna peaked at #3 in 2012. She charted three other singles. They are:
1. Whiskey-2013-#25
2. I Hope It Rains-2013-#42
3. Love-2014-#32
5. SWINDELL'S HERE: Scoring the Hot Shot Debut of the week is Cole Swindell with You Should Be Here at #26. It is the lead single to his upcoming album. His debut, a self-titled one yielded a quartet of top ten hits. They are:
1. Chillin' It-2014-#2
2. Hope You Get Lonely Tonight-2014-#1
3. Ain't Worth The Whiskey-2015-#1
4. Let Me See Ya Girl-2015-#2
6. I AM FAST: Cassadee Pope has the fastest climbing song of the week with I Am Invincible. It climbs eight to #52.
7. JONES IS BACK: Sort of. Chris Stapleton debuts at #59 with his version of the George Jones hit, Tennessee Whiskey. Jones' version peaked at #2 in 1983. Stapleton performed the song with Justin Timberlake at the C.M.A. Awards. Stapleton is at #23 with Nobody To Blame.
8. CAM'S OTHER #2: Cam debuts at #2 on the country albums chart with her debut album, Untamed. It sold 37,000 last week. The album features her current #2 hit, Burning House.
9. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping songs in 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, and 1990:
2010: Why Wait-Rascal Flatts-Big Machine
2005: Come A Little Closer-Dierks Bentley-Capitol
2000: My Next Thirty Years-Tim McGraw-Curb
1995: That's As Close As I'll Get To Loving You-Aaron Tippin-RCA
1990: I've Come To Expect It From You-George Strait-MCA
10. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: 1990 was a great year for country music. It was also a transitional year for country music as well. It kicked off a decade of unprecedented acceptance. People were coming over to country music instead of it crossing over to pop and adult contemporary charts like it did a decade earlier during the Urban Cowboy Era (1980-1984). Country music saw great commercial success during the 1990s (I think Garth Brooks had something to do with that). This week, I will be revealing the top ten songs of the year and a video showcasing the chart topping hits of the year. A few notes:
1. The American Country Countdown and Billboard agreed on the top ten songs of the year. I believe it is the ONLY year they were in cahoots with each other.
2. I would have started the video playing Highway 101's fourth and final #1 and first chart topper of the year, Who's Lonely Now. Instead, it starts with Keith Whitley's It Ain't Nothin'.
3. No Matter How High by the Oak Ridge Boys is missing. It was the sixth #1 of the year. If you can picture the song in your mind, insert it between On Second Thought by Eddie Rabbitt and Patty Loveless' Chains.
4. Brooks had two #1s during the year. However, an unknown singer is performing The Dance while you are getting Mark Chesnutt's version of Friends In Low Places.
Without further ado, let us reveal the top ten songs of the year according to BOTH the A.C.C. and Billboard. Enjoy the video as well.

TOP TEN SONGS OF 1990:
1. Nobody's Home-Clint Black-RCA
2. Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
3. On Second Thought-Eddie Rabbitt-Capitol
4. Love Without End, Amen-George Strait-MCA
5. Walkin' Away-Clint Black-RCA
6. I've Cried My Last Tear For You-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
7. No Matter How High-Oak Ridge Boys-MCA
8. Help Me Hold On-Travis Tritt-Warner Bros.
9. Chains-Patty Loveless-MCA
10. Here In The Real World-Alan Jackson-Arista

P.S.: Merry Christmas!

[ozbest1]

Merry Christmas to you too, CCNut, and thanks for all your hard and tedious work, I know. Will be commenting more in 2016. Crazy few weeks at my house.

[countrychartnut]

1. STILL HAPPY: Thomas Rhett reigns for a second week with his fifth chart topper, Die A Happy Man. If he manages a third week at the top, it will match his longest reign of his first #1, 2013's It Goes Like This.
2. LIVIN' FAST: Drake White has the fastest climbing song of the week as Livin' The Dream vaults eight to #46.
3. THE FIRST CHRISTMAS: Finally, we have Christmas songs debuting on the chart. Mickey Guyton has the Hot Shot Debut at #57 with Do You Want To Build A Snowman. LeAnn Rimes comes in at #60 with Today Is Christmas.
4. A 90S LOOK: These were the chart topping hits during the last week of December during the 1990s:
1990: I've Come To Expect It From You-George Strait-MCA
1991: My Next Broken Heart-Brooks & Dunn-Arista
1992: Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away-Vince Gill-MCA
1993: Wild One-Faith Hill-Warner Bros.
1994: Pickup Man-Joe Diffie-Epic
1995: That's As Close As I'll Get To Loving You-Aaron Tippin-RCA
1996: One Way Ticket Because I Can-LeAnn Rimes-Curb
1997: Longneck Bottle-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1998: You're Easy On The Eyes-Terri Clark-Mercury
1999: Breathe-Faith Hill-Warner Bros.
5. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Jerry Reed's hitmaking stretch lasted for sixteen years (1967-1983). He scored nine top 40 novelty records. The last of those, The Bird was our #2 song 33 years ago this week.
The first of those was Amos Moses/The Preacher And The Bear from 1970. Both sides were novelty tunes while the a-side of the record became a hit. Amos Moses peaked at #16 country and #8 pop. He hit pay dirt the following year with his third novelty record, When You're Hot, You're Hot. That became his biggest country hit, staying at #1 for five weeks while crossing over to pop at #9 and even peaking at #6 on the adult contemporary chart. That won him a Grammy Award in 1972. His next novelty tune, Another Puff was released after his Grammy win. That peaked at #27 country and #65 pop. In 1973, Lord, Mr. Ford became his second chart topper in country while hitting #68 pop. The Crude Oil Blues in 1974 hit #13 country and #91 pop. I must say, he had considerable crossover appeal with those novelty records. However, he did not release another until 1979. Who Was The Man Who Put The Line In Gasoline peaked at #40 country only. His entrance into the 1980s included him scoring a major hit with Sugar Foot Rag. That was a remake of the Red Foley hit of 1950 (#4). Reed's version hit #12. 1981 was a huge year for Reed. Elvis Presley took Reed's Guitar Man to the top of the country chart while peaking at #28 pop and #16 A.C.. It was rerecorded with Reed playing electric guitar. Reed took his version to #53 country in 1967. Shortly after that, Reed went to work in his The Man With The Golden Thumb album. Patches was released in September, 1981 and peaked at #30 in November. Six months later, the second single, the title track peaked at #32. Third and final single, She Got The Goldmine I Got The Shaft was released in June, 1982 and became his third and final #1 in September. It stayed there for two weeks while crossing over to #57 pop.
Reed released a follow up album in 1982 called The Bird. The title track was the lead single. It is a story about a chance meeting of two men. One has a bird that sings. After the bird impresses the other man with his renditions (done be Reed himself) of Willie Nelson's Whiskey River (#12 in 1978) and George Jones' He Stopped Loving Her Today (#1 in 1980), he wants the feathered friend. The soon to be buyer of the bird envisions making money off the bird and actually buys it for $500. After the seller leaves, the bird flies away doing Nelson's On The Road Again (#1 country, #20 pop, and #7 A.C. in 1980). The Bird was released in October and spent the final three weeks of the year at #2, blocked by Earl Thomas Conley's Somewhere Between Right And Wrong and Wild And Blue by John Anderson. It would have been the ONLY time Reed would have charted consecutive #1s in his career. Down On The Corner was the second and final single. That was a #3 pop record for Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969. Reed's version hit #13 in 1983. Good Ole Boys/She's Ready For Someone To Love Her came from his Ready album of 1983, his last for RCA. It peaked at #16. His duet with Waylon Jennings, Hold On I'm Comin' came from the Waylon And Company album. It became Reed's final top 40 hit at #20 in 1983. Reed closed his eighteen year association with RCA in 1984 on a greatest hits note. His final chart appearance comes from that album, I'm A Slave (#58). The most complete hits collection on Reed is 1995's The Essential Jerry Reed. Reed's last CD was released in 2008 called The Gallant Few. Sadly, it was the same year he died at the age of 71. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING JANUARY 1, 1983:
1. Wild And Blue-John Anderson-Warner Bros.
2. THE BIRD-JERRY REED-RCA
3. A Love Song-Kenny Rogers-Liberty
4. Can't Even Get The Blues-Reba McEntire-Mercury
5. Going Where The Lonely Go-Merle Haggard-Epic
6. Lost My Baby Blues-David Frizzell-Warner Bros.
7. Marina Del Rey-George Strait-MCA
8. Lost His Love On Our Last Date-Emmylou Harris-Warner Bros.
9. I Wonder-Rosanne Cash-Columbia
10. Cherokee Fiddle-Johnny Lee-Full Moon

P.S.: Happy New Year!

[ozbest1]

Thanks, CCNut--Happy New Year to you and to everyone here as well!

[countrychartnut]

1. DIE A THIRD WEEK: Thomas Rhett rules the country chart for a third week with Die A Happy Man. He matches the reign of his first chart topper, It Goes Like This from 2013. If Rhett manages a fourth week at #1, it will be his biggest hit and first four week #1 since 2014's Play It Again by Luke Bryan.
2. 59 OUT OF 60: That's how many bulleted songs we have this week. The only song not bulleted is at #10: Cam's #2 peaking Burning House.
3. YOUNG THINKS OF A DEBUT: Chris Young debuts at #58 with the second I'm Comin' Over single, Think Of You. It is the Hot Shot Debut of the week and it features Cassadee Pope. The title track recently spent three weeks at the top for Young. This is Pope's fourth time on the charts. She has charted three solo singles:
1. Wasting All These Tears-2014-#10
2. I Wish I Could Break Your Heart-2014-#32
3. I Am Invincible-2016-#52
4. A 90S LOOK PART II: These were the top selling CDs during the first week of January during the 1990s:
1990: No Holdin' Back-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
1991: Put Yourself In My Shoes-Clint Black-RCA
1992: Ropin' The Wind-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1993: The Chase-Garth Brooks-Liberty
1994: Common Thread: The Songs Of The Eagles-Various Artists-Giant
1995: The Hits-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1996: Fresh Horses-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1997: Blue-LeAnn Rimes-Curb
1998: Sevens-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1999: Double Live-Garth Brooks-Capitol
5. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Blake Shelton just collected his twenty-first #1 hit in Gonna. That first appeared on his Bringing Back The Sunshine album and repeated on his Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits CD. Well, five years ago this week, Tim McGraw topped the chart with Felt Good On My Lips. That first appeared on his Number One Hits CD and repeated on his Emotional Traffic album.
The track listing to Number One Hits is as follows:
Disc One:
1. Live Like You Were Dying-2004-chart wise, his biggest hit and biggest hit of the year
2. Don't Take The Girl-1994
3. It's Your Love-with Faith Hill-1997-the biggest hit of the year
4. Just To See You Smile-1998-the biggest hit of the year
5. Something Like That-1999-most played song of the decade
6. My Next Thirty Years-2000
7. The Cowboy In Me-2002
8. She Never Lets It Go To Her Heart-1996
9. I Like It, I Love It-1995
10. Watch The Wind Blow By-2004
11. Please Remember Me-1999
12. Real Good Man-2003
Disc Two:
1. Southern Voice-2010
2. My Best Friend-2000
3. Everywhere-1997
4. Grown Men Don't Cry-2001
5. Back When-2004
6. Angry All The Time-2001
7. Last Dollar Fly Away-2007
8. Unbroken-2002
9. Where The Green Grass Grows-1998
10. Not A Moment Too Soon-1995
11. Indian Outlaw-Dance Mix
12. Felt Good On My Lips-2011
Felt Good On My Lips was released in September, 2010 and topped the chart in January, 2011. It stayed at the top for three weeks. It also became McGraw's twenty-third chart topping hit. It was the final #1 he had on Curb Records. Felt Good On My Lips became a crossover hit, peaking at #26 pop and #22 adult contemporary. McGraw should have been enjoying his chart topping hit, but he was in the middle of a legal battle with Curb to get out of his contract. They have been fighting for a decade over artistic control. Every time McGraw wanted to release a studio album, Curb put out a greatest hits CD instead. For one thing, Curb said McGraw recorded his next album too early and delivered it to them way ahead of schedule. After much back and forth, a judge ruled in favor of McGraw leaving Curb, his label of two decades. That same day, Curb released Better Than I Used To Be off the upcoming Emotional Traffic album. Sammy Kershaw released his version in 2010, but it never charted. McGraw's did and it peaked at #5 in 2012, becoming his final top ten for Curb. Right after that peaked, McGraw signed to Big Machine Records. In a desperate attempt, Curb released another single in Right Back Atcha Babe (in retaliation, maybe?). It bombed at #59, his worst showing since Two Steppin' Mind in 1993 (#71). During this transitional period, McGraw gave his friend Kenny Chesney vocal support on their duet, Feel Like A Rock Star off Chesney's Welcome To The Fishbowl CD. Despite debuting at #13, all it managed was a #11 peak.
McGraw started his Big Machine Era with a bang. His debut album for them, Two Lanes Of Freedom debuted at #1 on the country albums chart and #2 on the top 200 chart. Lead single, Truck Yeah peaked at #10. One Of Those Nights was released in late 2012. It became his first chart topper for his new label in March, 2013. Highway Don't Care, his duet with his labelmate, Taylor Swift also topped the chart in 2013. Ironic in a sense because Swift's first single was titled Tim McGraw (#6 in 2007). It won Musical Event and Music Video of the Year at the C.M.A.s and Video of the Year at the A.C.M.s. Southern Girl ended the era on a #2 note. McGraw's second Big Machine album, Sundown Heaven Town started with the #15 peaking Lookin' For That Girl in 2014. Meanwhile Back At Mama's features vocal support from his wife, Faith Hill. It peaked at #2, becoming the eighth runner up hit in his career. He did top the chart with his next release, Shotgun Rider. That topped the chart between December, 2014 to January, 2015 for three weeks. When it did, McGraw entered the top ten list of those artists with the most #1 hits. Another female assisted him with the final single, Diamond Rings And Old Barstools. Her name is Catherine Dunn and they saw that song peak at #3.
McGraw has just released his latest album called Damn Country Music. Lead single, Top Of The World peaked at #5. A second single has just been released in Humble And Kind. Curb, in their attempts to capitalize on McGraw have released other compilations since McGraw joined Big Machine. They are:
1. Tim McGraw & Friends-2013
2. Love Story-2014
3. 35 Biggest Hits-2015-Felt Good On My Lips is repeated here.
Can't wait to see what Curb releases this year. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING JANUARY 8, 2011:
1. FELT GOOD ON MY LIPS-TIM MCGRAW-CURB
2. My Kinda Party-Jason Aldean-Broken Bow
3. Mama's Song-Carrie Underwood-Arista
4. Somewhere With You-Kenny Chesney-BNA
5. Turn On The Radio-Reba McEntire-Valory
6. Put You In A Song-Keith Urban-Capitol
7. Voices-Chris Young-RCA
8. The Breath You Take-George Strait-MCA
9. Why Wait-Rascal Flatts-Big Machine
10. Someone Else Calling You Baby-Luke Bryan-Capitol

