COUNTRY CHARTBEAT

[numberonecountryfan]

1. AN L&T #1: Love And Theft have been through a lot. Ever since their debut in 2009, their first label, Carolwood Records (a subsidiary label of Lyric Street) shut down. Then, a member of the trio left. Well, after three years they (Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles) have their first #1 in Angel Eyes. They become the first duo since Sugarland to start as a trio and then land their first chart topping hit. Sugarland started as a trio when Twice The Speed Of Life was released in 2004. Then Kristen Hall left and the duo, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush landed their first #1 off their second CD, Enjoy The Ride with Want To in 2006. Furthermore, Love And Theft become the first duo on RCA to have a #1 since the Judds did it in 1989 with Let Me Tell You About Love.
2. BACK TO #2: After dipping to #3 last week, Gloriana returns to #2 with Kissed You Good Night. They first peaked at #2 when Kenny Chesney was at #1 with Come Over.
3. ALAINA FAST: Lauren Alaina has the fastest climbing song of the week as Eighteen Inches moves seven to #41.
4. #1 CDS: These were the top selling CDs in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Taylor Swift-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2002: Unleashed-Toby Keith-Dreamworks
1997: Everywhere-Tim McGraw-Curb
1992: Some Gave All-Billy Ray Cyrus-Mercury
1987: Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
5. LYNN'S 50: This year marks the 50th anniversary of Loretta Lynn being signed to Decca Records. She was on the chart with her first hit for them, Success (#6 in 1962). These are her 50 biggest hits. For #1 and #2 hits, weeks in those positions are first followed by weeks in the top 40. For all other songs, their stay in the top 40 will determine their ranking. Ready?
1. After The Fire Is Gone-with Conway Twitty-1971-2-14
2. One's On The Way-1972-2-14
3. Love Is The Foundation-1973-2-13
4. Somebody Somewhere Don't Know What He's Missin' Tonight-1976-2-12
5. Out Of My Head And Back In My Bed-1978-2-11
6. Lead Me On-with Conway Twitty-1971-1-15
7. Don't Come Home A'Drinkin' With Lovin' On Your Mind-1967-1-15
8. Fist City-1968-1-15
9. Woman Of The World Leave My World Alone-1969-1-15
10. Coal Miner's Daughter-1970-1-14
11. Rated 'X'-1973-1-14
12. Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man-with Conway Twitty-1973-1-13
13. She's Got You-1977-1-13
14. Trouble In Paradise-1974-1-13
15. Feelin's-with Conway Twitty-1975-1-13
16. As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone-with Conway Twitty-1974-1-11
17. I Can't Love You Enough-with Conway Twitty-1977-3-11 (#2)
18. You Ain't Woman Enough-1966-2-22 (#2)
19. I Still Believe In Waltzes-with Conway Twitty-1981-2-11 (#2)
20. You've Just Stepped In From Stepping Out On Me-1968-1-15 (#2)
21. When The Tingle Becomes A Chill-1976-1-11 (#2)
22. Happy Birthday-1965 (#3)
23. Wine, Women, And Song-1964 (#3)
24. Your Squaw Is On The Warpath-1968 (#3)
25. Here I Am Again-1972 (#3)
26. To Make A Man Feel Like A Man-1969 (#3)
27. I Wanna Be Free-1971 (#3)
28. Hey Loretta-1974 (#3)
29. The Letter-with Conway Twitty-1976 (#3)
30. I Can't Feel You Anymore-1979 (#3)
31. Before I'm Over You-1964 (#4)
32. Dear Uncle Sam-1966 (#4)
33. I Know How-1970 (#4)
34. They Don't Make 'Em Like My Daddy-1974 (#4)
35. You're Lookin' At Country-1971 (#5)
36. What Kind Of A Girl Do You Think I Am-1967 (#5)
37. It's True Love-with Conway Twitty-1980 (#5)
38. I've Got A Picture Of Us On My Mind-1979 (#5)
39. The Pill-1975 (#5)
40. Success-1962 (#6)
41. You Wanna Give Me A Lift-1970 (#6)
42. From Seven Till Ten-with Conway Twitty-1978 (#6)
43. Blue Kentucky Girl-1965 (#7)
44. If You're Not Gone Too Long-1967 (#7)
45. Lovin' What Your Lovin' Does To Me-with Conway Twitty-1981 (#7)
46. Why Can't He Be You-1977 (#7)
47. I Lie-1982 (#9)
48. You Know Just What I'd Do-with Conway Twitty-1980 (#9)
49. The Home You're Tearin' Down-1965 (#10)
50. Home-1975 (#10)
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Loretta Lynn collected her 50th top ten hit 31 years ago this week when her duet with Conway Twitty, I Still Believe In Waltzes peaked at #2. Lynn became the first female artist to have that many top tens. Lynn became the first female Entertainer of the Year from the C.M.A. (1972) and A.C.M. (1976). She remains the ONLY female winner of the Artist of the Decade from the A.C. M. (1970s). Since Lynn's accomplishment, only Dolly Parton (Those Memories Of You with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt-1987-#5) and Reba McEntire (One Honest Heart-1999-#7) have at least 50 top tens as far as female artists are concerned. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 15, 1981:
1. I Don't Need You-Kenny Rogers-Liberty
2. I STILL BELIEVE IN WALTZES-LORETTA LYNN AND CONWAY TWITTY-MCA
3. There's No Gettin' Over Me-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
4. Rainbow Stew-Merle Haggard-MCA
5. It's Now Or Never-John Schneider-Scotti Bros.
6. Older Women-Ronnie McDowell-Epic
7. Too Many Lovers-Crystal Gayle-Columbia
8. You Don't Know Me-Mickey Gilley-Epic
9. Tight Fittin' Jeans-Conway Twitty-MCA
10. Don't Wait On Me-Statler Brothers-Mercury

[numberonecountryfan]

1. SHELTON'S OVER AT #1: Blake Shelton has collected his seventh consecutive #1 and twelfth overall with Over. Those seven in a row chart toppers are:
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
The last four are from his Red River Blue CD. That CD joins an illustrious list of country albums to have four #1s. They are:
1. Don't Make It Easy For Me-Earl Thomas Conley-RCA
2. Roll On-Alabama-RCA
3. Why Not Me-the Judds-RCA
4. Rockin' With The Rhythm-the Judds-RCA
5. Lost In The Fifties Tonight-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
6. Hang On To Your Heart-Exile-Epic
7. Wheels-Restless Heart-RCA
8. Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
9. King's Record Shop-Rosanne Cash-Columbia
10. The Heart Of It All-Earl Thomas Conley-RCA
11. Southern Star-Alabama-RCA
12. Killin' Time-Clint Black-RCA
13. No Fences-Garth Brooks-Capitol
14. Don't Rock The Jukebox-Alan Jackson-Arista
15. Brand New Man-Brooks & Dunn-Arista
16. I Still Believe In You-Vince Gill-MCA
17. Alibis-Tracy Lawrence-Atlantic
18. Who I Am-Alan Jackson-Arista
19. The Woman In Me-Shania Twain-Mercury
20. Everywhere-Tim McGraw-Curb
21. A Place In The Sun-Tim McGraw-Curb
22. Lonely Grill-Lonestar-BNA
23. Set This Circus Down-Tim McGraw-Curb
24. If You're Going Through Hell-Rodney Atkins-Curb
25. Golden Road-Keith Urban-Capitol
26. Time Well Wasted-Brad Paisley-Arista
27. Carnival Ride-Carrie Underwood-Arista
28. The Foundation-Zac Brown Band-Atlantic
29. You Get What You Give-Zac Brown Band-Atlantic
30. Hemingway's Whiskey-Kenny Chesney-BNA
31. Red River Blue-Blake Shelton-Warner Bros.
2. A TAYLOR MADE DEBUT: Debuting at #13, her lucky number is Taylor Swift with We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. It is tied with another song that debuted at #13 this year: Feel Like A Rock Star by Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. Those two songs share the second highest debut ever. The champion is Garth Brooks who debuted at the top with More Than A Memory in 2007. Swift has the highest debut for a female artist. She pushes Carrie Underwood to #2. Underwood's So Small started at #20 in 2007.
3. HE'S HOPING FOR FOUR #1S AS WELL: Blake Shelton is celebrating chart topper #4 from Red River Blue. Dierks Bentley would like to do the same with his Home CD. He debuts at #50 with the fourth single from that CD with Tip It On Back. If that song goes the distance, it will be the fourth chart topper from Home following:
1. Am I The Only One-2011
2. Home-2012
3. 5-1-5-0-2012
4. PONTOON BIG: Pontoon is now officially Little Big Town's biggest hit. It is at #3 for the week, their first top three hit.
5. HER MAMA IS FAST: Maggie Rose has the fastest climbing song of the week with I Ain't Your Mama (#46 to #40).
6. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping songs in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Never Wanted Nothing More-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2002: The Good Stuff-Kenny Chesney-BNA
1997: Come Cryin' To Me-Lonestar-BNA
1992: Boot Scootin' Boogie-Brooks & Dunn-Arista
1987: Why Does It Have To Be Wrong Or Right-Restless Heart-RCA
7. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: We recently lost Kitty Wells. She will forever be known as the Queen of Country Music. She became the first solo female artist to land a #1 hit. She did so 60 years ago this week with It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.
Hers was an answer song to Hank Thompson's The Wild Side Of Life. Both songs ended up being the biggest of their careers. She joined the Grand Ole Opry after Angels hit #1. Wells would go on to score another 34 top tens between 1953 to 1965. Wells would score two more #1s: One By One with Red Foley in 1954 and Heartbreak U.S.A. in 1961. She would score a monster #2 hit in 1955 called Makin' Believe. By staying at #2 for 15 weeks, it became the biggest #2 hit in country music. She married Johnny Wright in 1937. He had a successful career twice. He was part of a duo called Johnnie & Jack that scored 15 top 40 hits between 1951 to 1962. Their biggest hit was their only #1: Oh Baby Mine I Get So Lonely in 1954. He would go on to have a successful solo career, collecting a sextet of top 40 hits between 1964 to 1966, the biggest of those being Hello Vietnam (#1 in 1965). Even their children managed to chart in country. Ruby, born in 1939 had Dern Ya as her biggest hit (#13 in 1964) and Bobby, born in 1942 had Here I Go Again as his biggest hit (#13 in 1971).
Getting back to Wells, she was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976. She received the Pioneer Award from the A.C.M. in 1986 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 1991. She toured with Wright between the 1930s to the 1990s. They both called it a day in 2000. Wright died in 2011, a month shy of their 74th anniversary, the longest of ANY celebrity couple (where BOTH spouses are in the entertainment business). Had Wells lived next week, she would have celebrated her 93rd birthday. Rest in peace, Kitty! This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 23, 1952:
1. IT WASN'T GOD WHO MADE HONKY TONK ANGELS-KITTY WELLS-DECCA
2. The Wild Side Of Life-Hank Thompson-Capitol
3. A Full Time Job-Eddy Arnold-RCA
4. Lady's Man-Hank Snow-RCA
5. Are You Teasing Me-Carl Smith-Columbia
6. Almost-George Morgan-Columbia
7. Indian Love Call-Slim Whitman-Imperial
8. Jambalaya On The Bayou-Hank Williams-MGM
9. Waiting In The Lobby Of Your Heart-Hank Thompson-Capitol
10. That Heart Belongs To Me-Webb Pierce-Decca

[numberonecountryfan]

1. OVER PART II: Blake Shelton continues to top the chart with his 12th #1, Over. He has managed four multi week #1s with his Red River Blue CD. The hits and weeks at #1 are:
1. Honey Bee-2011-4
2. God Gave Me You-2011-3
3. Drink On It-2012-2
4. Over-2012-2 so far
The last artist to pull four multi week #1s from one CD is Tim McGraw. He did it with A Place In The Sun:
1. Please Remember Me-1999-5
2. Something Like That-1999-5
3. My Best Friend-2000-2
4. My Next Thirty Years-2000-5
2. THE SECOND: Dustin Lynch moves into the top ten for the first time with Cowboys And Angles (#10). He becomes the second artist on the Broken Bow label to take a debut single that high. Jason Aldean was first with Hicktown in 2005 (#10).
3. OOPS!: After making history last week, Taylor Swift's We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together slips six to #19.
4. A NEW PEAK: Five weeks ago, Toby Kieth debuted at #28 with I Like Girls That Drink Beer. Its chart positions for the next three weeks were: 33-31-30. Now, he is at #27, a new peak position.
5. ADELE GOING COUNTRY?: Not quite, but David Nail debuts at #57 with Someone Like You. It is a remake of the #1 pop hit Adele had last year. It ended up winning a ton of Grammys for her this year.
6. TIP IT FAST: Dierks Bentley has the fastest climbing song of the week as Tip It On Back vaults nine to #41.
7. HOW APPROPRIATE: At #11 is the Zac Brown Band's The Wind while at #12 is Carrie Underwood's Blown Away.
8. A 70S LOOK: These were the chart topping songs during the last week of August during the 1970s:
1970: Don't Keep Me Hangin' On-Sonny James-Capitol
1971: Good Lovin' Makes It Right-Tammy Wynette-Epic
1972: Woman, Sensuous Woman-Don Gibson-Hickory
1973: Everybody's Had The Blues-Merle Haggard-Capitol
1974: The Grand Tour-George Jones-Epic
1975: Rhinestone Cowboy-Glen Campbell-Capitol
1976: I'm A Stand By My Woman Man-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
1977: Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue-Crystal Gayle-United Artists
1978: Blue Skies-Willie Nelson-Columbia
1979: Heartbreak Hotel-Willie Nelson and Leon Russell-Columbia
9. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Remakes remained popular in country music during the early 1990s. After all, Dan Seals took a Sam Moore song to #1 in 1990 called Good Times. Garth Brooks did the same with a Billy Joel tune, Shameless and made that a chart topper in 1991. 1992 was the third consecutive year during the 1990s that a remake was #1. The song was I'll Think Of Something and the artist is Mark Chesnutt. It was our top song 20 years ago this week and it hit #1 during an important anniversary.
Like his father Bob, Chesnutt was a regional star in his native Texas. He landed a gig in Beaumont at a nightclub called Cutters. One of his band members was Tracy Byrd and he became a country star during the 1990s like Chesnutt. Chesnutt even recorded for two Texas labels: AXBAR and Cherry. Chesnutt recorded a song called Too Cold At Home that reached the MCA office in Houston. It was sent to Nashville where Tony Brown heard it. He flew to Beaumont to see Chesnutt perform and he signed Chesnutt to the label in early 1990. He recorded his debut CD for them called Too Cold At Home. The title track was tapped as the first single and it was released in July. It proceeded to a #3 peak where it shared the same top ten space as Brooks' Friends In Low Places, which was first recorded by Chesnutt. Imagine how Chesnutt's career would have been if he released Friends as a single instead of Brooks. Just before 1990 ended, Chesnutt released what would become the first of eight #1 hits: Brother Jukebox. That song was first recorded by Keith Whitley for his 1989 CD, I Wonder Do You Think Of Me. Chesnutt was sitting at #1 in February, 1991 with his version. Three more top tens were produced:
1. Blame It On Texas-1991-#5
2. Your Love Is A Miracle-1991-#3
3. Broken Promise Land-1992-#10-originally recorded by Waylon Jennings
With five top tens under his belt, it was time for CD #2. That was called Longnecks & Short Stories. Old Flames Have New Names was the first single and it hit #5 during the spring of 1992. I'll Think Of Something was next. It was released in June and went all the way to the top in August. That song was originally recorded by Hank Williams, Jr. in 1974 where it was a #7 hit for him. Chesnutt's version hit #1 during the fifth anniversary of Bocephus' last #1 hitting the top, Born To Boogie. Then, a story I have heard a million times centered around his next hit, Bubba Shot The Jukebox. MCA touted it as a sure fire #1, but stopped short at #4 in late 1992. Old Country ended the era on a #4 note in 1993. The Almost Goodbye CD yielded his longest streak of #1s at three with these hits:
1. It Sure Is Monday-1993
2. Almost Goodbye-1993-my personal favorite
3. I Just Wanted You To Know-1994
While the title track was on the chart, Chesnutt won the C.M.A. Horizon Award after three years of solid hits. Woman, Sensuous Woman, the Don Gibson hit peaked at #21 for Chesnutt in 1994. He moved to the Decca label that year as their flagship artist. His first two CDs for them, What A Way To Live and Wings yielded five major hits:
1. She Dreams-1994-#6
2. Goin' Through The Big D-1995-#2
3. Gonna Get A Life-1995-#1
4. Trouble-1995-#18
5. It Wouldn't Hurt To Have Wings-1996-#7
Sandwiched between those hits was another remake, Down In Tennessee (#12 for John Anderson in 1986, #23 for Chesnutt in 1995). A greatest hits CD was next and it yielded two top tens in 1997: It's A Little Too Late-#1 and Let It Rain-#8. Thank God For Believers and I Don't Want To Miss A Thing were the next two CDs and four major hits were produced:
1. Thank God For Believers-1997-#2
2. I Might Even Quit Lovin' You-1998-#18
3. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing-1999-#1-chart wise, his biggest hit and was a #17 pop hit
4. This Heartache Never Sleeps-1999-#17
After ten years on the MCA/Decca label, Chesnutt was dropped by them in 2000. He scored a top 40 duet with his fellow Cutters nightclub colleague, Byrd with A Good Way To Get On My Bad Side (#21 in 2001). His last major hit was on Columbia Records in 2002: She Was (#11). He then scored a pair of top 40 hits on the Vivaton! label between 2004-2005. His last top 40 hit was in 2007 with the Charlie Rich classic, Rollin' With The Flow (#25). His last chart appearance was in 2009 with She Never Got Me Over You (#49). His last studio CD was Outlaw on the Suguaro Road label in 2010. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 29, 1992:
1. I'LL THINK OF SOMETHING-MARK CHESNUTT-MCA
2. What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am-Lee Roy Parnell-Arista
3. We Tell Ourselves-Clint Black-RCA
4. Boot Scootin' Boogie-Brooks & Dunn-Arista
5. I Still Believe In You-Vince Gill-MCA
6. Runnin' Behind-Tracy Lawrence-Atlantic
7. If Your Heart Ain't Busy Tonight-Tanya Tucker-Capitol
8. Could've Been Me-Billy Ray Cyrus-Mercury
9. A Woman Loves-Steve Wariner-Arista
10. I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way-Aaron Tippin-RCA

