1964 in country music explained

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1964.

Events

Top hits of the year

Number-one hits

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1CAN peakSpec. Note
February 8Begging to YouMarty Robbins2[2]
  • Returns to Number One February 22.
February 15B.J. the D.J.Stonewall Jackson1[B]
  • Jackson's first Billboard Number One since "Waterloo" in 1959.
March 7Saginaw, MichiganLefty Frizzell4
  • Frizzell's first Billboard Number One since "Give Me More, More, More (Of Your Kisses)" in 1952.
April 4Understand Your ManJohnny Cash6
May 16My Heart Skips a BeatBuck Owens7[1], [2]
  • Returns to Number One June 20.
June 6Together AgainBuck Owens2
July 18Dang MeRoger Miller63[A]
  • The first of several songs by Miller that would also reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Pop Chart.
August 29I Guess I'm CrazyJim Reeves7
  • The first of six posthumous Number One hits for Reeves.
October 17I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)Buck Owens6
November 28Once a DayConnie Smith8[C]
  • Became the longest-running Billboard Number One song by a female country artist.
  • With this song, Smith became the first female country artist to top the charts with a debut single.
Notes

Canada

(as certified by RPM)

DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1U.S. peakSpec. Note
September 14I Guess I'm CrazyJim Reeves1[A]
September 28I Don't Love You AnymoreCharlie Louvin14[C]
October 5I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)Buck Owens2[2], [A]
  • Returned to Number One on October 26.
October 12Please Talk to My HeartRay Price27[2], [A]
  • Returned to Number One on November 2.
November 9Give Me Forty Acres (To Turn This Rig Around)Willis Brothers19[C]
November 30The LumberjackHal Willis15[A]
December 21Don't Come CryingRon McLeod3[C]
Notes

Other major hits

Singles released by American artists

USCANSingleArtist
19Ask MarieSonny James
85Bad NewsJohnny Cash
32The Ballad of Ira HayesJohnny Cash
6BaltimoreSonny James
4Before I'm Over YouLoretta Lynn
2Burning MemoriesRay Price
17ChickashayDavid Houston
14Chit Akins, Make Me a StarDon Bowman
33Chug-a-LugRoger Miller
7CircumstancesBilly Walker
33The Cowboy in the Continental SuitMarty Robbins
25Cross the Brazos at WacoBilly Walker
9D.J. for a DayJimmy C. Newman
134Dern YaRuby Wright
43Don't Be AngryStonewall Jackson
14Easy Come – Easy GoBill Anderson
92FinallyKitty Wells and Webb Pierce
5Five Little FingersBill Anderson
5500 Miles Away from HomeBobby Bare
15Followed Closely by My TeardropsHank Locklin
93Fort Worth, Dallas or HoustonGeorge Hamilton IV
15Girl from Spanish TownMarty Robbins
8Go Cat GoNorma Jean
8Gonna Get Along Without You NowSkeeter Davis
17He Says the Same Things to MeSkeeter Davis
19HelplessJoe Carson
10Here Comes My BabyDottie West
19Howdy Neighbor HowdyPorter Wagoner
4I Love to Dance with AnnieErnest Ashworth
11I'll Go Down SwingingPorter Wagoner
14I'm Hanging Up the PhoneCarl Butler and Pearl
13If the Back Door Could TalkWebb Pierce
13Invisible TearsNed Miller
12Jealous Hearted MeEddy Arnold
16Keep Those Cards and Letters Coming InJohnny & Jonie Mosby
5Keeping Up with the JonesesFaron Young and Margie Singleton
7Last Day in the MinesDave Dudley
11Let's Go All the WayNorma Jean
14Lonely GirlCarl Smith
5Long Gone Lonesome BluesHank Williams, Jr.
7Looking for More in '64Jim Nesbitt
7Love Is No ExcuseJim Reeves and Dottie West
17Love Looks Good on YouDavid Houston
6MadDave Dudley
8MeBill Anderson
2Memory #1Webb Pierce
4Miller's CaveBobby Bare
5MollyEddy Arnold
20Mother-in-LawJim Nesbitt
114Mr. and Mrs. Used to BeErnest Tubb and Loretta Lynn
11My Friend on the RightFaron Young
15My Tears Are OverdueGeorge Jones
11Old RecordsMargie Singleton
11One If for Him, Two If for MeDavid Houston
8One of These DaysMarty Robbins
4PasswordKitty Wells
8Peel Me a NannerRoy Drusky
14Petticoat JunctionFlatt & Scruggs
13Pick of the WeekRoy Drusky
17Pillow That WhispersCarl Smith
3The Race Is OnGeorge Jones
112Sam HillClaude King
5Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)Jean Shepard
19Sing a Sad SongMerle Haggard
5Sorrow On the RocksPorter Wagoner
15Take My Ring Off Your FingerCarl Smith
12Then I'll Stop Loving YouThe Browns
7This White Circle On My FingerKitty Wells
13Timber I'm FallingFerlin Husky
9Too Late to Try AgainCarl Butler and Pearl
16TriangleCarl Smith
12Trouble in My ArmsJohnny & Jonie Mosby
10A Week in the CountryErnest Ashworth
2Welcome to My WorldJim Reeves
10Where Does a Little Tear Come FromGeorge Jones
19Widow MakerJimmy Martin
3Wine, Women and SongLoretta Lynn
12You Are My FlowerFlatt & Scruggs
10You'll Drive Me Back (Into Her Arms Again)Faron Young
5Your Heart Turned Left (And I Was on the Right)George Jones

Singles released by Canadian artists

USCANSingleArtist
4Biggest Hurt of AllDianne Leigh
11Breakfast with the BluesHank Snow
5Crazy ArmsLucille Starr
5Deer IslandHenchmen
8My Good LifeCy Anders
9Night on the WaterSandy Selsie

Top new album releases

AlbumArtistRecord Label
500 Miles Away from HomeBobby BareRCA Victor
The Best of Buck OwensBuck OwensCapitol
Bill Anderson SingsBill AndersonDecca
Johnny CashColumbia
Eddy's SongsEddy ArnoldRCA
Grand Ole Opry FavoritesThe BrownsRCA
Guitar CountryChet AtkinsRCA
Hank Locklin Sings Hank WilliamsHank LocklinRCA
I Don't CareBuck OwensCapitol
Irish Songs, Country StyleHank LocklinRCA
Let's Go All the WayNorma JeanRCA
Lighthearted and BlueJean ShepardCapitol
Johnny Bond's BestJohnny BondHarmony
Oh Pretty WomanRoy OrbisonColumbia
Orange Blossom SpecialJohnny CashColumbia
Pop Hits from the Country SideEddy ArnoldRCA
Progressive Pickin'Chet AtkinsRCA
The Return of Roger MillerRoger MillerSmash
Sometimes I'm Happy, Sometimes I'm BlueEddy ArnoldRCA
This Young LandThe BrownsRCA
Together Again/My Heart Skips a BeatBuck OwensCapitol

Births

Deaths

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Major awards

Grammy Awards

Further reading

Other links

External links