[countrychartnut]

1. RHETT'S BIGGEST: Thomas Rhett has his biggest hit this week with Die A Happy Man. It rules for a fourth week at the top becoming his longest reign. It beats his previous biggest hit, It Goes Like This. That was his first chart topper from 2013 and it stayed at #1 for three weeks. Furthermore, this is Valory's second four week #1 following Consider Me Gone by Reba McEntire. That became her biggest hit when it ruled the country chart for the first four weeks of 2010. If Rhett manages a fifth week at the top, it will be the first five week #1 in six years. Lady Antebellum's biggest hit, Need You Now held sway for the last five weeks of 2009.
2. WHEELHOUSE'S FIRST: The Wheelhouse label and more importantly, Granger Smith land their first top ten in Backroad Song at #10. This is Smith's first charted single. Wheelhouse is a subsidiary label of Broken Bow Records which has other labels in Stoney Creek and Red Bow.
3. MORRIS IS FAST: Maren Morris has the fastest climbing song of the week with My Church (#59 to #53).
4. A BIG & RICH DEBUT: Big & Rich debut their third Gravity single this week. It is the Hot Shot Debut of the week at #59 and it is Lovin' Lately. Tim McGraw is the featured vocalist on this one. Their Gravity CD has yielded two major hits in Look At You (#7) and Run Away With You (#11) from last year. McGraw is on the chart with Top Of The World (#9).
5. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991:
2011: Felt Good On My Lips-Tim McGraw-Curb
2006: She Let Herself Go-George Strait-MCA
2001: My Next Thirty Years-Tim McGraw-Curb
1996: It Matters To Me-Faith Hill-Warner Bros.
1991: Unanswered Prayers-Garth Brooks-Capitol
6. MILESTONE TOP TWENTY CHART: John Denver's hot streak lasted from 1974-1976. His last major pop hit, Fly Away (#13) was our #12 song 40 years ago this week.
His hot streak began with his first greatest hits album and lasted until his second hits survey. His first greatest hits album was released in 1973 and climbed to the top of the top 200 chart in 1974. It has sold over ten million copies. A 'new' song became a hit. That was Sunshine On My Shoulders and that first appeared on the 1971 album Poems, Prayers & Promises. That was released in late 1973 and found a home at the top of the pop and adult contemporary charts in March, 1974. It even peaked at #42 country, becoming his third entry there following Take Me Home, Country Roads-#50 in 1971 (also #2 pop and #3 A.C.) and Please Daddy in 1973-#69 (also #69 pop). His next album, Back Home Again became his first to top BOTH country and top 200 charts. It started with his ultimate love song, Annie's Song. It was about his wife, Annie Martell even though the song does not mention her whatsoever. In any case, the single was released in June, 1974 and became his first top ten country hit at #9 while topping the pop and A.C. charts. Coincidentally, Annie's Song remains his biggest pop hit (two weeks at #1) and biggest A.C. hit (three weeks at #1). The title track was next and it became the first of three chart toppers in country for Denver in November. Back Home Again also peaked at #5 pop and #1 A.C.. The A.M.A. named Denver its Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist while the A.C.M. named Back Home Again its Album of the Year. His first live album was released in 1975 called An Evening With John Denver. It hit the top of the country chart while peaking at #2 on the top 200 chart. The two singles from the album first appeared on the Back Home Again album as studio versions: Sweet Surrender hit #7 country, #13 pop, and #1 A.C. and Thank God I'm A Country Boy peaked at #1 country, #1 pop, and #5 A.C..
His other album release of 1975 was called Windsong. That became his second album to top country and top 200 charts. The first single, I'm Sorry became his ONLY record to top country, pop, and A.C. charts from September to November. It became his third and final #1 in country and fourth and final #1 on the pop chart. The week after I'm Sorry fell out of the top spot in pop, radio stations were giving the b-side of the record, Calypso heavy airplay. Calypso was a song about the boat Jacques Cousteau sailed and did research in. When they did, Calypso became the a-side and it stayed at the #2 position for four weeks (during this time, I'm Sorry hit #1 country). At the C.M.A. Awards, Denver won Song of the Year for Back Home Again. That was topped by Denver winning Entertainer of the Year against stiff competition from Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Ronnie Milsap, and Conway Twitty. The most infamous moment came when the 1974 winner, Charlie Rich burned the slip of paper containing Denver's name (while appearing drunk). Fly Away was released in November. Anyone who was listening to the song at the time knew who the female was singing in the background. It was Olivia Newton-John and her contribution made Fly Away a classic. She was the most popular female artist during the mid 1970s. Her crossover appeal spilled into country with her garnering thirteen top 40 hits between 1973-1979 with If You Love Me Let Me Know becoming her biggest country hit in 1974 at #2 (also #5 pop and #2 A.C.). As a matter of fact, she won the C.M.A. Female Vocalist of the Year in 1974 against the likes of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tanya Tucker, and Tammy Wynette. She even recorded Take Me Home, Country Roads for her Let Me Be There album of 1973. Fly Away peaked at #12 country, #13 pop, and #1 A.C. during January, 1976. On the A.C. chart, Denver gave way to Newton-John's Let It Shine before replacing her at the top. The A.M.A.s gave Denver its Favorite Country Male Artist and Country Album Award for Back Home Again. During this time, Newsweek proclaimed Denver 'the most popular singer in America'. Denver NEVER placed in the top twenty portion on the pop chart after Fly Away. The third single, Looking For Space peaked at #30 country, #29 pop, and #1 A.C.. During the summer of 1976, RCA threw a party for Denver proclaiming him the top record seller at the label. During this time, his Windsong label produced its biggest success in Starland Vocal Band. Their debut single, Afternoon Delight peaked at #1 pop, #5 A.C., and even #94 country. It spawned a country version when done by Johnny Carver (#9 in 1976). They had few single releases after that despite winning Best New Artist at the 1977 Grammy Awards. Getting back to Denver, his next album, Spirit (#3 country and #7 top 200) was released during this time. Lead single, It Makes Me Giggle bombed at country (#70) and pop (#60) while becoming an A.C. success at #9. Like A Sad Song got Denver back to the top 40 on all three charts: #34 country, #36 pop, and #1 A.C.. Baby, You Look Good To Me Tonight kicked off his 1977 at #22 country, #65 pop, and #13 A.C.. His second greatest hits album was released during the spring of 1977. It hit #7 country and #6 on the top 200 charts. He went back to the 1971 album Poems, Prayers & Promises again for his next single, My Sweet Lady (#62 country, #32 pop, and #13 A.C.).
I have several theories to why Denver's popularity waned during the late 1970s despite being a top concert draw and record seller:
1. The Vietnam War ended in 1975 despite the POW/MIA issue not being resolved. While the war was going on, there was a need for Denver's 'happy songs' like Take Me Home, Country Roads, Sunshine On My Shoulders, and Back Home Again. There was a void and Denver filled it. When the war ended, there wasn't a need for those kinds of songs anymore.
2. Overexposure. Let's face it, Denver was everywhere. He diversified, becoming a movie star in 1977 starring in Oh, God with George Burns and becoming a Grammy Award host during this time. In 1976, Denver was home only a few times because he was in the middle of a successful tour.
3. Music tastes changed. The Disco Era started in 1976 (ended in 1980 with the advent of the Urban Cowboy Era that ended in 1984). Denver's kind of music wasn't working at this time and deejays just stopped playing his new releases.
He released two more albums during the 1970s. They are I Want To Live (1977) and John Denver (1979). The single releases were:
1. How Can I Leave You Again-1978-#22 country, #44 pop, and #2 A.C.
2. It Amazes Me-1978-#72 country, #59 pop, and #9 A.C.
3. I Want To Live-1978-#55 pop and #10 A.C.
4. Downhill Stuff-1979-#64 country
5. What's On Your Mind-1979-#47 country and #10 A.C.
6. Garden Song-1980-#31 A.C.
His major hits on country and A.C. charts during the 1980s were:
1. Autograph-1980-#84 country, #52 pop, and #20 A.C.
2. Some Days Are Diamonds Some Days Are Stone-1981-#10 country, #36 pop, and #12 A.C.
3. Shanghai Breezes-1982-#31 pop and #1 A.C.-his ninth and final #1 A.C. hit
4. Wild Montana Skies-with Emmylou Harris-1983-#14 country and #26 A.C.
5. Dreamland Express-1986-#9 country and #34 A.C.-after this record peaked, Denver was dropped by RCA after 17 years at the label
His swan song on the charts happened in 1989 via a duet with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with And So It Goes (#14). Denver was flying a plane off the coast of California in October, 1997. It crashed into the Pacific Ocean, killing Denver. He was two months shy of turning 54. RCA released a four CD box set in 2014 called All Of My Memories: The John Denver Collection. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TWENTY FOR WEEK ENDING JANUARY 17, 1976:
1. Convoy-C.W. McCall-MGM
2. The Blind Man In The Bleachers-Kenny Starr-MCA
3. This Time I've Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me-Conway Twitty-MCA
4. When The Tingle Becomes A Chill-Loretta Lynn-MCA
5. Let It Shine-Olivia Newton-John-MCA
6. Sometimes-Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner-MCA
7. Overnight Sensation-Mickey Gilley-Playboy
8. The Happiness Of Having You-Charley Pride-RCA
9. Sometimes I Talk In My Sleep-Randy Cornor-ABC/Dot
10. Amazing Grace Used To Be Her Favorite Song-Amazing Rhythm Aces-ABC
11. Don't Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You-Tanya Tucker-MCA
12. FLY AWAY-JOHN DENVER-RCA
13. Somebody Loves You-Crystal Gayle-United Artists
14. I'll Be Your San Antone Rose-Dottsy-RCA
15. Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys-Ed Bruce-United Artists
16. Somebody Hold Me Until She Passes By-Narvel Felts-ABC/Dot
17. Just In Case-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
18. The White Knight-Cledus Maggard-Mercury
19. Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life-Moe Bandy-Columbia
20. Easy As Pie-Billy Crash Craddock-ABC/Dot