P.S.: Happy Labor Day!

[numberonecountryfan]

1. L.B.T. PONTOONS #1: Well, after a decade of charting, Little Big Town lands its first #1 in Pontoon. After three labels-Monument, Equity, and Capitol and 13 lucky single releases, I am sure they are celebrating on the Pontoon. So congratulations to Little Big Town and let me say congrats to them individually: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook.
2. HAYES EQUALS JACKSON: At #3 for the week is Hunter Hayes with Wanted. Alan Jackson took his Wanted to #3 in 1990 which became his second top ten (after Here In The Real World-#3 that year).
3. SWEET SIXTEEN: At #10 this week is Carrie Underwood with Blown Away. It is her sweet sixteenth top ten hit.
4. A TRUE DEBUT: Getting the Hot Shot Debut for the week is Darius Rucker's True Believers at #26. It is the lead single from an upcoming CD. If it follows the pattern of his other lead singles, it will hit #1. Don't Think I Don't Think About It from Learn To Live hit the top in 2008 and Come Back Song topped the chart in 2010. That was from his Charleston, SC 1966 CD.
5. A TIE: We have two songs taking six spot jumps this week for fastest climbers. They are:
1. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye-Luke Bryan-#25 to #19.
2. Say Goodnight-Eli Young Band-#45 to #39.
6. A 70S LOOK PART II: These were the top selling albums during the first week of September during the 1970s:
1970: Charley Pride's 10th Album-Charley Pride-RCA
1971: You're My Man-Lynn Anderson-Columbia
1972: To Get To You-Jerry Wallace-Decca
1973: Satin Sheets-Jeanne Pruett-MCA
1974: Back Home Again-John Denver-RCA
1975: Dreaming My Dreams-Waylon Jennings-RCA
1976: Are You Ready For The Country-Waylon Jennings-RCA
1977: Moody Blue-Elvis Presley-RCA
1978: Heartbreaker-Dolly Parton-RCA
1979: Greatest Hits-Waylon Jennings-RCA
7. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Let us start this week's feature on a different note, shall we? We will review the nominees for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female for the Grammy Awards that were held in February, 1983 (yes, 1983):
1. Rosanne Cash-Ain't No Money
2. Emmylou Harris-Cimarron
3. Juice Newton-Break It To Me Gently
4. Dolly Parton-I Will Always Love You
5. Sylvia-Nobody
And the winner is...Juice Newton for Break It To Me Gently (#2 country, #11 pop, and #1 adult contemporary). The day after, Cash was being very sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek at the same time by saying, "I got my new dress, I got my new shoes. I don't know why you don't want me." Her sentiments about NOT winning a Grammy was our #1 hit 27 years ago this week. It was called I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me and it ended on an ironic note.
She took her thoughts to her then-husband, Rodney Crowell and they decided to write a song about it. The song itself was recorded during the spring of 1984. However, it was put on her next CD called Rhythm & Romance in 1985. I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me was the first single. It was released in May and became the fourth chart topper for Cash in September. It was her first #1 NOT produced by Crowell, but Parton's producer David Malloy instead (he produced her #1 duet, Real Love with Kenny Rogers that hit the top two weeks before Cash's hit). The song also features Vince Gill's excellent backup vocals (his first #1 as a backup). The song ends with the title being sung seven times (a round). It became her third crossover hit when it hit #16 A.C. (her first being Seven Year Ache-#1 country, #22 pop, and #6 A.C. and second Blue Moon With Heartache-#1 country and #37 A.C.). Coincidentally, after I Don't topped the chart, Gill collected his first top ten, If It Weren't For Him (#10) that had Cash on backup. Then the nominees for the next Grammy Awards were announced and the nominees for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female were:
1. Rosanne Cash-I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me
2. Janie Frickie-She's Single Again
3. Emmylou Harris-Ballad Of Sally Rose
4. Juice Newton-You Make Me Want To Make You Mine
5. Dolly Parton-Real Love
However, Cash released the second Rhythm & Romance single, Never Be You (chart wise, her biggest hit and Billboard's top song for 1986) that hit the top in January, 1986. It was written by Tom Petty. It was his second country hit as a songwriter as Thing About You was a #14 duet between Southern Pacific and Harris in 1985. A month after Never Be You hit #1, Cash won the Grammy for I Don't. Imagine that, a song about a Grammy loss won a Grammy. The Rhythm & Romance CD produced two more hits, both peaking at #5 in 1986: Hold On and Second To No One (the first country hit to use the word 'whore').
Cash would hit the top 40 on the chart eight more times until 1990. Her last chart appearance was in 1991 with On The Surface (#69). She divorced Crowell in 1992 and married John Leventhal in 1995. The last decade has been hard for Cash. She lost her father, Johnny and step mother, June in 2003. She lost her mother, Vivian in 2005. She underwent brain surgery in 2007. Her last CD was an anthology CD called The Essential Rosanne Cash in 2011 where you will find I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 7, 1985:
1. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU DON'T WANT ME-ROSANNE CASH-COLUMBIA
2. Modern Day Romance-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Warner Bros.
3. Used To Blue-Sawyer Brown-Capitol
4. I Fell In Love Again Last Night-Forester Sisters-Warner Bros.
5. Drinkin' And Dreamin'-Waylon Jennings-RCA
6. Lost In The Fifties Tonight In The Still Of The Night-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
7. Between Blue Eyes And Jeans-Conway Twitty-Warner Bros.
8. Love Is Alive-the Judds-RCA
9. Cry Just A Little Bit-Sylvia-RCA
10. Pretty Lady-Keith Stegall-Epic

[numberonecountryfan]

1. A LITTLE BIG #1: Little Big Town continues to have the #1 song in country with Pontoon. This is their first #1 and first multi week #1 as well. The last group to score a multi week chart topper with their first was the Zac Brown band with Chicken Fried (2 weeks at #1 in 2008).
2. #11 PEAKS AT #11: Speaking of the Zac Brown Band, their The Wind dips to #16 from #11, breaking their top two streak of eight #1s and two #2s. This is their eleventh single as well.
3. BEER NEXT TO BEER: At #25 is Toby Keith's I Like Girls That Drink Beer while Beer Money by Kip Moore is at #26.
4. MERRY FAST: Kacey Musgraves has the fastest climbing song of the week as Merry Go 'Round climbs eight to #42.
5. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: More Than A Memory-Garth Brooks-Pearl/Big Machine-the history making #1 hit!
2002: Unbroken-Tim McGraw-Curb
1997: She's Got It All-Kenny Chesney-BNA
1992: I Still Believe In You-Vince Gill-MCA
1987: Make No Mistake, She's Mine-Kenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap-RCA
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: This was something I had discussed earlier this year, but when George Strait hit the top in 2000 with The Best Day, it was his 19th consecutive year of topping the chart (since 1982's Fool Hearted Memory). Strait would have equalled a mark set by Conway Twitty. However, Twitty did NOT have any #1s in 1978. The closest he came to the top was 34 years ago this week with Boogie Grass Band, a #2 hit.
Twitty first made his mark in music as a pop artist. In 1957, he felt his real name, Harold Lloyd Jenkins did not have a ring to it, so he decided to pour over an atlas to come up with something catchy. He noticed the towns of Conway, Arkansas and Twitty, Texas and the proverbial light bulb came on. His first label was Mercury Records, but three single releases went nowhere. His second label was MGM. In 1958, Twitty was in Hamilton, Ontario when he and Jack Nance wrote a song called It's Only Make Believe. It was intended as the b-side to his next single called I'll Try. However, a deejay in Columbus, Ohio flipped the record and started playing It's Only Make Believe. Released in September, it became the ONLY chart topper for Twitty in November where it stayed for two weeks. Twitty became a teen idol between 1958-1960 where he collected two more top tens: Danny Boy (#10 in 1959) and Lonely Blue Boy (#6 in 1960). As a matter of fact, Twitty wrote Hello Darlin' right after Lonely Blue Boy peaked on the pop chart. It was during this time that a Broadway musical, Bye Bye Birdie parodied Twitty as Conrad Birdie. However, Twitty was restless and wanted to sing country music. He even devised a plan to sing rock and roll as Twitty and country as Jenkins. That plan failed. He was writing country songs during this time and one of his compositions, Walk Me To The Door became a #7 hit for Ray Price in 1963. In 1964, during a concert, Twitty found it hard to continue his rock career and he walked off the stage, NEVER to return. Twitty contacted Harlan Howard about a country career, so Howard told Twitty to get in contact with Owen Bradley at Decca Records. Bradley was suspicious of Twitty at first and challenged him to sing as many country songs possible. To say Twitty passed the test would be an understatement. Bradley then signed Twitty in 1965. Twitty's first single became his first major hit: Guess My Eyes Were Bigger Than My Heart (#18 in 1966). His first top ten came in 1968 with The Image Of Me (#5). His next hit was the first of 40 chart toppers that year: Next In Line. For the next nine consecutive years, Twitty would top the charts 24 more times. The years and hits are:
1968: Next In Line
1969: I Love You More Today and To See My Angel Cry
1970: Hello Darlin'-chart wise, his biggest hit and Fifteen Years Ago
1971: After The Fire Is Gone-with Loretta Lynn, How Much More Can She Stand, and Lead Me On-with Lynn
1972: Lost Her Love On Our Last Date and I Can't Stop Loving You
1973: She Needs Someone To Hold Her When She Cries, Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man-with Lynn, and You've Never Been This Far Before
1974: There's A Honky Tonk Angel Who'll Take Me Back In, As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone-with Lynn, and I See The Want To In Your Eyes
1975: Linda On My Mind, Touch The Hand, and Feelin's-with Lynn
1976: This Time I've Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me, After All The Good Is Gone, and The Games That Daddies Play
1977: I Can't Believe She Gives It All To Me, Play, Guitar Play, and I've Already Loved You In My Mind
Twitty opened 1978 with a song that broke a streak of 36 consecutive top tens: The Grandest Lady Of Them All (#16). It was a tribute to the Grand Ole Opry (Twitty was NEVER a member) that was written by the late Mel McDaniel. From Seven Till Ten with Lynn hit #6. Then, his best chance to hit the top was released in June. It was called Boogie Grass Band, a bluegrass/Southern rock hybrid song that namechecks Bill Monroe and the Allman Brothers. It peaked at #2, unable to dislodge Waylon Jennings' three week #1, I've Always Been Crazy. Twitty turned 45 while Boogie was on the chart. It cost Twitty chart achievements in two areas:
1. An eleventh consecutive year of topping the chart.
2. His 26th #1 hit.
It should be noted that during this time, he wanted to produce his records. The last Bradley produced hit was Your Love Had Taken Me That High (#3 in 1979) and the first Twitty produced hit was Don't Take It Away (#1 in 1979). With Don't Take It Away, Twitty started a new streak of years topping the charts (at eight) with his last fifteen #1s. The years and hits are:
1979: Don't Take It Away, I May Never Get To Heaven, and Happy Birthday Darlin'
1980: I'd Love To Lay You Down-his record breaking 29th #1 that gave him the most #1s until Strait topped the chart for the 41st time with Give It Away in 2006
1981: Rest Your Love On Me and Tight Fittin' Jeans
1982: Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night, The Clown, and Slow Hand
1983: The Rose
1984: Somebody's Needin' Somebody and I Don't Know A Thing About Love The Moon Song
1985: Ain't She Something Else and Don't Call Him A Cowboy
1986: Desperado Love (hit #1 during Twitty's 53rd birthday)
Twitty would continue to rack up top tens until 1991's I Couldn't See You Leavin' (#3 and his 75th overall). Twitty died in 1993 at the age of 59. He was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 16, 1978:
1. I've Always Been Crazy-Waylon Jennings-RCA
2. BOOGIE GRASS BAND-CONWAY TWITTY-MCA
3. Womanhood-Tammy Wynette-Epic
4. Hello Mexico And Adios Baby To You-Johnny Duncan-Columbia
5. Heartbreaker-Dolly Parton-RCA
6. If You've Got Ten Minutes Let's Fall In Love-Joe Stampley-Epic
7. Who Am I To Say-Statler Brothers-Mercury
8. It's Been A Great Afternoon-Merle Haggard-MCA
9. Penny Arcade-Cristy Lane-LS
10. With Love-Rex Allen, Jr.-Warner Bros.