[countrychartnut]

1. STILL #1: Thomas Rhett continues to have the #1 song with Die A Happy Man. It is his fifth week at the top. If he manages a sixth week at #1, it will be the first since Taylor Swift's Our Song. Her biggest hit ruled for six weeks between December, 2007 to January, 2008.
2. BLACK RIVER'S SECOND: Black River scores their second top ten this week with Dibs by Kelsea Ballerini at #9. They had their first top ten and first #1 last year with Ballerini's Love Me Like You Mean It.
3. HIS 35TH: Keith Urban scores his 35th consecutive top ten this week with Break On Me at #10. It is currently country music's longest streak. Urban's first came in 2000 with Your Everything that peaked at #4.
4. A FAST CHURCH: For the second week in a row, Maren Morris has the fastest climbing song of the week with My Church. It vaults twenty-one spots to #32.
5. A BIG MACHINE DEBUT: Jennifer Nettles makes her Big Machine debut with Unlove You at #58. She was signed to Mercury Records as a part of Sugarland and a solo artist between 2003-2015.
6. #1 CDS: These were the chart topping CDs in 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991:
2011: Speak Now-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2006: Some Hearts-Carrie Underwood-Arista
2001: Greatest Hits-Tim McGraw-Curb
1996: Fresh Horses-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1991: Put Yourself In My Shoes-Clint Black-RCA
7. PARTON'S 70: Dolly Parton celebrates a milestone birthday this week. She is three score and ten (I think that's 70). It is time to rank her 70 biggest hits. You know how I rank them: For #1 and #2 hits, weeks in those positions are first followed by weeks in the top 40. For all other songs, they will be ranked in descending order and by how long they stayed in the top 40. Ready?
1. Here You Come Again-1977-5-14
2. Heartbreaker-1978-3-12
3. Islands In The Stream-with Kenny Rogers-1983-2-15
4. You're The Only One-1979-2-10
5. It's All Wrong, But It's All Right-1978-2-10
6. When I Get Where I'm Going-with Brad Paisley-2006-1-25
7. Yellow Roses-1989-1-17
8. Rockin' Years-with Ricky Van Shelton-1991-1-17
9. Real Love-with Kenny Rogers-1985-1-16
10. Think About Love-1986-1-14
11. To Know Him Is To Love Him-with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt-1987-1-14
12. Joshua-1971-1-14
13. I Will Always Love You-1982-1-13
14. Tennessee Homesick Blues-1984-1-13
15. Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That-1989-1-13
16. Jolene-1974-1-13
17. But You Know I Love You-1981-1-13
18. Love Is Like A Butterfly-1974-1-12
19. I Will Always Love You-1974-1-12
20. Starting Over Again-1980-1-11
21. Old Flames Can't Hold A Candle To You-1980-1-10
22. I Really Got The Feeling-1979-1-10
23. Please Don't Stop Loving Me-with Porter Wagoner-1974-1-10
24. 9 To 5-1981-1-09
25. The Bargain Store-1975-1-09
26. Making Plans-with Porter Wagoner-1980-2-12 (#2)
27. The Seeker-1975-1-10 (#2)
28. Mule Skinner Blues Blue Yodel No. 8-1970 (#3)
29. Don't Call It Love-1985 (#3)
30. If Teardrops Were Pennies-with Porter Wagoner-1973 (#3)
31. All I Can Do-1976 (#3)
32. Save The Last Dance For Me-1984 (#3)
33. Telling Me Lies-with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt-1987 (#3)
34. Coat Of Many Colors-1971 (#4)
35. Just Someone I Used To Know-with Porter Wagoner-1969 (#5)
36. Those Memories Of You-with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt-1987 (#5)
37. Say Forever You'll Be Mine-with Porter Wagoner-1968 (#5)
38. We'll Get Ahead Someday-with Porter Wagoner-1968 (#5)
39. Touch Your Woman-1972 (#6)
40. Wildflowers-with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt-1988 (#6)
41. The Last Thing On My Mind-with Porter Wagoner-1968 (#7)
42. Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man-with Porter Wagoner-1970 (#7)
43. Better Move It On Home-with Porter Wagoner-1971 (#7)
44. Holding On To Nothin'-with Porter Wagoner-1968 (#7)
45. Heartbreak Express-1982 (#7)
46. Everything's Beautiful In Its Own Way-with Willie Nelson-1983 (#7)
47. Sweet Summer Lovin'-1979 (#7)
48. Single Women-1982 (#8)
49. Is Forever Longer Than Always-with Porter Wagoner-1976 (#8)
50. Hard Candy Christmas-1983 (#8)
51. Yours Love-with Porter Wagoner-1970 (#9)
52. Tomorrow Is Forever-with Porter Wagoner-1970 (#9)
53. Lost Forever In Your Kiss-with Porter Wagoner-1972 (#9)
54. We Used To-1975 (#9)
55. God Won't Get You-1984 (#10)
56. Burning The Midnight Oil-with Porter Wagoner-1972 (#11)
57. Light Of A Clear Blue Morning-1977 (#11)
58. If You Go, I'll Follow You-with Porter Wagoner-1981 (#12)
59. Together Always-with Porter Wagoner-1972 (#14)
60. The Right Combination-with Porter Wagoner-1971 (#14)
61. The House Of The Rising Sun-1981 (#14)
62. I Will Always Love You-with Vince Gill-1995 (#15)
63. Silver And Gold-1991 (#15)
64. My Tennessee Mountain Home-1973 (#15)
65. Always, Always-with Porter Wagoner-1969 (#16)
66. Just Because I'm A Woman-1968 (#17)
67. My Blue Tears-1971 (#17)
68. Tie Our Love In A Double Knot-1986 (#17)
69. Something Fishy-1967 (#17)
70. Hey, Lucky Lady-1976 (#19)
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: In 1980, Dolly Parton added movie star to her resume. She starred in her first film called 9 To 5. It was a blockbuster at the box office. She wrote the title track during some downtime on the set. It became a classic. It was the first Parton recording to top country, pop, and adult contemporary charts. It won a pair of Grammy Awards for Best Country Vocal Performace, Female and Best Country Song. Several weeks later, the album 9 To 5 And Odd Jobs gave Parton a clean sweep of the country charts. What a way to celebrate her 35th birthday, seeing her name at the top of so many charts. You can say 9 To 5 was Parton's original Trio project. Her costars were Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING JANUARY 24, 1981:
1. 9 TO 5-DOLLY PARTON-RCA
2. Down To My Last Broken Heart-Janie Frickie-Columbia
3. I Feel Like Loving You Again-T.G. Sheppard-Warner Bros.
4. Beautiful You-Oak Ridge Boys-MCA
5. I Keep Coming Back/True Life Country Music-Razzy Bailey-RCA
6. I Love A Rainy Night-Eddie Rabbitt-Elektra
7. Who's Cheatin' Who-Charly McClain-Epic
8. I'll Be There If You Ever Want Me-Gail Davies-Warner Bros.
9. Somebody's Knockin'-Terri Gibbs-MCA
10. 1959-John Anderson-Warner Bros.

[countrychartnut]

1. A SIX PEAT: For the sixth week, Thomas Rhett rules the country chart with Die A Happy Man. It is the second single from his current album, Tangled Up. If Rhett can manage a seventh week at the top, it will be the first seven week #1 in nearly twelve years. Live Like You Were Dying ruled for seven weeks in 2004, becoming Tim McGraw's biggest hit.
2. BEACHING AT #29: Scoring the Hot Shot Debut of the week is Dierks Bentley with Somewhere On A Beach at #29. This is Bentley's first single release since being named cohost at this year's A.C.M. Awards with Luke Bryan. This single is from the upcoming Black album. His last, Riser yielded a quintet of chart appearances. They are:
1. Bourbon In Kentucky-2013-#45
2. I Hold On-2014-#1
3. Drunk On A Plane-2014-#1
4. Say You Do-2015-#1
5. Riser-2015-#24
3. A TIE: We have two songs taking seven point jumps for fastest climbing songs of the week. They are:
1. My Church-Maren Morris-#32 to #25
2. Unlove You-Jennifer Nettles-#58 to #51
4. A WHEELHOUSE DEBUT: Making his debut with his third label is Trace Adkins at #54 with Jesus And Jones. This single is on the Wheelhouse label. Adkins has previously charted on Capitol (1996-2010) and Show Dog/Universal (2010-2013). He also charted on the Warner label with his duet with Blake Shelton with Hillbilly Bone (#1 in 2010).
5. J.T.'S HERE: Justin Timberlake makes his debut at #60 with Drink You Away. He performed the song with Chris Stapleton at last year's C.M.A. Awards. They also performed Tennessee Whiskey which is at #58 this week. Timberlake charted in country before. His one time group, *NSYNC charted a #3 duet with Alabama in 1999 called God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You.
6. SOME ALBUM NEWS: We have four albums debuting in the top ten on the country albums chart this week. They are:
1. It's About Time-Hank Williams, Jr.-#2-24,000 sold
2. Pawn Shop-Brothers Osborne-#3-21,000 sold
3. Nothing Shines Like Neon-Randy Rogers Band-#5-12,000 sold
4. Boots On The Ground-Frank Foster-#7-7000 sold
7. AN 80S LOOK: These were the chart topping hits during the last week of January during the 1980s:
1980: I'll Be Coming Back For More-T.G. Sheppard-Warner Bros.
1981: I Feel Like Loving You Again-T.G. Sheppard-Warner Bros.
1982: The Sweetest Thing I've Ever Known-Juice Newton-Capitol
1983: Talk To Me-Mickey Gilley-Epic
1984: The Sound Of Goodbye-Crystal Gayle-Warner Bros.
1985: A Place To Fall Apart-Merle Haggard and Janie Frickie-Epic
1986: Just In Case-Forester Sisters-Warner Bros.
1987: You Still Move Me-Dan Seals-EMI America
1988: Goin' Gone-Kathy Mattea-Mercury
1989: Deeper Than The Holler-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: The duet that peaked at #5 thirty-four years ago this week was remarkable in two ways:
1. The artists NEVER recorded it together (he was on RCA, she was on Decca).
2. The artists themselves were dead for a good number of years (they died in plane crashes during the 1960s).
Yet, Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline managed a big hit during the early 1980s called Have You Ever Been Lonely Have You Ever Been Blue.
The song was featured on an album called Greatest Hits. The track listing is as follows:
1. Have You Ever Been Lonely Have You Ever Been Blue-Reeves and Cline-1982-#5
2. Welcome To My World-Reeves-1964-#2
3. He'll Have To Go-Reeves-1960-#1-chart wise, his biggest hit
4. Crazy-Cline-1962-#2-her biggest #2 hit
5. Sweet Dreams Of You-Cline-1963-#5
6. Four Walls-Reeves-1957-#1
7. Am I Losing You-Reeves-1957-#3
8. Golden Memories And Silver Tears-Reeves
9. I Fall To Pieces-Cline-1961-#1
10. She's Got You-Cline-1962-#1-chart wise, her biggest hit
Have You Ever Been Lonely was written by Peter De Rose and Billy Hill. Even though it's been recorded by a handful of artists, it was only a hit once before Reeves/Cline. Ernest Tubb took his version to #2 in 1949. Reeves recorded the song for his 1962 album, A Touch Of Velvet. Cline recorded her version for the Patsy Cline Showcase album of 1961. While both artists NEVER released their versions as singles, A Touch Of Velvet did produce Welcome To My World while Patsy Cline Showcase yielded I Fall To Pieces and Crazy. Cline died in a plane crash in March, 1963. She was 30 years old. At the time, she was charting with Leavin' On Your Mind (#8). Reeves also died in a plane crash the following year. His happened in July, 1964. He was a month shy of turning 41. He was on the chart with I Guess I'm Crazy (#1).
In 1981, Owen Bradley, Cline's producer decided to electronically splice their performances of the song to create the 'duet'. In Reeves' case, this was his second go round with posthumous duets. RCA decided to introduce their new artist Deborah Allen via duets with Reeves. Three top tens were produced:
1. Don't Let Me Cross Over-1979-#10
2. Oh, How I Miss You Tonight-1980-#6
3. Take Me In You Arms And Hold Me-1980-#10
Have You Ever Been Lonely was released in October, 1981. It climbed all the way to #5 in January, 1982. It was the final top 40 hit in both artist's careers. It was Cline's ninth top ten hit and it was Reeves' 51st top ten hit. Greatest Hits reached #8 on the country albums chart in 1982. MCA decided to jump on the Cline/Reeves bandwagon by releasing the Remembering Patsy Cline & Jim Reeves album in 1982. Another 'duet' charted. A remake of Cline's I Fall To Pieces peaked at #54.
Reeves was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1967. Cline got in six years later. Reeves' last chart appearance occurred in 1984 with the #70 peaking The Image Of Me. His last CD was released in 1999 called Radio Days. As for Cline, her last chart appearance happened in 1999 via a 'duet' with John Berry called There He Goes (#70). Her last CD was released in 2012 called Deluxe: Greatest Hits. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING JANUARY 30, 1982:
1. The Sweetest Thing I've Ever Known-Juice Newton-Capitol
2. Lonely Nights-Mickey Gilley-Epic
3. Someone Could Lose A Heart Tonight-Eddie Rabbitt-Elektra
4. Only One You-T.G. Sheppard-Warner Bros.
5. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LONELY HAVE YOU EVER BEEN BLUE-JIM REEVES AND PATSY CLINE-RCA
6. Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good-Don Williams-MCA
7. Watchin' Girls Go By-Ronnie McDowell-Epic
8. Shine-Waylon Jennings-RCA
9. Blaze Of Glory-Kenny Rogers-Liberty
10. Midnight Rodeo-Leon Everette-RCA

[countrychartnut]

1. A NEW #1: Well, after six weeks at #1, Thomas Rhett's Die A Happy Man drops to #3 this week. In its place, Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild enjoy the view at the top with Home Alone Tonight. It is the third single and third chart topper off his Kill The Lights album. It follows Kick The Dust Up and Strip It Down from last year as a #1 hit. This is Fairchild's first #1 as a solo artist. She is one quarter of Little Big Town. This is Bryan's fourteenth #1 overall and seventh consecutive #1 hit. The last time we had to wait until February to have the second chart topper of the year was back in 2003. Mark Wills landed his biggest hit with 19 Somethin' (for six weeks) and then it was Blake Shelton's turn at the top with The Baby.
2. HUMBLE AND KIND AND FAST: Tim McGraw has the fastest climbing song of the week with Humble And Kind. It vaults thirteen spots to #44.
3. RHETT'S FOLLOW UP: After topping the chart for six weeks with Die A Happy Man, Thomas Rhett scores the Hot Shot Debut of the week at #53 with T-Shirt. If it goes the distance, Tangled Up, the parent album will be perfect in producing chart topping hits as lead single, Crash And Burn topped the chart last year.
4. TEACHER AND STUDENT: Jordan Rager and Jason Aldean debut at #57 with Southern Boy. This is from an upcoming CD from Rager. Rager is an acolyte of Aldean's.
5. A LOCASH FOLLOW UP: LoCash debut at #59 with I Know Somebody. They recently peaked at #2 with their biggest hit to date with I Love This Life (#8 this week).
6. AN 80S LOOK PART II: These were the chart topping albums during the first week of February during the 1980s:
1980: Kenny-Kenny Rogers-United Artists
1981: Greatest Hits-Kenny Rogers-Liberty
1982: Feels So Right-Alabama-RCA
1983: Mountain Music-Alabama-RCA
1984: Eyes That See In The Dark-Kenny Rogers-RCA
1985: Why Not Me-the Judds-RCA
1986: Greatest Hits Volume 2-Hank Williams, Jr.-Warner Bros.
1987: What Am I Gonna Do About You-Reba McEntire-MCA
1988: Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
1989: Old 8 X 10-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
7. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: On its way to the runner up position (its chart peak), the solo version of the song was played. During the same week it hit #2, a duet version surfaced. Eighteen years ago this week, Sammy Kershaw collected his third and final #2 hit with Love Of My Life (his biggest #2 hit).
In 1995, Kershaw released his first greatest hits album called The Hits Chapter 1. A new song gave him a chart appearance called Your Tattoo (#47). That broke his string of twelve consecutive top 40 hits. He went to work on his fourth studio album called Politics, Religion, And Her (1996). The first single got Kershaw back into the top ten. That was Meant To Be and that peaked at #5. He got another top ten from the CD with Vidalia (#10-onions love that song). The title track kicked off his 1997 on a #28 note. Fit To Be Tied Down (not to be confused with the Conway Twitty song) ended the era on a #29 note. Labor Of Love was released in late 1997. Lead single, Love Of My Life was released in October. It peaked at #2 in February, 1998 and it was unable to dislodge Tim McGraw's Just To See You Smile from the top (that ended up being the biggest hit of the year). During the first week it held the #2 position, a duet version with Terri Clark started to get airplay (in hopes that the song would reach #1). It did not work. Love Of My Life stayed at #2 for a second week. It was during this time that Clark was between albums: 1996's Just The Same and 1998's How I Feel. As a matter of fact, just after Love Of My Life peaked, she enjoyed a solo #2 hit with Now That I Found You, her biggest runner up hit. Getting back to Kershaw, Love Of My Life became his eleventh and final top ten hit. His chart fortunes throughout the rest of 1998 diminished with each succeeding release:
1. Matches-#22
2. Honky Tonk America-#31
3. One Day Left To Live-#35
A follow up album was released in 1999 called Maybe Not Tonight. The title track was chosen as the lead single. It was a duet with Lorrie Morgan that peaked at #17. It became the last major hit for both artists. When You Love Someone ended Kershaw's 1999 on a #37 note. Me And Maxine peaked at #35 in 2000. Louisiana Hot Sauce did not chart. The duet prompted Kershaw and Morgan to release a duets CD in 2001 called I Finally Found Someone. He Drinks Tequila became Kershaw's second to last top 40 hit and Morgan's final top 40 hit at #39. Months later, Kershaw and Morgan said 'I do' to each other. The title track, originally a #8 pop and #2 adult contemporary hit for Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams in 1997 did not chart for Morgan/Kershaw. It should be noted that Kershaw was dropped by Mercury in 2001 after a decade at the label. He ended that association by releasing The Hits Chapter 2 where you will find Love Of My Life.
Kershaw signed to the Audium label in 2002. An album was released in 2003 called I Want My Money Back. The title track became his last top 40 hit at #33. I've Never Been Anywhere peaked at #58 while Beer, Bait, And Ammo did not chart. Honky Tonk Boots was released on the Category 5 label in 2006. His final chart appearance comes from that album: Tennessee Girl (#43). Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On, his remake of Mel McDaniel's only chart topper from 1985 failed to dent the chart. Kershaw and Morgan divorced in 2007. Better Than I Used To Be was released in 2010 on Big Hit Records. The title track did not chart, but charted when Tim McGraw released his version in 2011 (#5 in 2012). He got together with two hitmakers from the 1990s to release All In The Same Boat in 2013. Joe Diffie and Aaron Tippin join Kershaw here. He released a tribute CD to George Jones in 2014 called Do You Know Me: A Tribute To George Jones. His current CD was released in 2015 on the Cleopatra label called I Won't Back Down. The most complete Kershaw collection of hits is 2004's The Definitive Collection. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 7, 1998:
1. Just To See You Smile-Tim McGraw-Curb
2. LOVE OF MY LIFE-SAMMY KERSHAW-MERCURY
3. I Wanna Fall In Love-Lila McCann-Asylum
4. Imagine That-Diamond Rio-Arista
5. He's Got You-Brooks & Dunn-Arista
6. Don't Be Stupid You Know I Love You-Shania Twain-Mercury
7. What If I Said-Anita Cochran and Steve Wariner-Warner Bros.
8. On The Side Of Angels-LeAnn Rimes-Curb
9. You've Got To Talk To Me-Lee Ann Womack-Decca
10. Round About Way-George Strait-MCA

[countrychartnut]