[numberonecountryfan]

1. HAYES IS WANTED AT #1: With the second single release of his career, Hunter Hayes is now a chart topping artist. Wanted is this week's #1 song. It follows Storm Warning, which peaked at #14 in January.
2. BACK TO #2: Josh Turner is trying to collect his fifth #1 in Time Is Love. It peaked at #2 two weeks ago behind Pontoon by Little Big Town. It now returns to its peak position after falling to #3 last week.
3. A FAST STORM: Gary Allan has the fastest climbing song of the week with Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain. It moves nine to #43.
4. HOPING FOR #23: Kenny Chesney debuts his third Welcome To The Fishbowl single, El Cerrito Place at #32. If it hits #1, he will have 23 chart topping hits, the same number as Sonny James, Willie Nelson, and Tim McGraw.
5. #1 CDS: These were the top selling CDs in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Taylor Swift-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2002: Home-Dixie Chicks-Monument
1997: Songbook A Collection Of Hits-Trisha Yearwood-MCA
1992: Some Gave All-Billy Ray Cyrus-Mercury
1987: Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Our #1 song from 26 years ago this week was written by a singer/songwriter we lost last year. The singer/songwriter was Dobie Gray, the song was Got My Heart Set On You, and the singer of that song is John Conlee.
Gray himself was never a major star. His hits were few and far between. As a matter of fact, one of his hits was a hit twice. His first impact on the charts happened in 1965 on the Charger label. That song was called The 'In' Crowd. It ended up being a #13 pop hit while claiming a #11 placing on the r&b chart. Several more singles were released, but none of them were hits. Gray also switched labels a few times. His next successful release was on the Decca label. It ended up being the song that he would be associated with for the rest of his life. It was in 1973 and was called Drift Away. It peaked at #5 on the pop chart and became his only million selling single. It was covered that year by Narvel Felts, who took it to #8 on the country chart. Gray's next hit impacted on the adult contemporary chart. That was Loving Arms and it hit #7 there. It was covered by Sammi Smith in 1977 (#19) and Elvis Presley in 1981 (#8). Another drought of hits ensued during the next 13 years. He decided to go country in 1986. He signed a record deal with Capitol Records. His first CD under that deal was called From Where I Stand. The first single, That's One To Grow On peaked at #35, becoming the ONLY top 40 hit for Gray. Three more singles placed on the country chart between 1986 to 1987.
However, Gray was not the only artist on the move during the mid 1980s. In late 1985, John Conlee ended his association with MCA Records (originally ABC) after nine years at the label. He scored 20 major hits, 18 top tens, and six #1s (In My Eyes from 1984 being his biggest hit). While his last MCA hit was on the charts, Old School (#5 in 1986), he recorded his first CD for Columbia called Harmony. The title track was the first single, hitting #10. Then in June, he released Got My Heart Set On You and it went all the way to #1 in September, becoming Conlee's seventh and final chart topper. The tune was originally recorded by John Denver for his Dreamland Express CD in 1985. The title track became his final top ten in 1986 (#9). Got My Heart Set On You was the ONLY #1 for Gray as a songwriter (cowritten by Bud Reneau). Harmony also yielded a third top ten in The Carpenter (#6 in 1987). Conlee released one more CD for Columbia in 1987 called American Faces. Two major hits were produced that year:
1. Domestic Life-#4
2. Mama's Rockin' Chair-#11
Conlee's hitmaking stretch was over. His last chart appearance was in 1990 with Doghouse (#61). However, the same can not be said about Gray. Uncle Kracker released a CD in 2002 called No Stranger To Shame. He decided to remake Drift Away and invited Gray to sing on it. It became a hit all over again. It hit the top ten again on the pop chart in 2003 (#9) and set a new precedent on the A.C. chart where it stayed at the top for an astounding 28 weeks, becoming the longest reigning #1 hit there. Kracker's biggest country hit is When The Sun Goes Down with Kenny Chesney (#1 in 2004).
Gray died in December, 2011 at the age of 71. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 20, 1986:
1. GOT MY HEART SET ON YOU-JOHN CONLEE-COLUMBIA
2. In Love-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
3. Little Rock-Reba McEntire-MCA
4. Always Have, Always Will-Janie Frickie-Columbia
5. Lonely Alone-Forester Sisters-Warner Bros.
6. Guitars, Cadillacs-Dwight Yoakam-Reprise
7. Both To Each Other Friends And Lovers-Eddie Rabbitt and Juice Newton-RCA
8. Just Another Love-Tanya Tucker-Capitol
9. Guitar Town-Steve Earle-MCA
10. Cry-Crystal Gayle-Warner Bros.

[numberonecountryfan]

1. RIDING TO #1: Jason Aldean collects the eighth #1 in his career with Take A Little Ride. This is from his upcoming Night Train CD. His previous three chart toppers came from his My Kinda Party CD. The last time Aldean topped the charts prior to My Kinda Party was in 2010 when The Truth hit #1 from Wide Open.
2. THE YOUNG AND THE OLD: While Jason Aldean claims a #1 in his tenth week with Take A Little Ride, Jana Kramer is still charting in her 40th week with Why Ya Wanna (#4). That is the youngest and oldest titles in the top ten.
3. IN THE ZONE: Brad Paisley blasts his way on the chart with the Hot Shot Debut at #25 with Southern Comfort Zone. Like Jason Aldean, his previous CD (This Is Country Music) kept him on the charts for the past two years. Paisley is hoping to rebound from his previous single, Camouflage which peaked at #15 this year. It broke his string of 17 consecutive top two hits.
4. LAMBERT'S TRIO: Collecting the seventh top ten in her career is Miranda Lambert's Fastest Girl In Town at #10. This is the third top ten from her CD, Four The Record. She has now matched the number of top tens from her previous CD, Revolution. The CDs and top tens are:
1. Revolution: White Liar-2010-#2, The House That Built Me-2010-#1-chart wise, her biggest hit, and Heart Like Mine-2011-#1
2. Four The Record: Baggage Claim-2011-#3, Over You-2012-#1, and Fastest Girl In Town-2012-#10 so far
5. MOORE AND MOORE: At #19 for the week is Justin Moore's Til My Lat Day. Kip Moore is at #20 with Beer Money.
6. A FAST GOODBYE: The Zac Brown Band scores the fastest climbing song of the week with Goodbye In Her Eyes. They say goodbye to #59 and hello to #44.
7. SOME CD NEWS: Let us get caught up on some country album chart news:
1. A #1 HIT AND NOW A #1 CD: Little Big Town sold 113,000 copies of their latest CD called Tornado. This is on the heels of their first #1 hit, Pontoon. This is their second chart topping CD as The Reason Why was their first in 2010.
2. HIS SECOND IS HIS FIRST: Kix Brooks debuts at #10 with his second solo CD, New To This Town. It is his first time on the chart as his debut CD, a self-titled CD in 1989 did not chart.
8. A 60S LOOK: These were the top songs during the last week in September during the 1960s:
1960: Alabam-Cowboy Copas-Starday
1961: Walk On By-Leroy Van Dyke-Mercury
1962: Devil Woman-Marty Robbins-Columbia
1963: Abilene-George Hamilton IV-RCA
1964: I Guess I'm Crazy-Jim Reeves-RCA
1965: Only You Can Break My Heart-Buck Owens-Capitol
1966: Almost Persuaded-David Houston-Epic
1967: Laura What's He Got That I Ain't Got-Leon Ashley-Ashley
1968: Harper Valley P.T.A.-Jeannie C. Riley-Plantation
1969: Tall Dark Stranger-Buck Owens-Capitol
9. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: The Judds were on top of the country music world between the mid 1980s to early 1990s. They were on top of the charts 23 years ago this week with their final #1, Let Me Tell You About Love. Changes were on the horizon as well (you know what they were).
Let us review their top selling CDs and hits prior to 1989, shall we?
1. The Judds-Had A Dream For The Heart-1984-#17 and Mama He's Crazy-1984-#1
2. Why Not Me-Why Not Me-1984-#1-chart wise, their biggest hit and C.M.A. Single of the Year, Girls Night Out-1985-#1, and Love Is Alive-1985-#1-Mama He's Crazy was repeated on this CD
3. Rockin' With The Rhythm-Have Mercy-1985-#1, Grandpa Tell Me 'Bout The Good Old Days-1986-#1, Rockin' With The Rhythm Of The Rain-1986-#1, and Cry Myself To Sleep-1987-#1
4. Heartland-Don't Be Cruel-1987-#10, I Know Where I'm Going-1987-#1, Maybe Your Baby's Got The Blues-1987-#1, and Turn It Loose-1988-#1
5. Greatest Hits-Give A Little Love-1988-#2 and Change Of Heart-1989-#1
They also won plenty of awards as well. They won the A.C.M. Vocal Duet seven times between 1985-1991, the 1984 C.M.A. Horizon Award, C.M.A. Vocal Group between 1985-1987, C.M.A. Vocal Duo between 1988-1991, and six Grammy Awards among others. It came time in 1989 for them to release another CD. This one was called River Of Time and the lead single became their 13th #1 hit: Young Love Strong Love. Their next single was released in June called Let Me Tell You About Love. It was written by Carl Perkins who gave the song a rockabilly feel by playing electric guitar on it. You can hear Wynonna Judd say, "Hit it Perkins" in the song. It reached the top during the last week of September, just in time for the C.M.A. Awards. Wynonna wanted a differesnt song released but grew to like it after it hit #1. In October, they won the C.M.A. Vocal Duo of the Year. River Of Time yielded two more major hits, both in 1990:
1. One Man Woman-#8
2. Guardian Angels-#16
While One Man Woman was on the charts, Naomi Judd woke up ill on New Year's Day. She visited her doctor that week and was diagnosed with a rare strain of hepatitis. She was at a crossroads in life. Would she continue her career as the Judds or go off the road? She decided on the latter. However, that did not stop her from releasing new music in 1990. Their new CD was called Love Can Build A Bridge. The lead single, Born To Be Blue hit #5. While that single was charting, the Judds won the C.M.A. Vocal Duo Award again. They gave a very emotional acceptance speech. This was on October 8th and on the 19th they held a press conference at the old RCA building where they were signed in 1983. These words are from Naomi:
"Today is pretty much the most difficult day of my life. I have to resign. I must retire from the music industry I love so much. There is simply no way to tell you what these seven years have meant to me. It has been the adventure of a lifetime."
Nashville and the country music world were turned upside down. The Judds announced their farewell tour would take place in 1991. They scored their final top tens that year: Love Can Build A Brdge-#5 and One Hundred And Two-#6. Their final concert was held on December 4 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee after 123 such concerts. The next day, Wynonna reported to a recording studio for the first time alone to record her debut solo CD for MCA simply called Wynonna. She put together a solid string of hits between 1992-1998 (14 major hits, 11 top tens, and four chart toppers, the biggest being No One Else On Earth in 1992). Their last chart appearance was back in 2004 with Flies On The Butter You Can't Go Home Again (#33). Their last CD was released last year called I Will Stand By You: The Essential Collection. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1989:
1. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT LOVE-THE JUDDS-RCA
2. I Got Dreams-Steve Wariner-MCA
3. Killin' Time-Clint Black-RCA
4. I Wish I Had A Heart Of Stone-Baillie and the Boys-RCA
5. Living Proof-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
6. High Cotton-Alabama-RCA
7. Finders Are Keepers-Hank Williams, Jr.-Warner Bros.
8. Say What's In Your Heart-Restless Heart-RCA
9. Ace In The Hole-George Strait-MCA
10. Above And Beyond-Rodney Crowell-Columbia

[numberonecountryfan]

1. STILL RIDING: Jason Aldean continues to top the country chart this week with Take A Little Ride. This is his first multi week #1 since Don't You Wanna Stay, his duet with Kelly Clarkson that ruled for three weeks last year.
2. BROKEN BOW DOMINANCE: For the first time in its history, the Broken Bow label has the #1 and #2 singles at the same time. As discussed above, Jason Aldean is #1 while his labelmate, Dustin Lynch grabs the #2 slot with his debut, Cowboys And Angels.
3. HEADLINER AND OPENING ACT: Carrie Underwood is currently touring in support of her Blown Away CD. The title track moves to #4 this week. Her opening act, Hunter Hayes descends to #5 with his first chart topper, Wanted.
4. SWIFT BEGINS AGAIN: Well, after making history with her #13 debuting and peaking hit, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Taylor Swift sees that song dip to #21. However, her second Red release, Begin Again is the Hot Shot Debut at #37. Together broke Swift's streak of 15 consecutive top ten hits that stretched from Tim McGraw (#6 in 2007) to Ours (#1 in 2012).
5. THEY DO IT AGAIN: For the second week in a row, the Zac Brown Band has the fastest climbing song of the week as Goodbye In Her Eyes zooms thirteen to #31.
6. A 60S LOOK PART II: These were the top selling country albums during the first week in October during the 1960s:
1964: The Best Of Jim Reeves-Jim Reeves-RCA
1965: Before You Go-Buck Owens-Capitol
1966: Almost Persuaded-David Houston-Epic
1967: Ode To Billie Joe-Bobbie Gentry-Capitol
1968: Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison-Johnny Cash-Columbia
1969: Johnny Cash At San Quentin-Johnny Cash-Columbia
7. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Let us reveal a partial list of those chart topping songs from 1975 with weeks at #1, shall we?
Wasted Days And Wasted Nights-Freddy Fender-ABC/Dot-2
Rhinestone Cowboy-Glen Campbell-Capitol-2
Feelin's-Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty-MCA-1
Rhinestone Cowboy-Glen Campbell-Capitol-1
Daydreams About Night Things-Ronnie Milsap-RCA-2
Do you see what I see? Cowboy by Campbell reigned for two weeks, dropped out of the top spot while Lynn/Twitty took over with their fifth and final #1 duet, and then returned for an additional week. That kind of chart action did not happen again for 18 years until Garth Brooks released his first In Pieces single, Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up, our #1 hit 19 years ago this week and the second separate time he was #1 with that song.
Let us define a key term: non-contiguous means non-adjacent or non-consecutive. The first time a song had an interrupted reign at the top was the first #1 in country music: Pistol Packin' Mama by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1944. They reigned for four weeks. Then Al Dexter took over with his version of Pistol Packin' Mama for the next three weeks. Louis Jordan collected his first #1 in Ration Blues for two out of three weeks. Then, Crosby and the Andrews returned to #1 with Mama. That was for the March 11th chart. That kind of see-saw battle for the top continued throughout the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Between 1947-1948, Eddy Arnold played a see-saw game with himself with five chart topping hits. They are:
1. I'll Hold You In My Heart Till I Can Hold You In My Arms-chart wise, his biggest hit
2. Anytime
3. Bouquet Of Roses-his second biggest hit
4. Texarkana Baby
5. Just A Little Lovin' Wil Go A Long, Long Way
Jimmy Wakely ended Arnold's domination at the top with his first chart topper, One Has My Name The Other Has My Heart. Wakely ended up with a non-contiguous reign of eleven weeks with Arnold as Arnold took over for a solitary week with A Heart Full Of Love For A Handful Of Kisses. Then Wakely played a see-saw game at the top with himself when he collected his second #1 in I Love You So Much It Hurts in 1949. Guess who replaced Wakely at the top? That's right, Arnold with Don't Rob Another Man's Castle. Talk about chart domination by two artists for a year and a half! I see 1959 was the first year where NO #1s reached the top, dropped out, and returned to the top. 1966 was the second year where that kind of chart behavior did not occur. However, that kind of action was becoming less frequent during the late 1960s to early 1970s. During the 1970s, only four records managed non-consecutive reigns at the top:
1. Easy Loving-Freddie Hart-1971-3
2. If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry-Jerry Wallace-1972-2
3. Satin Sheets-Jeanne Pruett-1973-3
4. Rhinestone Cowboy-Glen Campbell-1975-3
Between 1976-1992, 693 songs topped the charts, never returning to the top. That all changed in 1993 when Garth Brooks released the lead single from In Pieces: Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up. That song was released in July, topped the chart for the week ending September 18th, dipped to #2 the following week (while Tracy Byrd took over with Holdin' Heaven), and returned to the top for the October 2nd chart. In Pieces (eight times platinum) did well for Brooks with these hits:
1. American Honky-Tonk Bar Association-1993-#1
2. Standing Outside The Fire-1994-#3
3. One Night A Day-1994-#7
4. Callin' Baton Rouge-1994-#2
Since Brooks' feat, these songs had non-contiguous reigns at #1. They are:
1. I Can Love You Like That-John Michael Montgomery-1995-3
2. When I Said I Do-Clint Black and Lisa Hartman-Black-1999-2
3. You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This-Toby Keith-2001-3
4. One More Day-Diamond Rio-2001-2
5. Where I Come From-Alan Jackson-2001-3
6. Beautiful Mess-Diamond Rio-2002-2
7. It's Five O'Clock Somewhere-Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett-2003-8
8. Live Like You Were Dying-Tim McGraw-2004-7
9. Come A Little Closer-Dierks Bentley-2005-3
10. Do You Believe Me Now-Jimmy Wayne-2008-2
As a bonus, I will be showing ALL three charts were Brooks finished at #1, fell out of the top spot, and returned to #1. Ready?