1. HOME AT #1: For the second week, Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild have the top song in country this week with Home Alone Tonight. It is the third #1 off Bryan's current CD, Kill The Lights. Kick The Dust Up ruled for one week while Strip It Down was tops for two weeks last year.
2. CHURCH FALLS AND DEBUTS: Eric Church takes a nice tumble to #32 (from #18 last week) with the title track to his current CD, Mr. Misunderstood. However, he debuts the second single, Record Year at #54.
3. DAN + SHAY DEBUT: Dan + Shay debut a single from an upcoming album. It is From The Ground Up and it is the Hot Shot Debut at #37. Their debut album, Where It All Began yielded a trio of chart singles. They are:
1. 19 You + Me-2014-#11
2. Show You Off-2015-#21
3. Nothin' Like You-2015-#1
4. RHETT'S FAST: Thomas Rhett scores the fastest climbing song of the week as T-Shirt vaults fourteen spaces to #39.
5. A SWON SONG: The Swon Brothers debut at #19 on the country albums chart with Timeless. 2000 copies were sold last week. This release is on their TSB label as they were dropped by Arista last year.
6. THEIR DAUGHTER IS HERE: Aubrie Sellers debuts at #23 with her first album, New City Blues. 2000 people bought it last week. She is the daughter of Lee Ann Womack (I Hope You Dance) and Jason Sellers (A Matter Of Time).
7. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991:
2011: Somewhere With You-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2006: Jesus, Take The Wheel-Carrie Underwood-Arista
2001: Tell Her-Lonestar-BNA
1996: If You're Not In It For Love I'm Outta Here-Shania Twain-Mercury
1991: Brother Jukebox-Mark Chesnutt-MCA
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire are queens of #1 hits (they have 25 chart toppers each). However, Tanya Tucker is the queen of #2 hits. She has nine runner up hits. Let's review those:
1. I'll Come Back As Another Woman-1987
2. Love Me Like You Used To-1987
3. Highway Robbery-1989
4. My Arms Stay Open All Night-1990-her biggest #2 hit
5. Down To My Last Teardrop-1991
6. Without You What Do I Do With Me-1992
7. Two Sparrows In A Hurricane-1992
8. It's A Little Too Late-1993
9. Soon-1993
Title #1 was our #2 hit 29 years ago this week. Let us examine those hits and the albums they came from. Ready?
1. I'll Come Back As Another Woman-In 1985, Tucker signed to Capitol Records. It was her fourth label following stints at Columbia, MCA, and Arista. She released her debut album for Capitol in 1986 called Girls Like Me. The first single, One Love At A Time peaked at #3, giving Tucker her first top five hit in five years (Can I See You Tonight hit #4 in 1981). Just Another Love was the next release. That became her seventh #1 hit and first chart topper in a decade since Here's Some Love in 1976. I'll Come Back As Another Woman was released in November, 1986. It became the first of nine runner up hits for Tucker in February, 1987. It could not topple Ronnie Milsap's How Do I Turn You On from the top (see chart below). Her comeback was complete when the fourth single became a top ten hit: It's Only Over For You (#8).
2. Love Me Like You Used To-With the complete success of the Girls Like Me album, Tucker went to work on her second Capitol album, Love Me Like You Used To. The title track was the lead single. That was released in July, 1987. It proceeded to a #2 peak during the fall. Right From The Start by Earl Thomas Conley and Am I Blue by George Strait thwarted Tucker from getting a #1 hit. However, Tucker did generate #1s with the next two singles, both in 1988: I Won't Take Less Than Your Love with Paul Davis and Paul Overstreet (writers of her first Capitol single, One Love At A Time) and If It Don't Come Easy. The Love Me Like You Used To album was her first gold album for Capitol Records.
3. Highway Robbery-This song came from her third Capitol album, Strong Enough To Bend. The title track became her tenth and final #1 in October during the time she turned 30. Chart wise, it is her biggest hit. Highway Robbery was released in November, 1988 and ran into a brick wall at #2 in March, 1989 when the Desert Rose Band was at the top with their second chart topper, I Still Believe In You. Call On Me was the third single and that hit #4 during the summer. A fourth single, Daddy And Home broke her streak of ten consecutive top tens at #27. It ended her 1980s on a slight downturn of chart fortunes.
4. My Arms Stay Open All Night-Well, after three successful albums for Capitol, it was time to release a greatest hits album. A new song, My Arms Stay Open All Night was released in October, 1989. It opened her 1990 by reaching #2, unable to get Clint Black's Nobody's Home out of the top spot. It became her biggest #2 hit while the Black song became the biggest hit of the year. Another greatest hits album surfaced in 1990 called Greatest Hits Encore. It was a CD full of her rerecorded hits during the 1970s.
5. Down To My Last Teardrop and Without You What Do I Do With Me-Tucker released an album in 1991 called What Do I Do With Me. The first single, Down To My Last Teardrop was released in June and made its way to #2 in September. The #1 song at the time was Brooks & Dunn's first chart topper, Brand New Man. A month later, Tucker was named C.M.A. Female Vocalist of the Year for the first and only time. Not bad for being in the business for twenty years. She could not attend as she gave birth to her first child earlier in the day. The title track was released right after the C.M.A.s. It proceeded to a #2 peak in January, 1992 and could not unseat Collin Raye's first #1, Love, Me. It was the first time Tucker charted back to back #2 hits. Some Kind Of Trouble proceeded to a #3 peak while the fourth single, If Your Heart Ain't Busy Tonight hit #4. What Do I Do With Me is Tucker's first platinum album.
6. Two Sparrows In A Hurricane and It's A Little Too Late-Two Sparrows In A Hurricane was released in September, 1992 as the lead single to her Can't Run From Yourself album. It hit the runner up position and for the second time, Strait prevented Tucker from getting a #1 here with his I Cross My Heart. The A.C.M. chose the video its Video Of The Year. It's A Little Too Late was released in January, 1993. It was deja vu all over again. Tucker placed at #2 while Strait was tops with Heartland. For good measure, Tucker played bridesmaid to Black for the second time. He prevented her from having a #1 with When My Ship Comes In. For the second time, Tucker reeled in consecutive #2 hits. The era wrapped up with a #4 duet with Delbert McClinton called Tell Me About It. While that song was on the chart, Capitol released her second greatest hits album, Greatest Hits 1990-1992. It was during this time that Tucker participated on the Dolly Parton single, Romeo (#27). It features Billy Ray Cyrus, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathy Mattea, and Pam Tillis.
7. Soon-We finally get to the end of Tucker's #2 hits. Soon was Tucker's seventh Capitol studio album. The title track was released around her 35th birthday. It hit #2 in December, 1993. Doug Supernaw ended her hopes of getting a #1 here with I Don't Call Him Daddy. However, Tucker did get three more hits off the album in 1994: We Don't Have To Do This (#11), Hangin' In (#4), and You Just Watch Me (#20). She had #2 hits for nearly seven years.
Tucker would gain another top ten with 1997's Little Things (#9 from the Complicated album). Her last top 40 hit occurred in 2002 with A Memory Like I'm Gonna Be (#34). That was followed by her last chart appearance in 2003 called Old Weakness Coming On Strong (#49). Her last CD was a greatest hits package called Icon in 2014. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 14, 1987:
1. How Do I Turn You On-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
2. I'LL COME BACK AS ANOTHER WOMAN-TANYA TUCKER-CAPITOL
3. Straight To The Heart-Crystal Gayle-Warner Bros.
4. I Can't Win For Losin' You-Earl Thomas Conley-RCA
5. Right Hand Man-Eddy Raven-RCA
6. Mornin' Ride-Lee Greenwood-MCA
7. Fire In The Sky-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Warner Bros.
8. No Place Like Home-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
9. Homecoming '63-Keith Whitley-RCA
10. Baby's Got A New Baby-Schuyler, Knobloch & Overstreet (S-K-O)-MTM

[countrychartnut]

1. A BACKROAD TO #1: Well, after many years of performing as Earl Dibbles, Jr. (and sometimes as himself), Granger Smith collects his first #1 this week with Backroad Song. It is the lead single to his first major label album, Remington. He becomes the second artist since Billboard 2016 started (since December, 2015) to have their first #1. Dan + Shay were first with Nothin' Like You. This is on the Wheelhouse label, one of four imprints of the Broken Bow family of labels. Jason Aldean has scored fourteen chart toppers for Broken Bow. Stoney Creek has seen the top with Thompson Square's Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not (2011). Joe Nichols' Sunny And 75 from 2013 is on the Red Bow label.
2. SOUTHERN FAST: Jordan Rager and Jason Aldean have the fastest climbing song of the week as Southern Boy moves north ten spots to #46.
3. CAM DEBUTS: Cam, whose debut single, Burning House peaked at #2, returns with the second Untamed single, Mayday at #54. It is the Hot Shot Debut of the week.
4. A BROWN DEBUT: Kane Brown makes his debut on the chart this week with Used To Love You Sober at #58. He has managed an internet following for the past few years until RCA signed him this year.
5. GILL RETURNS: Vince Gill debuts at the bottom of the singles chart at #60 with the lead single to his current CD, Down To My Last Bad Habit. It is Take Me Down and has vocal support from Little Big Town. This is Gill's first single to chart since 2011's Threaten Me With Heaven (#42). After that, he was featured on Kelly Clarkson's Don't Rush from 2013 (#27).
6. KELLEY DRIVES TO #2: Charles Kelley takes his solo debut album, The Driver to #2 on the country albums chart. 14,000 were sold last week. He is one-third of Lady Antebellum.
7. #1 CDS: These were the top selling CDs in 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991:
2011: My Kinda Party-Jason Aldean-Broken Bow
2006: Some Hearts-Carrie Underwood-Arista
2001: I Need You-LeAnn Rimes-Curb
1996: The Woman In Me-Shania Twain-Mercury
1991: No Fences-Garth Brooks-Capitol
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: In 1997, we had a Diane Warren song become a hit on three charts by two artists. LeAnn Rimes was the first to record How Do I Live. It was supposed to be featured on the Con Air soundtrack. However, the people connected to the movie felt it sounded 'poppy' and Rimes herself was almost fifteen when she recorded it. They chose another artist to record the tune. Her name is Trisha Yearwood. Even though Rimes' and Yearwood's version is NOT on the soundtrack, both versions became hits. Rimes was the clear winner at pop (#2) and adult contemporary (#1) and even peaking at #43 country, Yearwood won the country 'battle' at #2 while crossing over to #23 pop. Yearwood would win a Grammy Award for her version. Well, a year later, lightning struck twice. This time, Mark Chesnutt took his version of a Warren tune, I Don't Want To Miss A Thing to #1 country. That was our top song seventeen years ago this week.
Chesnutt released his first greatest hits album in 1996. Two new songs became hits (both in 1997): It's A Little Too Late (#1) and Let It Rain (#8). After that, he released Thank God For Believers in 1997. The title track was chosen as the lead single. It peaked at #2, unable to get Shania Twain's Love Gets Me Every Time out of the #1 spot. Alison Krauss and Vince Gill lend their vocals for the next single, It's Not Over. It kicked off Chesnutt's 1998 on a #34 note. I Might Even Quit Lovin' You got Chesnutt back into the top twenty at #18. The era wrapped up with the #45 peaking Wherever You Are. While Chesnutt was on the charts with those songs, a movie was being made called Armageddon. Aerosmith chose a Warren song for the film called I Don't Want To Miss A Thing. It was chosen as a single from the soundtrack. It debuted at #1 on the pop chart while peaking at #13 on the A.C. chart. Chesnutt was preparing a new album and chose to record his version of I Don't Want To Miss A Thing. He released his version in November, 1998 as the lead single and title track to his 1999 album. When it broke the top 40, it was the second time an Aerosmith song was a top 40 hit in country since Garth Brooks took The Fever to #23 in 1995. Chesnutt's version hit the top in February, 1999 and became his eighth and final chart topper. Chesnutt even enjoyed crossover success with his version and it peaked at #17 pop, his highest placing there. A second single, This Heartache Never Sleeps peaked at #17. Next came his final MCA/Decca album called Lost In The Feeling in 2000. Two remakes charted: Fallin' Never Felt So Good (#52-originally a #39 hit for Shawn Camp in 1993) and the title track (#59-originally a #2 hit for Conway Twitty in 1983). In 2001, after eleven years at MCA/Decca, Chesnutt left the label.
He signed to Columbia Records in 2001. While recording his self-titled album for them, he participated on the Tracy Byrd single, A Good Way To Get On My Bad Side. Chesnutt and Byrd have been friends since their days at Cutters, a nightclub in Beaumont before they hit it big during the 1990s. The single peaked at #21. Chesnutt did release a single from his album called She Was in 2002. It almost became a top ten when it peaked at #11. It became the final major hit of his career. I Want My Baby Back hit #47 while I'm In Love With A Married Woman peaked at #48 in 2003. Chesnutt left Columbia later that year and signed to the Vivaton! label. Savin' The Honky Tonk was released in 2004. Three singles were produced: The Lord Loves The Drinkin' Man (#36 in 2004), I'm A Saint (#33 in 2005), and A Hard Secret To Keep (#59 in 2005). A second CD on the label was released in 2006 called Heard It In A Love Song. The title track, a 1977 hit for the Marshall Tucker Band (#14 pop, #25 A.C., and even #51 country) did not chart for Chesnutt. Another single did not chart with That Good That Bad. Chesnutt signed to his fourth label in 2007 called Lofton Creek. A sole album was released in 2008 called Rollin' With The Flow. The title track was the lead single. That was a remake of the Charlie Rich hit of 1977 (#1 country and #32 A.C.). Chesnutt's version became his last top 40 hit at #28 in 2008. He got one more single to chart and to date, is his swan song with 2009's She Never Got Me Over You (#49). Saguaro Road released his last studio CD called Outlaw (2010). That was a remakes album.
In 2011, Chesnutt formed his own Nada Dinero label. He has released a live album in Live From The Big D (2011) and Greatest Hits II (2015). You will find I Don't Want To Miss A Thing on 2001's 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 20, 1999:
1. I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING-MARK CHESNUTT-DECCA
2. Unbelievable-Diamond Rio-Arista
3. For A Little While-Tim McGraw-Curb
4. Stand Beside Me-Jo Dee Messina-Curb
5. Hold On To Me-John Michael Montgomery-Atlantic
6. No Place That Far-Sara Evans-RCA
7. You Were Mine-Dixie Chicks-Monument
8. Wrong Night-Reba McEntire-MCA
9. That Don't Impress Me Much-Shania Twain-Mercury
10. Busy Man-Billy Ray Cyrus-Mercury

[countrychartnut]

1. BALLERINI'S GOT DIBS ON #1: Kelsea Ballerini is tops this week with her second single, Dibs. This is from her debut album, The First Time. Lead single, Love Me Like You Mean It became her first chart topper last year. Furthermore, Ballerini becomes the first female artist since Jamie O'Neal to take her first two singles to the top. O'Neal did it in 2001 with There Is No Arizona and When I Think About Angels.
2. RECORD FAST: Eric Church has the fastest climbing song of the week as Record Year skips up eight spaces to #40.
3. A BROTHERS DEBUT: The Brothers Osborne debut their third Pawn Shop single, 21 Summer at #57. It is the Hot Shot Debut of the week and is the follow up to their #2 peaking Stay A Little Longer.
4. SHE MOVED ON: Clare Dunn debuts her third Clare Dunn single, Tuxedo at #59. It is the follow up to her debut on the chart, Move On (#45).
5. 32 YEARS OF GILL: For the second week, Vince Gill finds himself at #60 with Take Me Down. He now has a 32 year span of chart appearances. His first, Victim Of Life's Circumstances peaked at #40 in 1984.
6. SOME ALBUM NEWS: We have four albums making debuts on the country album chart this week. They are:
1. Hymns-Joey + Rory-This album debuts at #1 with 68,000 sold last week. This is their first #1 album. Joey Feek is currently waging a battle with cervical cancer.
2. Down To My Last Bad Habit-Vince Gill-He debuts at #4 with 17,000 sold. This is his SIXTH consecutive #4 album following:
1. Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye-2000
2. Next Big Thing-2003
3. These Days-2006
4. Guitar Singer-2011
5. Bakersfield-with Paul Franklin-2013
6. Down To My Last Bad Habit-2016
3. Redneck s**t-Wheeler Walker, Jr.-He debuts at #9 with 6000 sold.
4. Wynonna & The Big Noise-Wynonna Judd-She debuts at #14 with 5000 sold. Her last studio album, Sing: Chapter 1 was released in 2009. I'm waiting for Chapter 2!
7. A 70S LOOK: These were the chart topping hits during the last week of February during the 1970s:
1970: It's Just A Matter Of Time-Sonny James-Capitol-R.I.P., Sonny
1971: Help Me Make It Through The Night-Sammi Smith-Mega
1972: It's Four In The Morning-Faron Young-Mercury
1973: The Lord Knows I'm Drinking-Cal Smith-Decca
1974: Another Lonely Song-Tammy Wynette-Epic
1975: It's Time To Pay The Fiddler-Cal Smith-MCA
1976: Good Hearted Woman-Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson-RCA
1977: Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow-Tom Jones-Epic
1978: Don't Break The Heart That Loves You-Margo Smith-Warner Bros.
1979: Golden Tears-Dave & Sugar-RCA
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: K.T. Oslin's debut RCA single, Wall Of Tears reached #40 in 1987. That did not stop the parent album, 80's Ladies from reaching the top of the country albums chart in 1988. That was our top seller 28 years ago this week.
Oslin signed to RCA Records in 1986. However, that was her second label as she was signed to Elektra five years earlier. Two singles were released, but one chart appearance was gained with 1981's Clean Your Own Tables (#72 as Kay T. Oslin). She was able to sign with RCA at a showcase with Harold Shedd in the audience. Shedd was producing Alabama at the time and did some altering to her name. They went to work on her debut CD. The track listing to 80's Ladies is as follows:
1. Wall Of Tears-1987-#40
2. I'll Always Some Back-1988-#1
3. Younger Men
4. 80's Ladies-1987-#7
5. Do Ya'-1987-#1
6. Two Hearts
7. Dr., Dr.
8. Lonely But Only For You
9. Old Pictures
Wall Of Tears was the lead single. Released in January 1987, it barely became Oslin's first top 40 hit at #40. The title track was released in April and carried Oslin to her first top ten during the summer of 1987 at #7. The song tells the tale of three women by the names of Alice, Betty, and Connie. It details what they went through from the 1950s to the 1980s. Oslin was the one who 'crossed the border every chance I get'. The album was released in July. When it debuted at #15 on the albums chart, it set a new high for female artists with their debut albums. Third single, Do Ya' was released in August. It topped the chart in December, when two other artist who debuted in 1987 got their first #1s: Ricky Van Shelton with Somebody Lied and Somewhere Tonight by Highway 101. It should be noted that during December, Alabama released their second Just Us single, Face To Face. It features Oslin at the end of the song singing a line by herself and another line with lead singer Randy Owen. It went to #1 in March, 1988. At the Grammys, Oslin won Best Country Vocal Performance, Female for 80's Ladies. By this time, 80's Ladies, the album became Oslin's ONLY chart topping set, dethroning Randy Travis' Always & Forever for a week. Oslin was knocked off from the top by Shelton with Wild-Eyed Dream. It also reached #68 on the top 200 chart. By this time, Oslin was charting with the fourth single, I'll Always Come Back. That became her second #1 in April. At the A.C.M. Awards, Oslin won the Top New Female Vocalist award with Video of the Year for 80's Ladies. Two album cuts are worth mentioning: Younger Men is a rerecording of the other Elektra single that Oslin had, but did not chart. Old Pictures was recorded by the Judds for their 1987 album, Heartland. 80's Ladies has been certified at the platinum level.
With so much success with her debut album, Oslin released her second, This Woman in 1988 (#2 country, #75 top 200). The album got off on the wrong foot with the first single. Money was released during the summer and peaked at #13. However, that did not stop Oslin from winning the C.M.A. Female Vocalist of the Year, ending Reba McEntire's four year reign. She also won Song of the Year for 80's Ladies. After the C.M.A.s, Oslin released Hold Me. That became the first #1 of 1989 and her third overall. It won a pair of Grammys in the Best Country Vocal Performance, Female and Best Country Song categories. The A.C.M. named Oslin Female Vocalist of the Year (again, ending McEntire's four year hold of that award) and Album of the Year for This Woman. Three more singles kept Oslin on the chart throughout 1989: Hey Bobby (#2-peaked behind Young Love Strong Love by the Judds), This Woman (#5), and Didn't Expect It To Go Down This Way (#23). This Woman features her version of Round The Clock Lovin' which was a #9 hit for Gail Davies in 1982. It is her second platinum disc.
Well, the 80's Lady continued into the 1990s. Her album that year, Love In A Small Town (#5 country, #76 top 200) started with a flop. Two Hearts peaked at #73. However, the next single brought Oslin back into the top ten. Come Next Monday, a song originally recorded by Judy Rodman topped the chart in November, becoming her final chart topper and last top ten (her seventh overall). 1991 saw her break the top 40 for the final time with Mary And Willie (#28). Two more singles charted throughout the year with: You Call Everybody Darling (#69) and Cornell Crawford (#63). Love In A Small Town is certified gold. She did not release another album until 1993's Greatest Hits: Songs From An Aging Sex Bomb. A New Way Home charted and peaked at #63. Feeding A Hungry Heart did not chart.
After eight years at RCA, Oslin was transferred over to sister label BNA. She underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery during the summer of 1995. Her 1996 album, My Roots Are Showing yielded Silver Tongue And Goldplated Lies (#64) while My Baby Came Back did not dent the chart. She did not release another album until 2001. That album, Live Close By, Visit Often yielded her last chart appearance with the title track (#53). That CD contains her version of the 1951 Rosemary Clooney hit, Come On-A My House. She went on another hiatus of recording until she released an album last year on Red River Records called Simply. That was a half new recordings/half rerecordings album. 80's Ladies is represented here. What Oslin is up to next is anyone's guess. This is what the chart looked like then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 27, 1988:
1. 80'S LADIES-K.T. OSLIN-RCA
2. Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
3. Greatest Hits, Vol. 2-George Strait-MCA
4. Wild-Eyed Dream-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
5. Born To Boogie-Hank Williams, Jr.-Warner Bros.
6. The Last One To Know-Reba McEntire-MCA
7. The Best-Dan Seals-Capitol
8. King's Record Shop-Rosanne Cash-Columbia
9. The Royal Treatment-Billy Joe Royal-Atlantic America
10. Just Us-Alabama-RCA

[countrychartnut]

1. GIVE URBAN A BREAK: Keith Urban collects his nineteenth #1 hit this week with Break On Me. It is first off his upcoming album, Ripcord. It could have been his second had lead single, John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 had not stalled at #2.
2. UNDERWOOD'S 21ST: Carrie Underwood goes up one space to #2 with her second Storyteller single, Heartbeat. It matches the chart peak so far of lead single, Smoke Break. She now has twenty-one top two hits (13 #1s and 8 #2s).
3. ERIC'S FAST: For the second week, Eric Church has the fastest climbing song of the week as Record Year climbs six to #34.
4. MORE HUNT: Sam Hunt has the Hot Shot Debut of the week with Make You Miss Me at #58. He is also on the chart at #44 with Raised On It.
5. NOT RICOCHET: Brooke Eden debuts at #60 with Daddy's Money. Ricochet had their only #1 in 1996 with their Daddy's Money.
6. SISTER HAZEL DEBUTS: Making their first appearance on the country albums chart is Sister Hazel with Lighter In The Dark at #4. 8000 copies were sold last week.
7. HE'S BREATHLESS: Sam Riggs debuts at #12 on the country albums chart with his 4000 copies of Breathless.
8. A 70S LOOK PART II: These were the top selling albums during the first week of March during the 1970s:
1970: The Best Of Charley Pride-Charley Pride-RCA
1971: Rose Garden-Lynn Anderson-Columbia
1972: Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs-Charley Pride-RCA
1973: Songs Of Love By Charley Pride-Charley Pride-RCA
1974: Let Me Be There-Olivia Newton-John-MCA
1975: Promised Land-Elvis Presley-RCA
1976: Wanted! The Outlaws-Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser-RCA
1977: Luxury Liner-Emmylou Harris-Warner Bros.
1978: Waylon & Willie-Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson-RCA
1979: The Gambler-Kenny Rogers-United Artists
9. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: We are saluting I Still Believe In You this week. Question is, is it the one by the Desert Rose Band or the one by Vince Gill. Well, the Gill song topped the chart in September, 1992 and we are currently in the month of March. That leaves the Desert Rose Band standing. They were standing tall at #1 twenty-seven years ago this week.
The original lineup consisted of Chris Hillman, John Jorgenson, Herb Pederson, Bill Bryson, Steve Duncan, and Jay Dee Maness. Hillman was no stranger to group settings as he was with the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Jorgenson, Pederson, Bryson, Duncan, and Maness played with practically all the acts out there between the 1960s to the 1980s. The Desert Rose Band formed in 1985 and got their name from a Hillman album called Desert Rose. MCA Records signed them in 1986 and they went to work on their self-titled debut album. The first single, Ashes Of Love was released in March, 1987 and became their first top 40 hit, peaking at #26. Ashes Of Love was a top 40 hit twice before: #37 for Don Gibson in 1968 and #15 for Dickey Lee in 1972. As a matter of fact, Ashes Of Love is featured on the Desert Rose album. Second single, Love Reunited gave them their first top ten at #6 during the summer. One Step Forward was released during the fall and peaked at #2 in early 1988 and could not topple Rosanne Cash's Tennessee Flat Top Box from the top. The final single sounds like a Byrds ballad. That was He's Back And I'm Blue. Released in March, it became the first of two chart toppers for the new group in June.
With the success of their debut album, the Desert Rose Band released their second in 1988 called Running. This time, ALL six members of the group are pictured on the album (unlike their first where Hillman, Jorgenson, and Pederson were featured). Running started with Summer Wind. That was released in July and peaked at #2 during the fall. Only Darlene by T. Graham Brown prevented them from getting their second chart topper. I Still Believe In You was released in November, 1988 and was a different sounding release for them and country radio at the time. To get the unique sound on record, they used a pair of out of phase Auratone speakers. They recorded their vocals without headphones and got a more realistic sound in the studio. In any case, I Still Believe In You topped the chart in March, 1989. That would be the last time they saw their name at the top of the page. She Don't Love Nobody followed and that peaked at #3. A remake was next and that was Hello Trouble. That was a #5 hit for Orville Couch in 1963 and was recorded by Buck Owens in 1964. The Desert Rose Band's version would hit #11, breaking their streak of six consecutive top ten hits. A new album was on the horizon and that was called Pages Of Life. This is the second album where only three members were featured on the cover. Start All Over Again was released in November and kicked off their 1990 on a #6 note. It almost sounds like they recorded the song the same way they recorded I Still Believe In You. In Another Lifetime peaked at #13 while Story Of Love became their eighth and final top ten at #10.
After a trio of successful CDs, it was time to release a greatest hits package. That was called A Dozen Roses-Greatest Hits (1991). Two new songs gave them chart appearances. Will This Be The Day became their final top 40 hit in 1991 at #37. Come A Little Closer faltered at #65. Check out their excellent duet with Emmylou Harris on Price I Pay. 1991 saw MCA drop out of the picture and only Curb released their final two studio albums. The first was True Love (1991). Two singles were released: You Can Go Home (#53) and Twilight Is Gone (#67). Right after that album ran its course, Duncan, Jorgenson, and Maness left the group. In their place came Tom Brumley, Tim Grogan, and Jeff Ross. The 'new' group released an album in 1993 called Life Goes On. What About Love became their final chart appearance at #71. Night After Night did not chart. In 1994, the Desert Rose Band broke up. In 2008, they reunited for a series of shows. They continued to do so at least until 2012 (I don't know if they have continued touring after that). Because of the renewed interest in the group, Curb released The Best Of The Desert Rose Band in 2014. Between the Desert Rose Band, Southern Pacific, and Highway 101, a West Coast attitude on the country chart was present between the late 1980s into the early 1990s. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING MARCH 4, 1989:
1. I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU-DESERT ROSE BAND-MCA
2. Highway Robbery-Tanya Tucker-Capitol
3. Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
4. I Wish I Was Still In Your Dreams-Conway Twitty-MCA
5. Til You Cry-Eddy Raven-RCA
6. From A Jack To A King-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
7. Honey, I Dare You-Southern Pacific-Warner Bros.
8. New Fool At An Old Game-Reba McEntire-MCA
9. I Feel Fine-Sweethearts of the Rodeo-Columbia
10. Baby's Gotten Good At Goodbye-George Strait-MCA