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 18, 1993:
1. AIN'T GOING DOWN TIL THE SUN COMES UP-GARTH BROOKS-CAPITOL
2. Holdin' Heaven-Tracy Byrd-MCA
3. A Thousand Miles From Nowhere-Dwight Yoakam-Reprise
4. Thank God For You-Sawyer Brown-Curb
5. In The Heart Of A Woman-Billy Ray Cyrus-Mercury
6. Only Love-Wynonna Judd-MCA
7. Working Man's Ph.D.-Aaron Tippin-RCA
8. Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox If I Die-Joe Diffie-Epic
9. What's It To You-Clay Walker-Giant
10. One More Last Chance-Vince Gill-MCA

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 25, 1993:
1. Holdin' Heaven-Tracy Byrd-MCA
2. AIN'T GOING DOWN TIL THE SUN COMES UP-GARTH BROOKS-CAPITOL
3. Only Love-Wynonna Judd-MCA
4. In The Heart Of A Woman-Billy Ray Cyrus-Mercury
5. Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox If I Die-Joe Diffie-Epic
6. What's It To You-Clay Walker-Giant
7. One More Last Chance-Vince Gill-MCA
8. A Thousand Miles From Nowhere-Dwight Yoakam-Reprise
9. Thank God For You-Sawyer Brown-Curb
10. Working Man's Ph.D.-Aaron Tippin-RCA

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 2, 1993:
1. AIN'T GOING DOWN TIL THE SUN COMES UP-GARTH BROOKS-CAPITOL
2. Holdin' Heaven-Tracy Byrd-MCA
3. What's It To You-Clay Walker-Giant
4. Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox If I Die-Joe Diffie-Epic
5. One More Last Chance-Vince Gill-MCA
6. Only Love-Wynonna Judd-MCA
7. Let Go-Brother Phelps-Asylum
8. No Time To Kill-Clint Black-RCA
9. Easy Come, Easy Go-George Strait-MCA
10. He Ain't Worth Missing-Toby Keith-Mercury

Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 5156514331

[numberonecountryfan]

1. RIDE EQUALS STAY: Jason Aldean holds on to the #1 spot for a third week with Take A Little Ride. It now equals the amount of time he topped the charts last year with his duet with Kelly Clarkson on Don't You Wanna Stay. If he were to hold on one more week with Ride, it will equal the time he spent with his biggest hit, Big Green Tractor in 2009.
2. HER STREAK CONTINUES: Let us review the chart streaks broken this year:
1. Brad Paisley's top two streak broken by Camouflage (#15).
2. The Zac Brown Band's top two streak broken by The Wind (#11).
3. Chris Young's #1 streak broken by Neon (#23).
4. Taylor Swift's top ten streak broken by We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (#13).
However, one streak is continuing and that is Carrie Underwood's top two streak. Her latest, Blown Away climbs two to #2. She has hit the top two 16 times with these hits:
1. Jesus, Take The Wheel-2006-#1-chart wise, her biggest hit
2. Don't Forget To Remember Me-2006-#2
3. Before He Cheats-2006-#1
4. Wasted-2007-#1
5. So Small-2007-#1
6. All-American Girl-2008-#1
7. Last Name-2008-#1
8. Just A Dream-2008-#1
9. I Told You So-with Randy Travis-2009-#2
10. Cowboy Casanova-2009-#1
11. Temporary Home-2010-#1
12. Undo It-2010-#1
13. Mama's Song-2011-#2
14. Remind Me-with Brad Paisley-2011-#1
15. Good Girl-2012-#1
16. Blown Away-2012-#2 so far
3. A TIE: We have two songs climbing eight spots for fastest climbers of the week. They are:
1. Begin Again-Taylor Swift-#37 to #29
2. American Heart-Faith Hill-#46 to #38
4. A LOGJAM: We have six songs holding their their positions at #7 to #12 for the second week:
7. Lovin' You Is Fun-Easton Corbin
8. The One That Got Away-Jake Owen
9. Fastest Girl In Town-Miranda Lambert
10. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye-Luke Bryan
11. Truck Yeah-Tim McGraw
12. Come Wake Me Up-Rascal Flatts
5. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Online-Brad Paisley-Arista
2002: Beautiful Mess-Diamond Rio-Arista
1997: How Your Love Makes Me Feel-Diamond Rio-Arista
1992: In This Life-Collin Raye-Epic
1987: The Way We Make A Broken Heart-Rosanne Cash-Columbia
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: She was a little bit country (and still is) and he was a litlle bit rock and roll (came to country and sadly no longer with us). It was the Danny and Marie show (as in Seals and Osmond) at the top of the country chart 27 years ago this week with Meet Me In Montana.
I had discussed Seals' career earlier this year when I saluted Bop, so let us focus on Osmond (I will come back to Seals later). Osmond started singing as soon as she learned how to walk and talk. She was part of a singing family that included her brothers Donny, Alan, Jay, Merrill, and Wayne. The Osmonds (Marie was not part of the group) had a series of hits between 1971-1975. Their biggest hit was their only #1 pop hit in 1971: One Bad Apple. During this time, Donny struck out as a solo artist, also getting a chart topper on the pop chart in 1971: Go Away Little Girl. Seeing her brothers having success on the charts, Marie wanted to do the same. However, MGM (label home to the Osmonds and Donny) executive Mike Curb (know him?) said that breaking another Osmond in the pop field would be a tough sell. Osmond told him she leaned country and was signed to the label in 1973 (when she was 13!). Next on the list was to find a producer. Someone told Curb that Sonny James was available. He wanted to hear a tape of Osmond singing so she sent him her version of Dolly Parton's Coat Of Many Colors. He was impressed with her vocals, so she flew to Nashville to cut her debut album called Paper Roses. The title track (originally recorded by Anita Bryant in 1960-#5 pop) was chosen as the ONLY single from the album. It topped the country chart for two weeks in late 1973 (a month after Osmond turned 14, making her the youngest female with a #1 hit), matched Bryant's performance on the pop chart, and even topped the adult contemporary chart for a week. Her next major hit was a crossover hit as well: I'm Leaving It All Up To You, a duet with Donny in 1974 that hit #17 country, #4 pop, and #1 A.C.. In My Little Corner Of The World hit #33 country in 1974. She remade Connie Francis' hit, Who's Sorry Now in 1975 (#29 country, #40 pop, and #21 A.C.). Her last major chart action of the 1970s happened in 1977 with This Is The Way I Feel (#39 pop). She was off the charts for five years as a solo artist. In the meantime, she cohosted her first TV show with her brother called The Donny & Marie Show (how original) from 1976 to 1978.
As the 1980s dawned, the country charts were kinder to the Osmonds versus Marie. They signed to the Elektra label in 1981 where they scored a trio of top 40 hits (the biggest being I Think About Your Lovin' in 1982-#17). They also backed up Conway Twitty with his version of Heartache Tonight (#6 in 1983). During this time, Marie issued three singles that went nowhere. She signed to the Capitol label in late 1984. However, the first single from There's No Stopping Your Heart, Until I Fall In Love Again peaked at #57 in 1985. However, the next single really blew the roof off for her. It was the Paul Davis-penned Meet Me In Montana. It was released in July and topped the chart in October, making Osmond the first female artist to go at least a decade between chart toppers (Tanya Tucker and Dolly Parton would join that list). Montana was not only placed on her CD, but Seals' as well (Won't Be Blue Anymore). Montana ended up being Seals' first #1. The title track was released just before 1985 ended and was #1 in February, 1986 (the video features her son). Read My Lips ended the era on a #4 note. During this time, she cohosted another TV show. This time it was Ripley's Believe It Or Not with Jack Palance.
With her country comeback complete, Osmond released her I Only Wanted You CD in 1986. The first single, You're Still New To Me was a duet with Davis that was released in August and made its way to #1 in November. Two major events took place during it chart run:
1. Osmond and Seals won the C.M.A. Vocal Duo of the Year (Seals would win Single of the Year for Bop, making him the ONLY artist to win C.M.A. Awards for his first two #1 hits).
2. Osmond married Brian Blosil (later divorced in 2007).
Three more singles were released. They were (all in 1987):
1. I Only Wanted You-#14
2. Everybody's Crazy 'Bout My Baby-#24
3. Cry Just A Little-#50
Two more CDs and five more singles were released before the 1980s ended, but none of them went anywhere. A greatest hits CD, released on Curb Records called the Best Of Marie Osmond was released in 1990. A new song from the CD, Like A Hurricane peaked at #57. Her last chart appearance was five years later with the #75 peaking What Kind Of Man Walks On A Woman.
This century has been a mixed bag for Osmond. In 2007, Osmond was a celebrity contestant on Dancing With The Stars. She came in third place. However, the most infamous moment came during one of the tapings when she fainted and fell to the floor (she was all right). In 2009, she expressed her support for same sex marriage when she revealed her daughter is a lesbian. The following year was a low for Osmond when her son Michael committed suicide. In 2011, she remarried her first husband, Stephen Craig (their first marriage lasted from 1982 to 1985). Donny and Marie are currently in Las Vegas doing a series of concerts. Her last CD was a duets CD with Donny called Donny & Marie (how original) released last year.
Now let us concentrate on Seals for a moment. His hitmaking country career started when he signed to Liberty Records in 1983. His first major hit was Everybody's Dream Girl that year (#18). His first top ten happened a year later with God Must Be A Cowboy (#10). He almost collected his first chart topper in early 1985 with My Baby's Got Good Timing (#2). Two singles later, he was sitting at #1 with Osmond with Montana. That started his longest streak of chart toppers which included:
1. Bop-1986
2. Everything That Glitters Is Not Gold-1986
3. You Still Move Me-1987
4. I Will Be There-1987
5. Three Time Loser-1987
6. One Friend-1988
7. Addicted-1988
8. Big Wheels In The Moonlight-1989
By the time title #8 was on the charts, Garth Brooks was signed to the label (now called Capitol). Changes were on the horizon, but that did not stop Seals from scoring another two chart toppers (both in 1990):
1. Love On Arrival-chart wise, his biggest hit
2. Good Times
A year after Good Times peaked, Seals was dropped by Capitol and then he signed to a short term deal by Warner Bros.. He released acoustic CDs of his pop and country hits in 1995 and 1998. Ten years later, he was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma. Cancer took Seals' life in March, 2009. He was 61. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 12, 1985:
1. MEET ME IN MONTANA-MARIE OSMOND AND DAN SEALS-CAPITOL
2. You Make Me Want To Make You Mine-Juice Newton-RCA
3. Touch A Hand, Make A Friend-Oak Ridge Boys-MCA
4. Some Fools Never Learn-Steve Wariner-MCA
5. Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes-George Jones-Epic
6. A Long And Lasting Love-Crystal Gayle-Warner Bros.
7. Can't Keep A Good Man Down-Alabama-RCA
8. Hang On To Your Heart-Exile-Epic
9. I Wanna Hear It From You-Eddy Raven-RCA
10. Lost In The Fifties Tonight In The Still Of The Night-Ronnie Milsap-RCA

[numberonecountryfan]

1. FIRST THINGS FIRST: As all of you know, Billboard debuted a new country chart last Thursday with an old name: Hot Country Songs. While that chart incorporates non-country data into that chart, I feel it does not truly represent what is popular at the given moment. After all, if non-country sales and airplay are factored in, what makes that country? The current chart they have has a new name. It is the Country Airplay chart, which is the chart I will be using for my weekly columns. That is strictly based on audience impressions based on how many times a song has been played. Ready for this week's installment? Good!
2. UNDERWOOD BLOWN IN AT #1: Carrie Underwood collects her 13th #1 hit in Blown Away. It is the title track of her CD which has been perfect so far as the lead single, Good Girl topped the charts this year. 2012 represents a comeback for Underwood as 2010 was her last year of having two #1 hits: Temporary Home and Undo It. She came close in replicating that feat last year. However, Mama's Song peaked at #2 and then she returned to #1 with her duet with Brad Paisley on Remind Me.
3. TAKING THE FIFTH: By peaking at #2, Dustin Lynch scored Broken Bow's fifth #2 hit in Cowboys And Angels. Had Lynch peaked at #1, he would have had Broken Bow's tenth chart topping hit. This is the complete list of the label's #2 hits:
1. Redneck Yacht Club-Craig Morgan-2005
2. Crazy Town-Jason Aldean-2010
3. My Kinda Party-Aldean-2010
4. Tattoos On This Town-Aldean-2011-his biggest #2 hit
5. Cowboys And Angels-Dustin Lynch-2012
However, Lynch can take solace as he has the best charted debut hit on the label.
4. HIS 46TH AND FIRST: After stalling at #11 for the past few weeks, Tim McGraw collects his 46th top ten in Truck Yeah at #10 this week. It is his first for his new label, Big Machine.
5. A TIE: We have two songs taking nine point jumps for the fastest climbers of the week. They are:
1. Tornado-Little Big Town-#41 to #32.
2. Someone Like You-David Nail-#58 to #49.
6. CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY: Wait a minute. It's not even Halloween yet and we have Christmas on the charts. Blake Shelton debuts his first Christmas CD, Cheers, It's Christmas at #6 this week.
7. #1 CDS: These were the top selling country CDs in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Still Feels Good-Rascal Flatts-Lyric Street
2002: ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits-Elvis Presley-RCA
1997: You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs-LeAnn Rimes-Curb
1992: The Chase-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1987: Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Billboard named it the top country single of the decade. It ended up being Keith Urban's biggest hit. It was Somebody Like You, our top song ten years ago this week.
Urban was born in New Zealand, but grew up in neighboring Australia. He had a successful singing career there during the early 1990s. He decided to strike it rich in America in 1992. He formed a group called The Ranch (Peter Clarke and Jerry Flowers were the other members). They signed to Capitol Records in 1996. They released their self-titled debut CD in 1997. Two singles were released, but went nowhere. After one CD, The Ranch were dropped by Capitol. Urban signed to the label as a solo artist in 1998. His solo debut for Capitol was a self-titled CD (he has a Keith Urban CD from 1991 as well). His first single, It's A Love Thing was released in September, 1999 and became his first major hit when it peaked at #18 in 2000. His next single was his first top ten: Your Everything (#4). Then, But For The Grace Of God was released and it became his first #1 in 2001. That song displaced Jamie O'Neal's There Is No Arizona from the top, displaying 'Aussie power' in country music. O'Neal would have been the second female artist from Australia (or with Australian roots) had Olivia Newton-John's 1974 hit, If You Love Me Let Me Know had not peaked at #2. Keith Urban ended on a #3 note in 2001 with Where The Blacktop Ends. After that song peaked, Urban picked up his first C.M.A. Award, the Horizon Award.
With the success of his debut CD, Urban prepared to release his second called Golden Road. Somebody Like You was tapped as the first single. Released in June, 2002 it climbed all the way to the top in October, staying there for six weeks. What gave the song such lift was Urban's searing guitar work. It ended up staying in the top 40 for 40 weeks (75% of a year!). It finished at #3 for the year on the American Country Countdown for 2002. Raining On Sunday was next, peaking at #3. His third #1 was next, Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me. You'll Think Of Me became Urban's first crossover hit when it peaked at #1 country, #24 pop, and #2 adult contemporary.
Well, after releasing two successful CDs, Urban went for a hat trick in 2004 when Be Here was released. Lead single, Days Go By became a four week #1. Urban won his first Male Vocalist of the Year from the C.M.A.. In 2005, his biggest #2 became reality. It was You're My Better half and it stayed there for five weeks. He returned to #1 with the Rodney Crowell-penned Making Memories Of Us (also #34 pop and #5 A.C.). Better Life became his second biggest hit, staying at #1 for six weeks, but only spending 20 weeks in the top 40. While Better Life was #1, Urban won Male Vocalist again and he also won Entertainer of the Year. Tonight I Wanna Cry peaked at #2 in early 2006.
Love, Pain, & The Whole Crazy Thing was released in 2006. Once In A Lifetime was the first single and it debuted at #17. Despite its lofty debut, it 'only' peaked at #6. Stupid Boy started 2007 on a #3 note. I Told You So became Urban's third #2 hit. Everybody closed out the era, peaking at #5 in 2008. A greatest hits CD was released called Greatest Hits: 18 Kids. When Urban decided to revisit the Golden Road CD and rerecorded You Look Good In My Shirt, it was renamed 19 Kids. Shirt became his first #1 since Better Life.
However, Urban's next hit did not come from one his CDs. He was invited by Brad Paisley to sing and play on a song called Start A Band from Paisley's CD, Play. It became Urban's first #1 duet in early 2009. It won the C.M.A. Musical Event of the Year. His first Defying Gravity single, Sweet Thing topped the chart just weeks later. Kiss A Girl was a crossover hit when it peaked at #3 country, #16 pop, and #11 A.C.. Only You Can Love Me This Way became Urban's 11th #1 hit. Right after that song peaked, Urban recieved two Billboard awards:
1. Country Singles Artist for 2009.
2. Somebody Like You was named the #1 song for the 2000s.
Til Summer Comes Around (#3) and I'm In (#2) ended the Defying Gravity era. His last CD, Get Closer yielded the following hits:
1. Put You In A Song-2011-#2
2. Without You-2011-#1
3. Long Hot Summer-2011-#1
4. You Gonna Fly-2012-#1
His last chart appearance was For You from the Act Of Valor soundtrack (#6). While that song was on the charts, he was named an American Idol judge. He has been married to Nicole Kidman since 2006 and they have two daughters. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 19, 2002:
1. SOMEBODY LIKE YOU-KEITH URBAN-CAPITOL
2. Beautiful Mess-Diamond Rio-Arista
3. Where Would You Be-Martina McBride-RCA
4. The Impossible-Joe Nichols-Universal South
5. Work In Progress-Alan Jackson-Arista
6. American Child-Phil Vassar-Arista
7. Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo-Tracy Byrd-RCA
8. My Town-Montgomery Gentry-Columbia
9. Landslide-Dixie Chicks-Monument
10. These Days-Rascal Flatts-Lyric Street