[countrychartnut]

1. HOUSER WENT TO #1: Randy Houser collects his third #1 hit this week with We Went. It is the lead single to his upcoming album, Fired Up. His last album, How Country Feels yielded his first chart toppers (both in 2013): the title track and Runnin' Outta Moonlight. After that, two more top tens were gained with Goodnight Kiss (#2 in 2014) and Like A Cowboy (#3 in 2015).
2. THEY'RE BACK: Collecting their thirtieth top ten is Rascal Flatts with I Like The Sound Of That at #9. This is off their current CD, Rewind. Rewind started with the #3 peaking title track in 2014. Next came Payback which peaked at #21. Third single, Riot hit #20 in 2015.
3. AMERICAN HIGH: Grabbing the Hot Shot Debut of the week at #33 is Jake Owen with American Country Love Song. It is the second single to an upcoming CD. First single, Rela Life peaked at #17 in 2015. Owen hasn't seen the top ten in two years when Beachin' hit the top in 2014.
4. SUMMER FAST: We are in the last few days of winter, but Brothers Osborne have the fastest climbing song of the week with 21 Summer (#52 to #45).
5. SHE'S THE FOURTH: Martina McBride makes her Nash Icon debut this week with Reckless at #53. She becomes the fourth artist on the label to chart. Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, and Hank Williams, Jr. have made their Nash Icon debuts.
6. A WICKS DEBUT: Chuck Wicks debuts on the country albums chart this week with Turning Point at #12. 4000 copies were sold. His other album, Starting Now from 2008 peaked at #7.
7. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping songs in 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991:
2011: Don't You Wanna Stay-Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson-Broken Bow
2006: Your Man-Josh Turner-MCA
2001: One More Day-Diamond Rio-Arista
1996: I'll Try-Alan Jackson-Arista
1991: I'd Love You All Over Again-Alan Jackson-Arista
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: There are two things that come to mind when you think about Sonny James. They are:
1. His biggest hit, Young Love. That topped the country chart for nine weeks in 1957 while placing at #2 pop. A competing version by Tab Hunter topped the pop chart right after James peaked.
2. His amazing streak of chart topping hits between 1967-1971. They are:
1. Need You-1967
2. I'll Never Find Another You-1967
3. It's The Little Things-1967
4. A World Of Our Own-1968
5. Heaven Says Hello-1968
6. Born To Be With You-1968
7. Only The Lonely-1969
8. Running Bear-1969
9. Since I Met You, Baby-1969
10. It's Just A Matter Of Time-1970
11. My Love-1970
12. Don't Keep Me Hangin' On-1970
13. Endlessly-1970
14. Empty Arms-1971
15. Bright Lights, Big City-1971
16. Here Comes Honey Again-1971
However, all good things must come to an end. His streak was snapped forty-four years ago this week with the #2 peaking Only Love Can Break A Heart.
Only Love Can Break A Heart was the only new song on an album called The Biggest Hits Of Sonny James. The track listing is as follows:
1. Running Bear
2. Here Comes Honey Again
3. Bright Lights, Big City
4. Empty Arms
5. Only The Lonely
6. Only Love Can Break A Heart
7. Since I Met You, Baby
8. My Love
9. Don't Keep Me Hangin' On
10. It's Just A Matter Of Time
Only Love Can Break A Heart was a hit for Gene Pitney in 1962. His version reached #2 pop and #1 adult contemporary. Ironically, the same week he reached the runner up position in pop, the Crystals were tops with He's A Rebel, a song Pitney wrote himself. So this was a case of Pitney, the songwriter blocking Pitney, the artist. James liked the tune so he recorded hit for the greatest hits album. A lot of songs during his chart topping streak were remakes, so this was no exception. Released as a single in December 1971, it looked like James would get his seventeenth #1 in a row. However, he was blocked from the top by his labelmate, Freddie Hart with My Hang-Up Is You for two weeks. The Hart song was his biggest hit (at six weeks at the top) and the biggest hit of the year according to Billboard. Had Only Love Can Break A Heart reached the top, James would have had twenty-one chart toppers to date. His next single did bring him back to #1. He remade his own You're The Reason I'm In Love, the b-side to Young Love that reached #6 in 1957. He turned it into That's Why I Love You Like I Do. That became his final #1 for Capitol Records in June, 1972. It was during this time that James switched labels to Columbia Records. Columbia promised him they would double his album sales. Whether that was true remains to be seen. James remained at Columbia until 1979. His major hits for them are:
1. When The Snow Is On The Roses-1972-#1
2. White Silver Sands-1972-#5
3. I Love You More And More Everyday-1973-#4
4. If She Just Helps Me Get Over You-1973-#15
5. Is It Wrong For Loving You-1974-#1
6. A Mi Esposa Con Amor To My Wife With Love-1974-#4
7. A Little Bit South Of Saskatoon-1975-#6
8. Little Band Of Gold-1975-#5
9. What In The World's Come Over You-1975-#10
10. The Prisoner's Song-1976-#14
11. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby-1976-#6
12. Come On In-1976-#8
13. You're Free To Go-1977-#9
14. In The Jailhouse Now-1977-#15
15. This Is The Love-1978-#16
16. Caribbean-1978-#18
He was on the Monument and Dimension labels between 1979-1984. Only one major hit was realized with 1982's Innocent Lies (#19). His last chart appearance occurred in 1983 with the #58 peaking Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes. His last CD was released in 2002 called The Complete Columbia & Monument Hits. In 2006, James was inducted to the Country Music Hall Of Fame. It was the same year Pitney died at the age of 66. In 2015, Blake Shelton released his fourth Bringing Back The Sunshine single, Gonna. That became his sixteenth consecutive #1 hit late in the year, tying James' record. Shelton has just announced a new single, Came Here To Forget from an upcoming album. If that tops the chart, Shelton will have the longest streak of chart toppers by a male artist. It will be second to Alabama's twenty-one in a row between 1980-1987. Sadly, James passed away last month at the age of 87. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING MARCH 11, 1972:
1. My Hang-Up Is You-Freddie Hart-Capitol
2. ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK A HEART-SONNY JAMES-CAPITOL
3. Good Hearted Woman-Waylon Jennings-RCA
4. Ann Don't Go Runnin'-Tommy Overstreet-Dot
5. A Thing Called Love-Johnny Cash-Columbia
6. The Best Part Of Living-Marty Robbins-Columbia
7. Cry-Lynn Anderson-Columbia
8. Bedtime Story-Tammy Wynette-Epic
9. I'll Still Be Waiting For You-Buck Owens-Capitol
10. When You Say Love-Bob Luman-Epic

[countrychartnut]

1. UNDERWOOD'S #1 BEAT: Carrie Underwood collects her fourteenth #1 hit this week with Heartbeat. It is the second single of her current album, Storyteller. Smoke Break, the lead single peaked at #2 last year. Underwood has not seen the top in three and a half years. Blown Away from 2012 was her previous chart topper. She has done well with four other releases between Blown Away and Heartbeat. They are:
1. Two Black Cadillacs-2013-#2
2. See You Again-2013-#2
3. Something In The Water-2015-#3
4. Little Toy Guns-2015-#2
In the meantime, she charted a top ten duet with Miranda Lambert with Somethin' Bad (#7 in 2014). Underwood has now spent 30 weeks at #1 with her chart topping hits. The songs and weeks at #1 are:
1. Jesus, Take The Wheel-2006-6-chart wise, her biggest hit
2. Before He Cheats-2006-5
3. Wasted-2007-3
4. So Small-2007-3
5. All-American Girl-2008-2
6. Last Name-2008-1
7. Just A Dream-2008-2
8. Cowboy Casanova-2009-1
9. Temporary Home-2010-1
10. Undo It-2010-1
11. Remind Me-with Brad Paisley-2011-1
12. Good Girl-2012-1
13. Blown Away-2012-2
14. Heartbeat-2016-1 so far
2. TOP TEN CHURCH: Maren Morris collect her first top ten this week with My Church at #10. She becomes the first female artist to take their debut single to the top ten since Kelsea Ballerini took Love Me Like You Mean It to #1 last year.
3. SHELTON TIES HIS MARK: Blake Shelton blasts his way onto the chart this week at #18 with Came Here To Forget. This is from an upcoming album called If I'm Honest. This ties the debut of Neon Light from 2014. Furthermore, if this tops the chart, Shelton will have his seventeenth consecutive #1 hit, breaking Sonny James' record of sixteen straight #1s.
4. GOING FOR FOUR: Luke Bryan debuts his fourth Kill The Lights single, Huntin', Fishin', And Lovin' Every Day at #33. If this tops the chart, Bryan will have a quartet of chart toppers from this album. The others:
1. Kick The Dust Up-2015
2. Strip It Down-2015
3. Home Alone Tonight-with Karen Fairchild-2016
5. HUNT'S FAST: Sam Hunt has the fastest climbing song of the week with Make You Miss Me. It vaults thirteen spots to #41.
6. THE SON IS HERE: Tucker Beathard makes his debut at #55 with Rock On. He is the son of songwriter, Casey Beathard.
7. SOME ALBUM NEWS: We have two albums making their debuts on the chart this week. They are:
1. Remington-Granger Smith-This debuts at #3 with 24,000 sold. It features his first #1, Backroad Song. This is his Wheelhouse debut album.
2. Full Circle-Loretta Lynn-This debuts at #4 with 21,000 sold. This is her first album in twelve years since 2004's Van Lear Rose. That won Best Country Album at the 2005 Grammys.
8. 7 AND 365: I came to the conclusion earlier this year that when you do something on a once a week basis for seven years, you have done that activity for a full year. That's where this column stands. It celebrates its seventh anniversary this week which means I have a full year's worth of columns to my name. I am taking this time to thank you for reading them. If there's something you want covered, please let me know. I want to meet and/or exceed your expectations. Remember, this is YOUR column.
9. #1 CDS: These were the top selling albums in 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991:
2011: Town Line-Aaron Lewis-Stroudavarious
2006: Precious Memories-Alan Jackson-Arista
2001: O Brother, Where Art Thou-Soundtrack-Lost Highway
1996: The Woman In Me-Shania Twain-Mercury
1991: No Fences-Garth Brooks-Capitol
10. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Glen Campbell has five #1 country hits. The last of those, Southern Nights was our top song 39 years ago this week.
1975 was a career year for Campbell. He released the Rhinestone Cowboy album and the title track was the lead single. Released in May, the Larry Weiss tune enjoyed time at the top of three charts: country (three weeks), pop (two weeks), and adult contemporary (one week). It was the first triple #1 hit Campbell would have. It was his first country chart topper in six years since Galveston rang the bell in 1969. Billboard named Rhinestone Cowboy the top country single of 1975 and the second biggest pop hit of the year. Campbell followed that with another crossover hit, Country Boy You Got Your Feet in L.A. (#3 country, #11 pop, and #1 A.C.). He released the Bloodline album in 1976. A pair of singles became hits (both in 1976): Don't Pull Your Love/Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye (#4 country, #27 pop, and #1 A.C.) and See You On Sunday (#18 country and #15 A.C.). Next came the 1977 album called Southern Nights. The title track was written by Allen Toussaint, who had the tune on his Southern Nights album of 1975. Campbell's producer, Gary Klein encouraged Campbell to come up with the ten second intro that kicked off the record. Chosen as the lead single in January 1977, Southern Nights claimed the top spot in country in March for two weeks. It became Campbell's second triple #1 when it hit the top of the pop chart for a week and it spent four weeks at #1 on the A.C. chart. Like Rhinestone Cowboy, both albums and singles were certified gold. Southern Nights was the last of five chart toppers at country for Campbell. Only one more single was released and that was the Neil Diamond composition, Sunflower (#4 country, #39 pop, and #1 A.C.). Sunflower was the eighth and final #1 A.C. hit in Campbell's career. Campbell's popularity waned on all three charts after Sunflower. His singles and chart placings are:
1. God Must Have Blessed America-1978-#39 country
2. Another Fine Mess-1978-#21 country and #38 A.C.
3. Can You Fool-1978-#16 country, #38 pop, and #7 A.C.-his last top 40 pop hit and the last in his crossover era (1967-1978)
4. I'm Gonna Love You-1979-#13 country and #38 A.C.
5. California-1979-#45 country
6. Hound Dog Man-1979-#25 country
7. My Prayer-1979-#66 country and #42 A.C.
Hound Dog Man and My Prayer came from his 1979 album, Highwayman. Campbell recorded the title track, written by Jimmy Webb (surprise?). In any case, Campbell wanted his version released, but Capitol would not budge. It certainly strained their relationship from the late 1970s to early 1980s. Highwayman ended up being a #1 hit in 1985 for the law firm of Nelson/Jennings/Kristofferson/Cash. Capitol released two more albums on Campbell: Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like (1980) and It's The World Gone Crazy (1981). In 1982, after twenty years at Capitol, he departed from the label. Two soundtrack singles gave Campbell country hits in 1981: Any Which Way You Can (#10-the title track) and I Love My Truck (#15 from The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia).
Campbell signed to the Atlantic America label in 1982. A quintet of major hits were produced:
1. I Love How You Love Me-1983-#17
2. Faithless Love-1984-#10
3. A Lady Like You-1985-#4
4. Love Always Letter To Home-1985-#14
5. It's Just A Matter Of Time-1986-#7
MCA was his next label. He was there between 1986-1989. A trio of top ten hits were produced:
1. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle-with Steve Wariner-1987-#6
2. Still Within The Sound Of My Voice-1988-#5
3. I Have You-1988-#7
A short term move to Universal Records yielded his final top ten hit, She's Gone, Gone, Gone (#6 in 1989). That peaked in December. Jimmy Bowen, head of Universal took a similar job at Capitol and took all his artists over there. So, Campbell was at the label for the second time. His last top 40 hit occurred in 1991 with Unconditional Love (#27). His last chart appearance was in 1992 with the #66 peaking Somebody Like That. Southern Nights was remade by the songwriter, Toussaint and Chet Atkins for the 1994 album, Rhythm, Country, And Blues. The most complete collection of Campbell's hits is 2003's The Legacy (1961-2002). His current CD was released last year called Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me. Toussaint died last year at the age of 77. Campbell has been battling Alzheimer's Disease for the past five years. He is set to turn 80 next month. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEK ENDING MARCH 19, 1977:
1. SOUTHERN NIGHTS-GLEN CAMPBELL-CAPITOL
2. Lucille-Kenny Rogers-United Artists
3. She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory-Charley Pride-RCA
4. Torn Between Two Lovers-Mary MacGregor-Ariola America
5. Desperado-Johnny Rodriguez-Mercury
6. It Couldn't Have Been Any Better-Johnny Duncan-Columbia
7. Adios Amigo-Marty Robbins-Columbia
8. Don't Throw It All Away-Dave & Sugar-RCA
9. You're Free To Go-Sonny James-Columbia
10. Paper Rosie-Gene Watson-Capitol

[countrychartnut]

1. A BEAUTIFUL #1: The Zac Brown Band are tops for the thirteenth time in their career as Beautiful Drug is #1 this week. It is also the third chart topper from their current CD, Jekyll + Hyde. Homegrown and Loving You Easy were #1s last year. This is their second album to start with a trio of chart toppers. You Get What You Give started with As She's Walking Away-with Alan Jackson-2010, Colder Weather-2011, and Knee Deep-with Jimmy Buffett-2011. They continued their chart topping streak with their biggest hit, Keep Me In Mind. That ended with the #2 peaking No Hurry (2012).
2. TOP TWOS KEEP COMIN'-Cole Swindell eases up one to #2 with You Should Be Here, the title track to his upcoming CD. So far, all of his singles have seen the top two. They are:
1. Chillin' It-2014-#2
2. Hope You Get Lonely Tonight-2014-#1
3. Ain't Worth The Whiskey-2015-#1
4. Let Me See Ya Girl-2015-#2
3. HER SECOND: Cassadee Pope collects her second top ten this week with Think Of You at #9, her duet with Chris Young. Her first, Wasting All These Tears peaked at #10 in early 2014. The duet is off the Young album, I'm Comin' Over. The title track topped the chart last year.
4. HIS FIRST: Chris Stapleton, the country music darling since last year's C.M.A. Awards lands his first top ten with Nobody To Blame at #10. He won a trio of awards that night: Album of the Year for Traveller, New Artist, and Male Vocalist.
5. EVERY DAY FAST: Luke Bryan has the fastest climbing song of the week as Huntin', Fishin', And Lovin' Every Day skips up twelve to #21.
6. HOUSER'S FIRED UP: Randy Houser debuts at #3 on the country albums chart with Fired Up. 21,000 copies were sold last week. This is his second Stoney Creek album as his first, How Country Feels from 2013 peaked at #3.
7. CAMPBELL AND THE HALL: In my Glen Campbell piece from last week, I had failed to mention his 2005 induction to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Shame on me!
8. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping songs in 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991:
2011: Don't You Wanna Stay-Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson-Broken Bow
2006: Living In Fast Forward-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2001: You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This-Toby Keith-DreamWorks
1996: You Can Feel Bad-Patty Loveless-Epic
1991: Loving Blind-Clint Black-RCA
9. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: George Strait entered the 2000s with a greatest hits album. That CD, called Latest Greatest Straitest Hits was our top seller sixteen years ago this week.
The hits collection gathered his singles from four studio albums in one place. They are:
1. Lead On-1994
2. Blue Clear Sky-1996-C.M.A. and A.C.M. Album of the Year
3. Carrying Your Love With Me-1997-C.M.A. and A.C.M. Album of the Year
4. One Step At A Time-1998
The track listing of the album is as follows:
1. The Best Day-2000-#1
2. Murder On Music Row-with Alan Jackson-2000-#38
3. Carrying Your Love With Me-1997-#1
4. Adalida-1995-#3
5. Lead On-1995-#7
6. Carried Away-1996-#1
7. Blue Clear Sky-1996-#1
8. We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This-1998-#4
9. I Can Still Make Cheyenne-1996-#4
10. True-1998-#2
11. King Of The Mountain-1997-#19
12. Round About Way-1998-#1
13. You Can't Make A Heart Love Somebody-1995-#1
14. One Night At A Time-1997-#1
15. Today My World Slipped Away-1997-#3
The new songs on the CD became top 40 hits. The first, The Best Day was released in December, 1999. In April 2000, it topped the chart for three weeks and gave Strait two important milestones:
1. It became his 36th chart topping hit. It pushed him past Ronnie Milsap for third place on the list of those artists with the most #1 hits. Only Merle Haggard (38) and Conway Twitty (40) stood in his way at the time.
2. It gave Strait nineteen consecutive years (1982-2000) of topping the chart. The second longest streak belongs to Milsap with sixteen consecutive years (1974-1989).
During the first week The Best Day topped the chart, it was joined in the top 40 with the other new song, Murder On Music Row. Strait chose his duet partner perfectly as Alan Jackson would be the only other singer to sing about the state of country music at the time. It was an indictment of the genre. The Larry Cordle/Larry Shell tune told how traditional country was being pushed aside for country pop and worldwide fame. It also decried how 'steal guitar no longer cries and you can't hear fiddles play-but drums and rock and roll guitars are mixed in your face'. The song even mentions how Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, and George Jones wouldn't make it on today's radio. Even though it wasn't officially released as a single, it still managed top 40 status at #38. Even though it smartly gave country music a much needed kick in the pants, the C.M.A. gave Strait and Jackson the Vocal Event of the Year Award and Cordle and Shell the Song of the Year Award.
The album was released in March and its first week's sales of 182,000 was good enough for a #1 debut on the country albums chart and a #2 debut on the top 200 chart. It was the top seller in country for two weeks. The album is certified at the double platinum level. For the third time in Strait's career, he released an album that did not contain ANY chart topping hits. His self-titled CD of 2000 yielded:
1. Go On-2000-#2
2. Don't Make Me Come Over There And Love You-2001-#17
3. If You Can Do Anything Else-2001-#5
The other two Strait albums that did not produce any chart toppers are:
1. Strait Country
a. Unwound-1981-#6
b. Down And Out-1981-#16
c. If You're Thinking You Want A Stranger There's One Coming Home-1982-#3
2. Holding My Own
a. Gone As A Girl Can Get-1992-#5
b. So Much Like My Dad-1992-#3
His next greatest hits album was released in 2002 called 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (love that series-just put any ten, twelve songs together and call it a hits collection). 2006 was a career year for Strait. He started the year by landing his record tying fortieth #1, She Let Herself Go. He was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He finally topped Twitty's mark of having the most chart toppers with his 41st, Give It Away. In 2012, he announced a farewell tour and ended up winning the 2013 C.M.A. Entertainer of the Year Award while winning the same award from the A.C.M. in 2014. His current CD is Cold Beer Conversation from last year. The title track (#33) is so far his last chart appearance. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING MARCH 25, 2000:
1. LATEST GREATEST STRAITEST HITS-GEORGE STRAIT-MCA
2. Fly-the Dixie Chicks-Monument
3. Breathe-Faith Hill-Warner Bros.
4. Come On Over-Shania Twain-Mercury
5. Lonely Grill-Lonestar-BNA
6. Wide Open Spaces-Dixie Chicks-Monument
7. A Place In The Sun-Tim McGraw-Curb
8. The Whole Shebang-SHeDAISY-Lyric Street
9. Permanently-Mark Wills-Mercury
10. How Do You Like Me Now-Toby Keith-DreamWorks

P.S.: Happy Easter!