[numberonecountryfan]

1. STILL #1: Carrie Underwood continues to have the #1 hit in country with Blown Away. This is her first multi-week #1 since Just A Dream ruled for two weeks in 2008.
2. THREE TIMES TWO: Jason Aldean has the Hot Shot Debut this week with his second Night Train single, The Only Way I Know at #47. It is a vocal collaboration with Luke Bryan and Eric Church. All three artists are on the charts with solo singles as well. They are:
1. Bryan-Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye-#3
2. Aldean-Take A Little Ride-#5
3. Church-Creepin'-#14
3. MAYBE THIS TIME: Chris Young debuts at #48 with I Can't Take It From There. He is hoping for a #1 this time as his previous single, Neon peaked at #23 breaking five consecutive chart toppers for him.
4. BESIDE HIMSELF: Brantley Gilbert takes up positions #53 and #54 with More Than Miles and Kick It In The Sticks, respectively. The latter is the fastest falling single on the chart (from #37).
5. HEARTBREAK FAST: Hunter Hayes has the fastest climbing single of the week as Somebody's Heartbreak vaults thirteen to #38.
6. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Don't Blink-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2002: Somebody Like You-Keith Urban-Capitol
1997: Everywhere-Tim McGraw-Curb
1992: No One Else On Earth-Wynonna Judd-MCA
1987: Shine, Shine, Shine-Eddy Raven-RCA
7. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Let us review when the Class of 1989 landed their first chart topping hits, shall we?
1. Clint Black-A Better Man-1989
2. Garth Brooks-If Tomorrow Never Comes-1989
3. Travis Tritt-Help Me Hold On-1990
4. Alan Jackson-I'd Love You All Over Again-1991
Now, let us list in chronological order when they released their first greatest hits CDs:
1. Brooks-The Hits-1994
2. Tritt-Greatest Hits-From The Beginning-1995
3. Jackson-The Greatest Hits Collection-1995
4. Black-The Greatest Hits-1996
Despite being the first with a chart topper, Black was last in releasing his first survey of hits. When he did, a new song from the set became our #1 hit 16 years ago this week, Like The Rain. The track listing is as follows:
1. Like The Rain-1996-#1
2. Summer's Comin'-1995-#1
3. A Good Run Of Bad Luck-1994-#1
4. State Of Mind-1994-#2
5. A Bad Goodbye-with Wynonna Judd-1993-#2
6. A Better Man-1989-#1
7. Killin' Time-1989-#1
8. We Tell Ourselves-1992-#2
9. Half Way Up-1997-#6
10. Burn One Down-1992-#4
11. Cadillac Jack Favor
12. Put Youself In My Shoes-1990-#4
13. Wherever You Go-1995-#3
14. Life Gets Away-1995-#4
15. No Time To Kill-1993-#3
16. Desperado-Live
Like The Rain was tapped as the first single in August. It became Black's tenth chart topper in October. It became his second biggest hit (mysteriously, his biggest, Nobody's Home from 1990 was absent on this CD). Half Way Up was next and it proceeded to a #6 peak in early 1997. The CD peaked at #2 on the charts and is certified double platinum.
After that CD ran its course, Black released two more successful CDs for RCA. The CDs and hits are:
1. Nothin' But The Taillights-1997
a. Still Holding On-with Martina McBride-1997-#11
b. Something That We Do-1997-#2
c. Nothin' But The Taillights-1998-#1
d. The Shoes You're Wearing-1998-#1
e. Loosen Up My Strings-1998-#12
2. D'lectrified-1999
a. When I Said I Do-with Lisa Hartman-Black-1999-#1
b. Been There-with Steve Wariner-2000-#5
He released his second greatest hits CD in 2001. His second duet with his wife, Lisa (married in 1991) became a top 40 hit that year: Easy For Me To Say (#27). RCA dropped Black in 2002 after 14 years at the label. Black formed Equity Records in 2003. He released three CDs on the label:
1. Spend My Time-2004
2. Drinkin' Songs And Other Logic-2005
3. The Love Songs-2007
Only one major hit was realized during this time: Spend My Time (#16 in 2004). His last top ten was the mega collaboration with Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, and George Strait on their remake of Hey Good Lookin' (#8 in 2004 off the Buffett CD, License To Chill). His last chart appearance was back in 2008, the #58 peaking Long Cool Woman.
Other Black hits CDs are:
1. Super Hits-1998
2. Super Hits 2-2003
3. Ultimate Clint Black-2003
4. 16 Biggest Hits-2006
This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 26, 1996:
1. LIKE THE RAIN-CLINT BLACK-RCA
2. I Do-Paul Brandt-Reprise
3. Believe Me Baby I Lied-Trisha Yearwood-MCA
4. The Maker Said Take Her-Alabama-RCA
5. More Than You'll Ever Know-Travis Tritt-Warner Bros.
6. Me And You-Kenny Chesney-BNA
7. Lonely Too Long-Patty Loveless-Epic
8. I Can Still Make Cheyenne-George Strait-MCA
9. The Road You Leave Behind-David Lee Murphy-MCA
10. Stars Over Texas-Tracy Lawrence-Atlantic

[numberonecountryfan]

1. EASY TO LOVE #1: Lee Brice collects his second #1 hit in Hard To Love. It follows his first, A Woman Like You from earlier this year. In the meantime, Brice becomes the second artist to collect his first two chart toppers this year. Eric Church was first with Drink In My Hand and Springsteen.
2. HIS SECOND, THEIR FIRST: Holding down the #10 spot for the second week is Kip Moore's Beer Money. It is his second top ten following his first, Somethin' 'Bout A Truck which became his first #1. In the meantime, Florida Georgia Line collects their first with Cruise at #9.
3. THE ONLY WAY IS FAST: The trio of Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and Eric Church have the fastest climbing song of the week as The Only Way I Know leaps thirteen to #34.
4. NASHVILLE INVADES COUNTRY: Shouldn't that be the other way around? Anyway, ABC's new hit show Nashville is represented on the chart as actress (yes) Hayden Panettiere debuts at #51 with Telescope.
5. KRACKER AND KRAMER: Neighbors for the week are Uncle Kracker's Nobody's Sad On A Saturday Night at #55 while at #56 is Whiskey by Jana Kramer.
6. SOME CD NEWS: Let us check out the happenings on the country CD chart:
FOR THIS WEEK: First, Jason Aldean celebrates his first double #1 CD on country and top 200 charts as Night Train sold 409,000 copies. It is his third #1 country CD following Relentless (2007) and My Kinda Party (2010).
Second, Scotty McCreery debuts at #2 with his Christmas CD, Christmas With Scotty McCreery. He joins Blake Shelton's Cheers, It's Christmas (#10 this week) as the only other Christmas CD on the chart.
FOR NEXT WEEK: Taylor Swift has done it again. She debuts with over a million sold of her fourth CD, Red (1.2 million). She did it last time with Speak Now from 2010 (1.04 million sold for the first week). She also has a perfect streak of #1 CDs on the country chart as Taylor Swift (2006) and Fearless (2008) topped the charts as well. Only Miranda Lambert (Kerosene, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Revolution, and Four The Record) and Carrie Underwood (Some Hearts, Carnival Ride, Play On, and Blown Away) started their careers with four chart topping CDs as far as female artists are concerned.
7. A 50S LOOK: These were the chart topping songs during the last week of October during the 1950s:
1950: I'm Moving On-Hank Snow-RCA
1951: Slow Poke-Pee Wee King-RCA
1952: Jambalaya On The Bayou-Hank Williams-MGM
1953: I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know-Davis Sisters-RCA
1954: I Don't Hurt Anymore-Hank Snow-RCA
1955: That Do Make It Nice-Eddy Arnold-RCA
1956: Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog-Elvis Presley-RCA
1957: Wake Up Little Susie-Everly Brothers-Cadence
1958: City Lights-Ray Price-Columbia
1959: The Three Bells-The Browns-RCA
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Alabama's 22nd chart single for RCA fell short of the top spot 25 years ago this week when Tar Top peaked at #7. It broke their (and country music's) longest streak of chart topping hits at a very lucky 21.
Here is the list of their 21 in a row between 1980-1987:
1. Tennessee River-1980
2. Why Lady Why-1980
3. Old Flame-1981
4. Feels So Right-1981
5. Love In The First Degree-1981-their biggest hit of the decade
6. Mountain Music-1982
7. Take Me Down-1982
8. Close Enough To Perfect-1982
9. Dixieland Delight-1983
10. The Closer You Gest-1983
11. Lady Down On Love-1983
12. Roll On Eighteen Wheeler-1984
13. When We Make Love-1984
14. If You're Gonna Play In Texas You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band-1984
15. There's A Fire In The Night-1985
16. There's No Way-1985
17. Forty Hour Week For A Livin'-1985
18. Can't Keep A Good Man Down-1985
19. She And I-1986
20. Touch Me When We're Dancing-1986
21. You've Got The Touch-1987
During this time, Alabama also hit the top 40 with Christmas In Dixie (#35 in 1983) and Deep River Woman (with Lionel Richie-#10 in 1987). With the former, it was a Christmas song that received such strong airplay in late 1982 that it was possible to chart into the top 40 in early 1983. Seeing since it was NOT a regular release, it would not count against them. With the latter, that came from the Richie CD, Dancing On The Celing on the Motown label. Seeing since that song did NOT come from an Alabama CD, it would not count against them either. However, Alabama was at a crossroad between 1986 to 1987, particularly Randy Owen, lead singer for the group. While their 1986 CD The Touch was generating its hits (titles #20 and #21-see above), he was concerned that Alabama was getting too slick for its own good. It probably stemmed from the fact that they were NOT nominated for a C.M.A. Award in 1986. So he wrote a very personal song called Tar Top (his nickname).
The first verse of the song talks about Owen graduating from college and heading to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to the Bowery where they played long sets for little money between 1973-1979. The chorus is as follows:
And where are you goin' tar top?
Where's J.C. and the Chosen Few?
I saw the flash without T. Gentry.
And B.V. left for Malibu.
Of course, J.C. refers to Jeff Cook. The Chosen Few was his first band. T. Gentry refers to Teddy Gentry (Owen, Cook, and Gentry are cousins). B.V. refers to Bennett Vartanian, who was their first drummer when Alabama was known as Wildcountry. They would go through four other drummers until Mark Herndon joined the group in 1979. Second verse is about recalling their time at the Bowery and how lucky they were to reach the heights of superstardom. The bridge is about what direction the band is going. The song's last two words are: 'just us', the title of their 1987 CD where Tar Top came from.
Two years before Herndon joined Alabama, they signed a one record deal with GRT. They charted for the first time that year with I Wanna Be With You Tonight (#78). GRT folded and they found out they could not record for two years. They bought themselves out and signed to the MDJ label in 1979. They released an album called My Home's In Alabama where they collected their first top 40 hits: I Wanna Come Over (#33 in 1979) and the title track (#17 in 1980). RCA stepped in and bought out their contract and rereleased the album. Tennessee River was their first RCA release and it topped the chart in August. As they say, the rest is history. Twenty more consecutive chart toppers. Even though Tar Top broke their streak, they managed eleven more #1s between 1988-1993. They are:
1. Face To Face-1988
2. Fallin' Again-1988
3. Song Of The South-1989
4. If I Had You-1989-Alabama named Artist of the Decade by the A.C.M..
5. High Cotton-1989
6. Southern Star-1990
7. Jukebox In My Mind-1990-chart wise, their biggest hit
8. Forever's As Far As I'll Go-1991
9. Down Home-1991
10. I'm In A Hurry And Don't Know Why-1992
11. Reckless-1993
Their last top ten for RCA was 1999's God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You with NSYNC (#3). Their last major hit for them was When It All Goes South (#15 in 2001). In 2002, they announced a farewell tour. In 2005, they were inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Five years later, Brad Paisley wrote a song called Old Alabama that borrowed the lyrics and melody from Mountain Music. Naturally, he invited Alabama to record the song. Tapped as the second single from This Is Country Music, it topped the chart in 2011, becoming Paisley's 17th and Alabama's 33rd chart topping hit. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1987:
1. Right From The Start-Earl Thomas Conley-RCA
2. Love Me Like You Used To-Tanya Tucker-Capitol
3. Am I Blue-George Strait-MCA
4. Maybe Your Baby's Got The Blues-the Judds-RCA
5. I Won't Need You Anymore Always And Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
6. Crazy From The Heart-Bellamy Brothers-MCA
7. TAR TOP-ALABAMA-RCA
8. Lynda-Steve Wariner-MCA
9. Somebody Lied-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
10. Only When I Love-Holly Dunn-MTM

[numberonecountryfan]

1.STILL LOVIN' #1: Lee Brice continues to hold on to #1 with Hard To Love, the title track of his current CD. His first #1, A Woman Like You reigned for seven days earlier this year.
2. C.M.A. CHART: This year's winners on this week's chart:
4. Fastest Girl In Town-Miranda Lambert-Female Vocalist and Song of the Year
6. Blown Away-Carrie Underwood-C.M.A. Hostess
11. Creepin'-Eric Church-Album of the Year
14. Southern Comfort Zone-Brad Paisley-C.M.A. Host
15. El Cerrito Place-Kenny Chesney-Musical Event
21. I Like Girls That Drink Beer-Toby Keith-Video of the Year
24. Tornado-Little Big Town-Vocal Group and Single of the Year
29. Somebody's Heartbreak-Hunter Hayes-New Artist
31. The Only Way I Know-Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and Eric Church-Album for Church
39. If I Didn't Have You-Thompson Square-Vocal Duo
44. One Of Those Nights-Tim McGraw-Musical Event
3. BETTER DIG HIGH: The Band Perry has the Hot Shot Debut of the week with Better Dig Two at #30. This is coming from their upcoming second CD. Their first, a self-titled CD yielded five top 20 hits including two #1s: If I Die Young in 2010 and All Your Life in 2012.
4. FROM A #37 TO A #37 START: George Strait also debuts a song from an upcoming CD as well. It is Give It All We Got Tonight at #37. His last, Drinkin' Man peaked at #37. He is hoping to land his 86th top ten and 45th #1 with the former song.
5. HER FIRST: Kelly Clarkson debuts at #55 with Vince Gill on Don't Rush. This is her first attempt to court country airplay for one of her songs. This is off her Greatest Hits CD. Her last time on the chart was the #21 peaking Mr. Know It All. That was remixed for the country format after she released a pop version. Her two top tens were on other's CDs: Because Of You with Reba McEntire (#2 in 2007) off of McEntire's Duets CD and Don't You Wanna Stay with Jason Aldean (#1 in 2011) off of Aldean's My Kinda Party CD.
6. HAVING YOU FAST: Thompson Square has the fastest climbing song of the week with If I Didn't Have You (#46 to #39).
7. MORE CHRISTMAS: Lady Antebellum debuts at #3 on the country album chart with On This Winter's Night. They join other Christmas CDs by Blake Shelton and Scotty McCreery.
8. THANK A VETERAN: Need I say more?
9. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Don't Blink-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2002: Somebody Like You-Keith Urban-Capitol
1997: Love Gets Me Every Time-Shania Twain-Mercury
1992: No One Else On Earth-Wynonna Judd-MCA
1987: Am I Blue-George Strait-MCA
10. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: The years between 1995 to 2005 might be called the Shania Twain Era in country music. She followed up her blockbuster 1995 CD, The Woman In Me with even a bigger one, Come On Over in 1997. The first single, Love Gets Me Every Time spent the first of five weeks at #1 fifteen years ago this week. Chart wise, it became her biggest country hit.
1993 saw her release her self-titled debut CD. She was part of a marketing strategy by Mercury Records promoting her, Toby Keith (what happened to him?), and Jon Brannen (a superstar, I'm sure!). Three singles were released from the set, but went nowhere (one of them did not chart). It was during this time she met and married her soon to be producer, Robert John Mutt Lange in 1993 (divorced in 2010). They entirely wrote her follow up, The Woman In Me. Eight singles were released. They are:
1. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under-1995-#11 country
2. Any Man Of Mine-1995-#1 country, #31 pop
3. The Woman In Me Need The Man In You-1995-#14C
4. If You're Not In It For Love I'm Outta Here!-1996-#1C
5. You Win My Love-1996-#1C
6. No One Needs To Know-1996-#1C
7. Home Ain't Where His Heart Is Anymore-1996-#28C
8. God Bless The Child-1996-#48C
The CD became her first diamond CD (over 12 million sold). Twain and Lange did it again. They wrote ALL sixteen songs for Come On Over. Love Gets Me Every Time was released in September and climbed all the way to the top in November, giving Twain a fifth chart topping hit. It also ended her one hit status on the pop chart, peaking at #25 there. Then the Twain hit machine started and she did pretty well on three charts (country, pop, and adult contemporary):
1. Don't Be Stupid You Know I Love You-1998-#6C and #40P
2. You're Still The One-1998-#1C, #2P-chart wise, her biggest pop hit, and #1 A.C.-chart wise, her biggest A.C. hit
3. From This Moment On-1998-#6C (with Bryan White), #4P, and #1 A.C. (on pop and A.C. charts, this was a solo single)
4. Honey, I'm Home-1998-#1C
5. That Don't Impress Me Much-1999-#8C, #7P, and #8 A.C.
6. Man! I Feel Like A Woman!-1999-#4C, #23P, and #16 A.C.
7. You've Got A Way-1999-#13C and #6 A.C.
8. Come On Over-1999-#6C
9. Rock This Country!-2000-#30C
10. I'm Holdin' On To Love To Save My Life-2000-#17C
The CD debuted at #1 country and #2 top 200 when it sold 172,000 copies in its first week. Despite a #2 peaking CD on the big chart, it went on to be her's and country music's biggest selling CD of all time (23 million sold or double diamond). It spent 50 weeks at #1 on the country chart, a record (Randy Travis' 43 weeks at #1 with Always & Forever is second). She won the C.M.A. Entertainer of the Year award in 1999. Her next CD, Up! did not see the light until 2002. It had three versions: country (green), pop (red), and international (blue) versions. It debuted at #1 on BOTH charts when 874,000 copies were sold. Its hits are:
1. I'm Gonna Getcha Good!-2002-#7C, #34P, and #10 A.C.
2. Up!-2003-#12C
3. Forever And For Always-2003-#4C, #20P. and #1 A.C.
4. She's Not Just A Pretty Face-2004-#9C
5. It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing-2004-#18C and #16 A.C.
Up! was Twain's third consecutive diamond CD when over 11 million were sold. A greatest hits CD was next and it was a unique CD because three new songs were first and then her hits were in backwards order. Two hits were released:
1. Party For Two-2004-#7C (with Billy Currington) and #16 A.C. (with Mark McGrath)
2. Don't!-2005-#24C and #18 A.C.
A Desperate Housewives CD was released and Twain's contribution, Shoes peaked at #29 country in 2005. She was off the charts for six years. Not only did she get divorced, but tended to her only child, Eja (born in 2001). However, Twain made a top 40 country appearance last year with Today Is Your Day (#36). Twain will be doing a Las Vegas residency this year. Her last significant hit was on the A.C. chart this year when her version of Endless Love with Lionel Richie peaked at #12. When will she release her next CD? Only time will tell! This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 8, 1997:
1. LOVE GETS ME EVERY TIME-SHANIA TWAIN-MERCURY
2. In Another's Eyes-Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks-MCA
3. Honky Tonk Truth-Brooks & Dunn-Arista
4. Everywhere-Tim McGraw-Curb
5. Thank God For Believers-Mark Chesnutt-Decca
6. Love Is The Right Place-Bryan White-Asylum
7. If You Love Somebody-Kevin Sharp-Asylum
8. Something That We Do-Clint Black-RCA
9. How Do I Get There-Deana Carter-Capitol
10. Today My World Slipped Away-George Strait-MCA

[numberonecountryfan]

1. BRYAN'S #1 KISS: Luke Bryan becomes the 120th artist in history with five #1 hits. He collects chart topper #5 this week with Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye. His list of #1s are:
1. Rain Is A Good Thing-2010
2. Someone Else Calling You Baby-2011
3. I Don't Want This Night To End-2011
4. Drunk On You-2012
5. Kiss Tomorrow Goddbye-2012
Since his first #1, Bryan has been batting 83% of his singles at #1. Only Country Girl Shake It For Me missed the top (#4 in 2011).
2. REPUBLIC NASHVILLE FIRSTS: Greg Bates collects his first top ten this week with Did It For The Girl at #10. His labelmates, Florida Georgia Line collected theirs a few weeks ago. They are currently at #5 with Cruise. Both are on the Republic Nashville label.
3. ONE BETTER: Casey James has his first top 20 hit in Crying On A Suitcase at #20. His last single, Let's Don't Call It A Night peaked at #21.
4. FAST NIGHTS: Tim McGraw has the fastest climbing song of the week as One Of Those Nights leaps eleven to #33.
5. HE DEBUTS THE SAME TITLE TWICE: Is that possible? Well, if you are Toby Keith it is. His latest CD, Hope On The Rocks debuts at #3 on the album chart while the title track debuts at #50 on the singles chart becoming the Hot Shot Debut of the week.
6. TWO COULD BECOME THREE: Carrie Underwood debuts her third Blown Away single Two Black Cadillacs at #55. She is hoping for a perfect record with her current CD as Good Girl became her 12th #1 and the title track became her 13th chart topper. If Two Black Cadillacs tops the chart, Blown Away will become her third CD to start with a trio of chart toppers. The others:
1. Carnival Ride
a. So Small-2007
b. All-American Girl-2008
c. Last Name-2008
2. Play On
a. Cowboy Casanova-2009
b. Temporary Home-2010
c. Undo It-2010
7. #1 CDS: These were the top selling CDs in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Long Road Out Of Eden-the Eagles-Lost Highway
2002: Melt-Rascal Flatts-Lyric Street
1997: You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs-LeAnn Rimes-Curb
1992: The Chase-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1987: Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: The biggest selling album of Kenny Rogers' career remains his 1980 Greatest Hits, his ONLY diamond album (over 12 million sold). It was our top seller 32 years ago this week.
The track lisiting is as follows:
1. The Gambler-1978-#1 country-chart wise, his biggest country hit, #16 pop, and #3 adult contemporary
2. Lady-1980-#1C, #1P-chart wise, his biggest pop hit, #1 A.C., and #42 r&b
3. Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer-with Kim Carnes-1980-#3C, #4P, and #2 A.C.
4. Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town-with the First Edition-1969-#39C, #6P, and #6 A.C.
5. She Believes In Me-1979-#1C, #5P, and #1 A.C.
6. Coward Of The County-1980-#1C, #3P, and #5 A.C.
7. Lucille-1977-#1C and #5P
8. You Decorated My Life-1979-#1C, #7P, and #2 A.C.
9. Reuben James-with the First Edition-1969-#46C and #26P
10. Love The World Away-1980-#4C and #14P
11. Every Time Two Fools Collide-with Dottie West-1978-#1C and #44 A.C.
12. Long Arm Of The Law
Rogers was in a pop group called the First Edition between 1967 to 1974. They would continue for two years without Rogers. In the meantime, Rogers signed to United Artists as a solo artist in 1975. His first album, Love Lifted Me was released a year later. The title track was his first major hit, peaking at #19. His self-titled album was next and it yielded two major hits:
1. Laura What's He Got That I Ain't Got-1976-#19
2. Lucille-1977-#1C and #5P-C.M.A. Single of the Year
A platinum success, Rogers followed it up with his 1977 album, Daytime Friends. Two top tens were produced (both in 1977):
1. Daytime Friends-#1C and #28P
2. Sweet Music Man-#9C and #44P
He released his first greatest hits album, Ten Years Of Gold in 1978. Half the album featured his First Edition hits and the second half had his solo hits. Six more albums were released. They are (with their hits):
1. Every Time Two Fools Collide-with Dottie West
a. Every Time Two Fools Collide-1978-#1C and #44P
b. Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight-1978-#2C
2. Love Or Something Like It
a. Love Or Something Like It-1978-#1C and #32P
3. The Gambler-C.M.A. Album of the Year
a. The Gambler-1978-#1C, #16P, and #3 A.C.
b. She Believes In Me-1979-#1C, #5P, and #1 A.C.
4. Classics-with West
a. All I Ever Need Is You-1979-#1C and #38 A.C.
b. Til I Can Make It On My Own-1979-#3C
5. Kenny-his longest reigning #1 album at 25 weeks
a. You Decorated My Life-1979-#1C, #7P, and #2 A.C.
b. Coward Of The County-1980-#1C, #3P, and #5 A.C.
6. Gideon
a. Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer-with Kim Carnes-1980-#3C, #4P, and #2 A.C.
Rogers was at a crossroad in his career in 1980. He decided to amicably part with his producer of five years, Larry Butler. Rogers was looking for new avenues for his music. It came from an unexpected source, Lionel Richie. Richie, of course was the lead singer and songwriter for the Commodores. He wrote their two chart topping pop hits: Three Times A Lady (1978) and Still (1979). Richie was restless as well. After Still, he was looking for new ways to get his music out there. Rogers and Richie met in early 1980 in Las Vegas. Richie presented Rogers with Lady. Richie only had the title and hummed the rest of the tune. Rogers liked what he heard and Richie finished the rest of the song.
That was not the only change in Rogers' career in 1980. His label, United Artists changed their name to Liberty Records. The first album they wanted from Rogers under the new name was a greatest hits collection. Lady was added to the new album. Released in September, it became a triple #1 on three charts: country (one week), pop (six weeks), and A.C. (four weeks). With Richie's name attached, it hit #42 r&b. It became his tenth #1 country hit, first #1 pop hit, and second A.C. chart topper. It became his fourth gold single after Lucille, She Believes In Me, and Coward Of The County. The album topped the country chart for eleven weeks and topped the top 200 chart for two weeks becoming his ONLY #1 album there.
However, the Rogers/Richie alliance was too much for just one album. Richie took over Rogers' follow up, Share Your Love. Four hits were released:
1. I Don't Need You-1981-#1C, #3P, and #1 A.C.-chart wise, his biggest A.C. hit
2. Share Your Love With Me-1981-#5C, #14P, and #1 A.C.
3. Blaze Of Glory-1982-#9C, #66P, and #25 A.C.
4. Through The Years-1982-#5C, #13P, and #1 A.C.
During this time, Richie struck out on his own and issued his first single post-Commodores, a duet with Diana Ross called Endless Love in 1981. It topped three charts: pop, A.C., and r&b. As for Rogers, he regularly hit the top ten on the country chart until 1989 when The Vows Go Unbroken Always True To You hit #8. He almost hit the top ten in early 1992 with If You Want To Find Love (#11). After scoring hits on Liberty, RCA, and Reprise, Rogers started Dreamcatcher Records in 1998. He scored a huge hit in 2000 called Buy Me A Rose. That became his 21st #1 hit. His last major hit was in 2006 called I Can't Unlove You (#17).
As for Richie, he recorded Lady twice for two of his CDs: Time (1998) and Tuskegee (2012). When he recorded it for the second time, it was a duet with Rogers. That CD earned platinum certification this year. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 15, 1980:
1. KENNY ROGERS' GREATEST HITS-KENNY ROGERS-LIBERTY
2. I Believe In You-Don Williams-MCA
3. Greatest Hits-Anne Murray-Capitol
4. Honeysuckle Rose-Soundtrack-Columbia
5. Horizon-Eddie Rabbitt-Elektra
6. Greatest Hits-Ronnie Milsap-RCA
7. Urban Cowboy-Soundtrack-Asylum
8. I Am What I Am-George Jones-Epic
9. Full Moon-Charlie Daniels Band-Epic
10. Music Man-Waylon Jennnings-RCA

[numberonecountryfan]

1. #1 GOODBYE: Luke Bryan continues to have the #1 hit in country with Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye. This is his third multi week #1 following:
1. Rain Is A Good Thing-2010-2 weeks
2. Drunk On You-2012-2 weeks
If Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye holds on for a third week, it will be his biggest hit.
2. THEY'RE BACK: After peaking at #11 with The Wind from their Uncaged CD, the Zac Brown Band collects their eleventh top ten this week with Goodbye In Her Eyes at #10.
3. MCGRAW-HILL: They are not only married to each other, but are neighbors on the chart this week. Tim McGraw is at #29 with One Of Those Nights while Faith Hill is at #30 with American Heart.
4. CADILLAC FAST: Carrie Underwood has the fastest climbing song of the week as Two Black Cadillacs pedals seventeen spots to #38.
5. ELVIS IS ON THE CHART: Elvis Presley has a Christmas album on the charts this week. It is The Classic Christmas Album and it is at #26 this week.
6. A.M.A. WINNERS: These are the winners at this year's American Music Awards:
1. Luke Bryan-Favorite Country Male
2. Lady Antebellum-Country Band, Duo, or Group
3. Taylor Swift-Favorite Country Female
4. Carrie Underwood-Favorite Country Album-Blown Away
7. THE OFFICIAL LIST: Because of the changes Billboard made in their country chart, this is the official list of those songs reaching #1 in Billboard 2012 (December, 2011-November, 2012):
1. Country Must Be Country Wide-Brantley Gilbert-1
2. We Owned The Night-Lady Antebellum-2
3. Keep Me In Mind-Zac Brown Band-4
4. Let It Rain-David Nail-1
5. Drink In My Hand-Eric Church-1
6. I Don't Want This Night To End-Luke Bryan-1
7. You-Chris Young-1
8. All Your Life-Band Perry-2
9. You Gonna Fly-Keith Urban-2
10. Reality-Kenny Chesney-1
11. Home-Dierks Bentley-1
12. Ours-Taylor Swift-1
13. Alone With You-Jake Owen-2
14. A Woman Like You-Lee Brice-1
15. Drink On It-Blake Shelton-2
16. Banjo-Rascal Flatts-1
17. Over You-Miranda Lambert-1
18. Fly Over States-Jason Aldean-1
19. Somethin' 'Bout A Truck-Kip Moore-2
20. Good Girl-Carrie Underwood-1
21. Springsteen-Eric Church-1
22. Drunk On You-Luke Bryan-2
23. You Don't Know Her Like I Do-Brantley Gilbert-1
24. Even If It Breaks Your Heart-Eli Young Band-1
25. 5-1-5-0-Dierks Bentley-1
26. Come Over-Kenny Chesney-2
27. Angel Eyes-Love & Theft-1
28. Over-Blake Shelton-2
29. Pontoon-Little Big Town-2
30. Wanted-Hunter Hayes-1
31. Take A Little Ride-Jason Aldean-3
32. Blown Away-Carrie Underwood-2
33. Hard To Love-Lee Brice-2
34. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye-Luke Bryan-2
8. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Free And Easy Down The Road I Go-Dierks Bentley-Capitol
2002: Somebody Like You-Keith Urban-Capitol
1997: Love Gets Me Every Time-Shania Twain-Mercury
1992: I'm In A Hurry And Don't Know Why-Alabama-RCA
1987: I Won't Need You Anymore Always And Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
9. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: To say Buck Owens was a major force in country music would be an understatement. After all, he charted top 40 hits during the 1950s, 1960s (his best decade where he was the #1 artist), 1970s, and 1980s. He charted 21 #1 hits, the biggest being Love's Gonna Live Here (a sixteen week #1 between 1963-1964). His influence lives to this day despite the fact he died in 2006. Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley list Owens as an influence. Well, Owens' influence was felt for years when his 1964 album, Together Again was out top seller 48 years ago this week.
This story starts in 1962, five years removed from Owens signing to Capitol Records. Owens remade the Drifters' 1960 #1 pop hit, Save The Last Dance For Me into a #11 country hit. Several more hits followed for the next two years. They are:
1. Kickin' Our Hearts Around (#8)/I Can't Stop My Lovin' You (#17)-1962
2. You're For Me (#10)/House Down The Block (#24)-1963
3. Act Naturally-1963-#1
4. We're The Talk Of The Town (#15)/Sweethearts In Heaven (#19)-with Rose Maddox-1963
5. Love's Gonna Live Here-1963-#1
Then the Together Again album was released in July, 1964. The track listing is as follows:
1. My Heart Skips A Beat
2. Close Up The Honky Tonks
3. I Don't Hear You
4. Save The Last Dance For Me
5. Over And Over Again
6. Truck Drivin' Man
7. Together Again
8. A-11
9. Ain't It Amazing, Gracie
10. Getting Used To Losing You
11. Storm Of Love
12. Hello Trouble
My Heart Skips A Beat was released in February right when Love's Gonna Live Here finally relinquished the top spot after an amazing sixteen week reign. It hit the top in May for three of its seven weeks. The b-side, Together Again hit the top in June for two weeks, becoming the ONLY #1 b-side hit in Owens' career. My Heart completed its reign for the next four weeks. Owens would be the last artist to replace himself at the top until 1982 when Willie Nelson reigned for four weeks with two hits: Always On My Mind for two weeks followed by his duet with Waylon Jennings, Just To Satisfy You. My Heart Skips A Beat was named Billboard's #1 hit of the year in late 1964. The album was #1 for seven weeks between November, 1964 to January, 1965.
Owens, naturally dominated the country charts throughout the rest of the 1960s. Shortly before releasing his 18th #1, Johnny B. Goode in 1969, he made his television debut on Hee Haw on CBS. He stayed on the show (with Roy Clark) until 1986. While Owens himself is a major artist in country music, the songs on Together Again became hits for other artists. Besides remaking Save The Last Dance For Me, Owen remade Hello Trouble, which was a #5 hit for the songwriter, Orville Couch in 1963. In chronological order, here are the songs that became hits for other artists:
1. Truck Drivin' Man-George Hamilton IV (#11 in 1965)
2. A-11-Johnny Paycheck (#26 in 1965)
3. Together Again-Emmylou Harris (#1 in 1976)
4. Truck Drivin' Man-Red Steagall (#29 in 1976)
5. Save The Last Dance For Me:
a. Ron Shaw (#36 in 1978)
b. Jerry Lee Lewis (#26 in 1979)
c. Emmylou Harris (#4 in 1979)
d. Dolly Parton (#3 in 1984)
6. Together Again-Kenny Rogers and Dottie West (#19 in 1984)
7. Hello Trouble-Desert Rose Band (#11 in 1989)
Ain't It Amzing, Gracie would eventually become a #14 hit for Owens in 1973. However, the two artists who made Together Again a #1 hit, Owens and Harris teamed up in 1979 for a duet called Play Together Again Again (#11). That was Owens' ONLY major hit during his Warner Bros. years (1976-1981). This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 21, 1964:
1. TOGETHER AGAIN-BUCK OWENS-CAPITOL
2. The Best Of Jim Reeves-Jim Reeves-RCA
3. The Best Of Buck Owens-Buck Owens-Capitol
4. Dang Me/Chug-A-Lug-Roger Miller-Smash
5. I Walk The Line-Johnny Cash-Columbia
6. Love Life-Ray Price-Columbia
7. R.F.D.-Marty Robbins-Columbia
8. Travelin' With Dave Dudley-Dave Dudley-Mercury
9. Moonlight And Roses-Jim Reeves-RCA
10. Country Dance Favorites-Faron Young-Mercury

P.S.: Happy Thanksgiving!

[numberonecountryfan]

1. THIS ONE DID NOT GET AWAY: Jake Owen scores his third #1 hit in The One That Got Away. His current CD, Barefoot Blue Jean Night has been perfect so far as the title track topped the chart last year and Alone With You did so this year. By the way, congratulations on your Thanksgiving Day baby, a girl called Olive Pearl.
2. THE ENTERTAINER RETURNS: Blake Shelton debuts a song from Cheers, It's Christmas this week. It is a duet with Miranda Lambert called Jingle Bell Rock at #57. This is his first time on the charts since winning the C.M.A. Song of the Year for Over You with Lambert by Lambert, Male Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year. This is the first Christmas song to chart this season.
3. HIS BIGGEST IN FOUR YEARS: Gary Allan visits the top fifteen this week with Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain (#15). The last time he was in this section of the chart was back in 2008 when Learning To Bend peaked at #13.
4. HIS TRACTOR'S FAST: Dustin Lynch has the fastest climbing song of the week as She Cranks My Tractor motors twelve to #39.
5. COUNTRY ROCKS: Toby Keith is at #43 with Hope On The Rocks while Sorry On The Rocks is at #44 for Kelleigh Brannen.
6. DOES IT HAVE MUPPETS?: John Denver is on the album chart this week with The Classic Christmas Album at #39.
7. A 40S LOOK: These were the chart topping songs during the last week in November during the 1940s:
1944: Smoke On The Water-Red Foley-Decca
1945: With Tears In My Eyes-Wesley Tuttle-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: One Has My Name The Other Has My Heart-Jimmy Wakely-Capitol
1949: Slipping Around-Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely-Capitol
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: After conquering the pop and adult contemporary charts, John Denver finally got his due on the country chart in 1974. He scored the first of three #1s on that chart 38 years ago this week with Back Home Again.
Denver defied being labelled as a particular kind of artist. Milt Okun, his producer was asked if pressed, what kind of artist Denver would say he would be and Okun said, 'probably folk'. The country community looked at Denver very suspiciously. They thought he was a pop/rock artist. I think that is ludicrous considering country themes that dominated Denver's music. Think of Take Me Home, COUNTRY Roads, Back Home Again, and of course, Thank God I'm A COUNTRY Boy. 1969 was the year Denver signed to RCA Records. His debut album, Rhymes And Reasons was released. It contains his version of Leaving On A Jet Plane which became the only #1 pop hit for Peter, Paul, and Mary late that year. You would have thought that major success would translate into major success for Denver. Not so. No hits were released from that album. 1970 saw the release of his second album, Take Me To Tomorrow. The pattern was repeated resulting with no hits. Another hitless album was released called Whose Garden Was This. 1971 was a pivotal year for Denver. A song was written by Taffy Nivert and Bill Danoff called Take Me Home, Country Roads. It was placed on the Poems, Prayers & Promises album. The single did best on the pop chart, claiming a #2 ranking followed by the A.C. chart at #3. It peaked at #50 on the country chart (his debut on ALL three charts). Considering the low rank on the country chart, the album peaked at #6 on the country chart (#15 top 200). It was his first gold album. A few more singles from the album charted, but none had the kind of impact like Country Roads did. November, 1972 arrived with the release of the Rocky Mountain High album. The title track peaked at #9 pop and #3 A.C. (strange enough, it did not place on the country chart) in early 1973. A couple more singles were released, but none of them hit the top ten on any chart. 1973 saw Denver release his first greatest hits album. It is his only diamond album with over ten million sold. Then RCA dipped into the Poems, Prayes & Promises album and released Sunshine On My Shoulders in 1974. It became Denver's first chart topper on the pop and A.C. chart while peaking at #42 country. That song started the ball rolling for Denver as far as being the hottest artist during the mid 1970s. The Back Home Again album was released and its first single, Annie's Song became another double #1 on pop and A.C. charts, but this time it gave Denver his first country top ten (#9). Annie's Song is his biggest pop and A.C. hit. The album topped the country chart for thirteen weeks and topped the top 200 chart for one week. The title track was released in September and climbed all the way to #1 country in November. It also became his third #1 A.C. chart topper while peaking at #5 pop. The album contains studio version of Sweet Surrender and Thank God I'm A Country Boy...which were placed on An Evening With John Denver in 1975 (#1 country album for two weeks and #2 top 200 album for two weeks). Sweet Surrender peaked at #7 country, #13 pop, and #1 A.C.. Thank God I'm A Country Boy peaked at #1 country, #1 pop, and #5 A.C.. Those two albums assured Denver was ther hottest artist out there. The Windsong album was next and it became a double #1 album on country (5 weeks) and top 200 (2 weeks). I'm Sorry was the first single and became the ONLY Denver song to top all three charts (1 week country, 1 week pop, and 2 weeks A.C.). It became his biggest country hit. The b-side, Calypso hit #2 pop for four weeks after I'm Sorry fell from the top spot. In the meantime, the C.M.A. Awards were held and Denver won Song of the Year for Back Home Again. It was time to announce the winner for the Entertainer Award and the presenter, Charlie Rich, the 1974 winner read off Denver's name and burned the slip of paper containing Denver's name. Denver did not see his double win at the C.M.A.s as he was in the middle of a successful tour of Australia. Just before 1975 ended, he released the second Windsong single, Fly Away which featured background vocals by Olivia Newton-John. That song hit #12 country, #13 pop, and #1 A.C. in early 1976. During its chart run, Newsweek proclaimed Denver the most popular artist in America. Windsong ended with Looking For Space (#30 country, #29 pop, and #1 A.C.).
During the summer of 1976, three events took place:
1. RCA threw a party for Denver for being its top record seller.
2. The Starland Vocal Band, signed to Denver's Windsong label landed their only #1 pop hit in Afternoon Delight.
3. The Spirit album was released (#3 country and #7 top 200 album).
It Makes Me Giggle was the first single and it hit #70 country, #60 pop, and #9 A.C.. That was a poor showing considering what Denver did just six months earlier. Like A Sad Song peaked at #34 country, #36 pop, and #1 A.C.. That was much better, but not good enough. Baby, You Look Good To Me Tonight hit #22 country, #65 pop, and #13 A.C. in 1977. That year saw Denver's second greatest hits album released. By this time, Denver's music was no longer in vogue as deejays were afraid of losing face for continuously spinning Denver records. However, the only chart giving Denver top tens throughout the rest of the 1970s was the A.C. chart. Those songs were:
1. How Can I Leave You Again-1978-#2
2. It Amazes Me-1978-#9
3. I Want To Live-1978-#10
4. What's On Your Mind-1979-#10
Denver entered the 1980s with the release of the Autograph album. The title track hit #52 pop and #20 A.C.. After that album ran its course, there was a shakeup at RCA. The new people wanted to hear Denver's commitment to country music. Denver refused to budge. Denver was sent kicking and screaming to Nashville to record the Some Days Are Diamonds album. It was produced by Larry Butler, Kenny Rogers' producer from 1975-1980. Denver called it 'an ersatz country album'. The title track hit #10 country, #36 pop, and #12 A.C. in 1981, his strongest showing in years. With Denver refusing to commit to country, the follow up reached #50 country-The Cowboy And The Lady. Shanghai Breezes, from Seasons Of The Heart became his last top 40 pop hit (#31) and final A.C. chart topper in 1982. It did not crack the country chart. His next album, It's About Time in 1983 yielded a country entry-an excellent duet with Emmylou Harris called Wild Montana Skies (#14). His next hit was the title track to his 1985 album, Dreamland Express (#9 in 1986). His next album was his last for RCA called One World. RCA dropped Denver in 1986 after 17 years at the label.
Denver started his second label, Windstar Records in 1988. A CD was released that year called Higher Ground. It was during this time he participated on a CD called Will The Circle Be Unbroken Volume 2 by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Their duet, And So It Goes hit #14 in 1989, becoming the final top 40 country hit in Denver's career. His next release happened in 1997 and it was called The Best Of John Denver Live on the Legacy label. A month later, he made his last public appearance at a Baltimore Orioles game. In October, he boarded a plane (Denver was a licensed pilot). His plane crashed off the California coast. Denver died at the age of 53.
Several hits CD have been released since his death. They are:
1. Greatest Country Hits-1998
2. The Essential John Denver-2004
3. Definitive All-Time Greatest Hits-2004
4. 16 Biggest Hits-2006
5. The Essential John Denver-2007
6. The Ultimate Collection-2011
Denver is currently on the chart with The Classic Christmas Album (#39). Had he lived next month, Denver would be turning 69. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 1974:
1. BACK HOME AGAIN-JOHN DENVER-RCA
2. She Called Me Baby-Charlie Rich-RCA
3. Get On My Love Train-LaCosta-Capitol
4. Memory Maker-Mel Tillis-MGM
5. I Can Help-Billy Swan-Monument
6. Trouble In Paradise-Loretta Lynn-MCA
7. We're Over-Johnny Rodriguez-Mercury
8. Take Me Home To Somewhere-Joe Stampley-ABC/Dot
9. Every Time I Turn The Radio On-Bill Anderson-MCA
10. Son Of A Rotten Gambler-Anne Murray-Capitol

[numberonecountryfan]

1. CRUISIN' TO #1: Florida Georgia Line claims their first #1 in Cruise. They become the first duo on the Republic Nashville label to have a #1. Also, they become the first duo to take their debut single to #1 since the Wreckers did it in 2006 with Leave The Pieces (unless you count Love And Theft's debut as a duo, Angel Eyes).
2. HIS SECOND AFTER THREE YEARS: Randy Houser collects his second top ten this week with How Country Feels at #10. His first was in 2009 when Boots On peaked at #2.
3. JINGLE FAST: Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert have the fastest climbing song of the week as Jingle Bell Rock rings up twelve places to #45.
4. SECOND WEEK OF CHRISTMAS: For the second week, a Christmas song debuts on the chart. This time it belongs to Lady Antebellum with their version of A Holly Jolly Christmas at #54.
5. SHOWING THEIR COUNTRY SIDE: Mumford & Sons make their country chart debut at #58 with I Will Wait. It is off their current CD, Babel. The single peaked at #23 on the Hot 100 earlier this year.
6. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping hits in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: So Small-Carrie Underwood-Arista
2002: These Days-Rascal Flatts-Lyric Street
1997: Love Gets Me Every Time-Shania Twain-Mercury
1992: I Cross My Heart-George Strait-MCA
1987: Somebody Lied-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
7. A BLAST FROM THE PAST: Considering what is happening on this planet and in this country (even in your back yard), it is time for a little good news. That is what you are getting when we salute Anne Murray this week when she had the #1 hit 29 years ago this week with A Little Good News.
Murray did well with her previous album, The Hottest Night Of The Year. It yielded a pair of #7 singles:
1. Hey! Baby!-1982
2. Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye-1983
It was time for a follow up album and Murray titled it A Little Good News. The title track was first, released in September and made its way to #1 in December, becoming Murray's lucky seventh chart topping country hit. It continued her crossover era (1970-1986) by peaking at #74 pop and #11 adult contemporary. It was a hit in her native Canada, peaking at #1 country and #2 A.C. there. She faltered a bit with the second release, That's Not The Way It's S'posed To Be (#46 country and #12 A.C.). The third and final single, Just Another Woman In Love peaked at #1 country and #7 A.C. in 1984. A Little Good News has been certified at the gold level.
A Little Good News won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female. Shortly after Just Another Woman In Love peaked, the C.M.A. Awards were held. Murray won Single and Album of the Year for A Little Good News, becoming the first female artist to win Album of the Year (Patty Loveless would be next for When Fallen Angels Fly in 1995). Murray was also up for Female Vocalist, but the eventual winner, Reba McEntire thought Murray would win.
Murray would continue to hit the top ten in country on a regular basis until 1986's Now And Forever You And Me (#1 country, #7 A.C., and #92 pop). Her last major hit of the 1980s was 1987's Are You Still In Love With Me (#20). A Little Good News resurfaced on 1989's Greatest Hits Volume II. Her last top ten in America was Feed This Fire in 1990 (#5 off of the You Will CD). Her last country chart appearance was in the following year with Everyday (#56). Her last CD was released this year called Ten Great Songs: Inspirational Classics on Capitol Records.

[numberonecountryfan]

1. CRUISE CONTROL: Florida Georgia Line continues to hold on to the #1 spot in country music with Cruise. They become the first duo since the Wreckers to take their debut single to #1 and stay there for more than a week. The Wreckers had a two week stay at #1 in 2006 with Leave The Pieces. In other F.G.L. news, they have the Hot Shot Debut this week at #52 with Get Your Shine On.
2. HE'S BACK: After peaking at #15 with Camouflage, Brad Paisley collects another top ten this week with Southern Comfort Zone at #10.
3. REMAKE TIMES TWO: Michael Buble took a song called Home to #72 on the Hot 100 while topping the adult contemporary chart in 2005. Blake Shelton remade the song in 2008, taking it to #1 country and #41 on the Hot 100. Together, they debut this week with a Christmas version at #57.
4. TRUCK YEAH: Lee Brice has the fastest climbing song of the week as I Drive Your Truck speeds seventeen to #36.
5. ANOTHER TOP 40 CHRISTMAS CD: Willie Nelson makes a top 40 appearance on the country album chart with The Classic Christmas Album at #31.
6. A.C.A. WINNERS: This is the list of those artists who won awards at the third American Country Awards:
1. Artist of the Year-Luke Bryan
2. Male Artist-Luke Bryan
3. Female Artist-Carrie Underwood
4. Group-Lady Antebellum
5. Breakthrough Artist-Jake Owen
6. New Artist-Lauren Alaina
7. Album-Tailgates & Tanlines-Luke Bryan
8. Single of the Year-I Don't Want This Night To End-Luke Bryan
9. Male Single-I Don't Want This Night To End-Luke Bryan
10. Female Single-Over You-Miranda Lambert
11. Group Single-We Owned The Night-Lady Antebellum
12. Breakthrough Single-You Don't Know Her Like I Do-Brantley Gilbert
13. New Single-Wanted-Hunter Hayes
14. Vocal Collaboration-Remind Me-Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood
15. Music Video-I Don't Want This Night To End-Luke Bryan
16. Male Video-I Don't Want This Night To End-Luke Bryan
17. Female Video-Over You-Miranda Lambert
18. Group Video-Pontton-Little Big Town
19. New Video-Wanted-Hunter Hayes
20. Touring Artist-Jason Aldean
21. Song of the Year-Springsteen-Eric Church
7. A CORRECTION: I had stated in my John Denver story a couple of weeks ago that he did NOT release any CDs from 1988's Higher Ground until 1997's The Best Of John Denver Live. Not so. He released four studio CDs:
1. Earth Songs-1990
2. The Flower That Shattered The Stone-1990
3. Different Directions-1991
4. All Aboard-1997
Another live CD was released, The Wildlife Concert in 1995. Also, two compilation CDs were released:
1. Take Me Home, Country Roads And Other Hits-1991
2. The Very Best Of John Denver-1994
The four CD boxed set, The Country Roads Collection was released a few months before he died. So in all, another eight titles were released between 1988 to 1997. Sorry for the error.
8. #1 CDS: These were the top selling CDs in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Long Road Out Of Eden-the Eagles-Lost Highway
2002: Up!-Shania Twain-Mercury
1997: Sevens-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1992: The Chase-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1987: Always & Forever-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
9. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Let us review those topics discussed in this section this year. Ready?
1. A review of #1 hits of 1986.
2. Garth Brooks' first hits CD, The Hits is #1 in 1994.
3. Restless Heart scores its biggest hit of the 1990s, You Can Depend On Me in 1992.
4. Merle Haggard scores his only #1 for MCA, I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink in 1981.
5. Bop becomes a classic hit for Dan Seals in 1986.
6. Conway Twitty ends his Warner Bros. era on a #2 note, Fallin' For You For Years in 1987.
7. Love's Gonna Live Here by Buck Owens ends a sixteen week run at #1 in 1964.
8. Garth Brooks scores his second biggest hit, What She's Doing Now in 1992.
9. Billboard changes the name of their country chart to Hot Country Singles and Tracks in 1990.
10. Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On becomes Mel McDaniel's only #1 in 1985.
11. Johnny Cash scores his biggest hit, Ballad Of A Teenage Queen in 1958.
12. Dolly Parton scores her last #1 for RCA, Think About Love in 1986.
13. S-K-O scores MTM's second #1 with Baby's Got A New Baby in 1987.
14. Greatest Hits becomes Earl Thomas Conley's only #1 CD in 1986.
15. Razzy Bailey scores his last #1, She Left Love All Over Me in 1982.
16. The Fightin' Side Of Me becomes a classic hit for Merle Haggard in 1970.
17. Starting her solo career on a #1 note, Wynonna Judd scores with She Is His Only Need in 1992.
18. Mountain Music is a top seller for Alabama in 1982.
19. The Best Day gives George Strait a 19th consecutive year for topping the chart in 2000.
20. Earl Thomas Conley and the Bellamy Brothers finish 1-2 three consecutive times between 1985 to 1986.
21. Ronnie Milsap remakes a Jim Reeves song, Am I Losing You in 1981.
22. The Battle Of New Orleans becomes Johnny Horton's biggest hit in 1959.
23. The Soundscan Era starts in 1991.
24. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill score their biggest duet, It's Your Love in 1997.
25. Alison Krauss remakes a Keith Whitley song, When You Say Nothing At All in 1995.
26. Waylon Jennings scores his biggest hit, Luckenbach, Texas Back To The Basics Of Love with Willie Nelson in 1977.
27. Five-O is a top seller for Hank Williams, Jr. in 1985.
28. Forever And Ever, Amen is a classic hit for Randy Travis in 1987.
29. None!
30. The first 100 position Billboard country chart in 1973.
31. Judy Rodman scores MTM's first #1 with Until I Met You in 1986.
32. The Good Stuff becomes Kenny Chesney's biggest hit in 2002.
33. Garth Brooks scores a #1 soundtrack single, To Make You Feel My Love in 1998.
34. Alan Jackson scores his biggest hit, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere with Jimmy Buffett in 2003.
35. Loretta Lynn scores her 50th top ten, I Still Believe In Waltzes with Conway Twitty in 1981.
36. Kitty Wells scores her first #1 in It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels in 1952.
37. I'll Think Of Something hits #1 for Mark Chesnutt in 1992.
38. A song about a Grammy loss, I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me wins a Grammy. It was #1 for Rosanne Cash in 1985.
39. Conway Twitty almost has a #1 with Boogie Grass Band in 1978.
40. John Conlee scores his last #1, Got My Heart Set On You in 1986.
41. The Judds score their last #1, Let Me Tell You About Love in 1989.
42. Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up returns to #1 for Garth Brooks in 1993.
43. Marie Osmond and Dan Seals score a classic #1 duet, Meet Me In Montana in 1985.
44. Somebody Like You becomes Keith Urban's biggest hit in 2002.
45. Clint Black scores a hit from his greatest hits CD, Like The Rain in 1996.
46. Tar Top breaks Alabama's 21 chart topping streak of hits in 1987.
47. Love Gets Me Every Time becomes Shania Twain's biggest country record in 1997.
48. Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits is a top seller in 1980.
49. Buck Owens has a top selling album, Together Again in 1964.
50. John Denver scores his first #1 country hit, Back Home Again in 1974.
51. A Little Good News becomes a #1 hit for Anne Murray in 1983.
More to come!

[numberonecountryfan]

1. F.G.L. CUBED: Florida Georgia Line has the #1 song for the third week with Cruise. This is the first time a duo had led the charts for that long with their first #1 since Howard and David Bellamy did so in 1979 with If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me.
2. HIS 11TH: Gary Allan returns to the top ten this week with Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain at #9. It is his eleventh top ten hit and first since Watching Airplanes peaked at #2 in early 2008.
3. ONE BETTER: At #12 is Taylor Swift with Begin Again. It is her second Red single following We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together which debuted and peaked at #13.
4. A FAST CHRISTMAS: Lady Antebellum has the fastest climbing song of the week as A Holly Jolly Christmas moves seven to #41.
5. THIRD WEEK OF CHRISTMAS: Blake Shelton is the Christmas king this year as he debuts two more titles from Cheers, It's Christmas. They are:
1. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!-#57
2. Blue Christmas-with the Pistol Annies-#59
He is also on the chart with Miranda Lambert with Jingle Bell Rock (#37) and Home with Michael Buble (#53).
6. COUNTRY HOMES: Blake Shelton and Michael Buble are at #53 with Home while at #54 is Sarah Darling's Home To Me.
7. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping songs in 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, and 1987:
2007: Our Song-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2002: Who's Your Daddy-Toby Keith-Dreamworks
1997: Longneck Bottle-Garth Brooks-Capitol
1992: She's Got The Rhythm And I Got The Blues-Alan Jackson-Arista
1987: Do Ya'-K.T. Oslin-RCA
8. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: Even though it mentions Christmas (though it is NOT a Christmas song), our #1 song from 39 years ago this week managed to be a regular on country playlists during December for years. It was If We Make It Through December by Merle Haggard.
The song itself was written by Haggard. I usually do not print lyrics to the songs I salute, but here they are:
If we make it through December
Everythings gonna be all right I know
It's the coldest time of winter
And I shivver when I see the fallin snow

If we make it through December
I got plans of bein in a warmer town come summer time
Maybe even California
If we make it through December we'll be fine

I got laid off down at the factory
And there timings not the greatest in the world
Heaven knows I been workin' hard
I wanted Christmas to be right for daddy's girl
Now I don't mean to hate December
It's meant to be the happy time of year
And why my little girl don't understand
Why daddy can't afford no Christmas here

If we make it through December
Everythings gonna be alright I know
It's the coldest time of winter
And I shivver when I see the fallin' snow

If we make it through December
I got plans of bein' in a warmer town come summer time
Maybe even California
If we make it through December we'll be fine

The song was inspired by a conversation Haggard had with his guitarist, Roy Nichols. Nichols had been married and divorced a number of times. Haggard was concerned about his guitar player and asked him if everything was all right. Nichols responded, "If we just make it through December." The song was born and it was released in October, 1973. It hit the top in December for four weeks, finally leaving in January, 1974. It became Haggard's third biggest hit after Mama Tried in 1968 and chart wise, his biggest hit, Okie From Muskogee in 1969. It became his ONLY top 40 pop hit when it peaked at #28. Billboard named it the second biggest hit of 1974 (Charlie Rich's There Won't Be Anymore was #1). It was the title track and ONLY single released from the album, which peaked at #4 in 1974. That was sandwiched between two chart topping albums: 1973's I Love Dixie Blues...So I Recorded 'Live' In New Orleans and 1974's Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album. This is what the chart looked like back then:

BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 22, 1973:
1. IF WE MAKE IT THROUGH DECEMBER-MERLE HAGGARD-CAPITOL
2. Amazing Love-Charley Pride-RCA
3. If You Can't Feel It It Ain't There-Freddie Hart-Capitol
4. Somewhere Between Love And Tomorrow-Roy Clark-Dot
5. The Most Beautiful Girl-Charlie Rich-Epic
6. The Last Love Song-Hank Williams, Jr.-MGM
7. Let Me Be There-Olivia Newton-John-MCA
8. I Love-Tom T. Hall-Mercury
9. Love Me/Crawlin' On My Knees-Marty Robbins-MCA
10. You As Me To-Waylon Jennings-RCA

P.S.: Merry Christmas!

[numberonecountryfan]

1. HIS LAST DAY: Justin Moore collects his third #1 hit with Til My Last Day. It follows Small Town USA (2009) and If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away (2011) as chart toppers. Reba McEntire is second on the Valory label with her two chart toppers: Consider Me Gone (2010) and Turn On The Radio (2011).
2. THEIR 11TH: The Zac Brown Band is in familiar territory: the top two on the chart. They are at #2 for the week with Goodbye In Her Eyes. They have eight #1s and two #2s.
3. TWICE THE CHURCH: Eric Church has simultaneous top tens this week. They are:
1. The Only Way I Know at #8 with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. This is Church's and Bryan's first top ten on the Broken Bow label. Their others are on EMI and Capitol, respectively.
2. Creepin' at #9.
4. SWEET SIXTEENTH: Taylor Swift lands her sixteenth top ten this week with Begin Again at #10.
5. LOVEBIRDS ARE TOGETHER: They recently announced they are seeing each other, but Brantley Gilbert and Jana Kramer are neighbors on the chart this week. He is at #35 with More Than Miles and she is at #36 with Whiskey.
6. SHINE FAST: Florida Georgia Line have the fastest climbing song of the week as Get Your Shine On moves nine to #41.
7. COULD FOUR THE RECORD GO FOUR FOR FOUR?: Miranda Lambert debuts her fourth single from Four The Record at #54 this week. It is Mama's Broken Heart. Her first three singles from the CD broke top ten. They are:
1. Baggage Claim-2011-#3
2. Over You-2012-#1
3. Fastest Girl In Town-2012-#3
8. SAY IT ISN'T SO: Considering this week is Christmas week, there are NO new Christmas songs entering the chart.
9. A 00S LOOK: These were the chart topping songs during the last week in December during the 2000s:
2000: My Next Thirty Years-Tim McGraw-Curb
2001: Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning-Alan Jackson-Arista
2002: She'll Leave You With A Smile-George Strait-MCA
2003: There Goes My Life-Kenny Chesney-BNA
2004: Some Beach-Blake Shelton-Warner Bros.
2005: Must Be Doin' Something Right-Billy Currington-Mercury
2006: Want To-Sugarland-Mercury
2007: Our Song-Taylor Swift-Big Machine
2008: Here-Rascal Flatts-Lyric Street
2009: Consider Me Gone-Reba McEntire-Valory
10. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: I did this a year ago when I saluted the chart topping songs of 1986. This time it is the year 1987 and its #1 hits. Before unveiling the video, let us review the top ten songs according to the American Country Countdown and Billboard. Ready?

The A.C.C.:
1. Forever And Ever, Amen-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
2. Somebody Lied-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
3. Give Me Wings-Michael Johnson-RCA
4. Fishin' In The Dark-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Warner Bros.
5. Cry Myself To Sleep-the Judds-RCA
6. It Takes A Little Rain To Make Love Grow-Oak Ridge Boys-MCA
7. The Way We Make A Broken Heart-Rosanne Cash-Columbia
8. The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder-Michael Johnson-RCA
9. This Crazy Love-Oak Ridge Boys-MCA
10. You Again-Forester Sisters-Warner Bros.
Billboard:
1. Give Me Wings-Michael Johnson-RCA
2. Half Past Forever Till I'm Blue In The Heart-T.G. Sheppard-Columbia
3. What Am I Gonna Do About You-Reba McEntire-MCA
4. Fishin' In The Dark-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Warner Bros.
5. The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder-Michael Johnson-RCA
6. Cry Myself To Sleep-the Judds-RCA
7. You Again-Forester Sisters-Warner Bros.
8. Somebody Lied-Ricky Van Shelton-Columbia
9. The Way We Make A Broken Heart-Rosanne Cash-Columbia
10. It Takes A Little Rain To Make Love Grow-Oak Ridge Boys-MCA

P.S.: Happy New Year!