1980 in country music

"See also:"
1979 in country music,
1980 in music,
other events of 1980,
1981 in country music and the List of years in Country Music

Events

* January 25 – At age 84, octogenerian comedian George Burns becomes by far the oldest performer (to that time) to have a single in the top 40 of "Billboard magazine"'s Hot Country Singles chart with "I Wish I Was 18 Again." The song peaks at No. 15 in March.
* March 2, 1980. The Public Broadcasting Company (PBS) telecasts the Grand Ole Opry for the third time, and this telecast lasts longer than any of the other telecasts. The telecast featured Tom T. Hall, Ronnie Milsap, Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Minnie Pearl, Porter Wagoner, Billy Grammer, George Hamilton IV, Marty Robbins, and many others. Sissy Spacek also appeared on this telecast with Loretta Lynn, promoting the new movie "Coal Miner's Daughter", which opened the next week.
* March – Alabama, a southern rock-influenced band from Fort Payne, Alabama, signs a recording contract with RCA Records, and records its first album, "My Home's in Alabama". The album is released in May, and by late in the year, the band was on its way to superstardom.
* April 19 - For the first time in chart history, the top 5 positions on the "Billboard magazine" Hot Country Singles chart are held (or co-held) by female artists. The list:
# "It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" by Crystal Gayle
# "A Lesson in Leaving" by Dottie West
# "Are You On The Road To Lovin' Me Again" by Debby Boone
# "Beneath Still Waters" by Emmylou Harris
# "Two Story House" by Tammy Wynette (Duet with George Jones)
* July 5 - George Jones' classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today" reaches #1 on the Billboard Country Music charts.
* November 18 – The country-variety TV series, "Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters", debuts. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080194/]

Country music goes Hollywood

* Country music had a major impact on the motion picture industry throughout the year, with no less than four major box office hits released during the year:
** March 7 – "Coal Miner's Daughter", the biography of Loretta Lynn told in film, opens. Sissy Spacek wins that year's Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Lynn; Tommy Lee Jones and Beverly D'Angelo also play leading roles. The movie is a huge success with critics and at the box office, and briefly sparks Spacek's singing career.
** June 6 – The movie "Urban Cowboy", starring John Travolta and Debra Winger, opens in American theaters. The movie — which showcases Mickey Gilley's nightclub, Gilley's — is a huge success at the box office ($54 million), and its soundtrack includes several major hits and makes stars out of several of the artists (most notably Johnny Lee), and will have a major impact on the direction of country music of the early 1980s.
** July 18 – "Honeysuckle Rose", starring Willie Nelson, opens.
** December 19 – "Nine to Five" — with Dolly Parton in one of the leading roles — opens.

Top hits of the year

Number one hits

"(As certified by Billboard magazine)"

*¹ - No. 1 song of the year, as determined by "Billboard magazine".
*^A - First "Billboard" No. 1 hit for that artist.
*^B - Last "Billboard" No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
*^C - Only "Billboard" No. 1 hit for that artist to date.

Other major hits

*"Baby You're Something" - John Conlee
*"Back to Back" - Jeanne Pruett
*"The Best of Strangers" - Barbara Mandrell
*"Blue Heartache" -- Gail Davies
*"The Blue Side" -- Crystal Gayle
*"Broken Trust" -- Brenda Lee (with The Oak Ridge Boys)
*"Charlotte's Web" -- Statler Brothers
*"Clyde" -- Waylon Jennings
*"The Cowgirl and the Dandy" -- Brenda Lee
*"Crackers" -- Barbara Mandrell
*"Daydream Believer" -- Anne Murray
*"Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer" -- Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes
*"Faded Love" -- Willie Nelson and Ray Price
* "Free To Be Lonely Again" -- Debby Boone
* "Friday Night Blues" -- John Conlee
* "Good Ol' Boys Like Me" -- Don Williams
* "Hard Times" -- Lacy J. Dalton
* "Holding the Bag" -- Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley
* "I Can't Get Enough of You" - Razzy Bailey
* "I Don't Want to Lose You" - Con Hunley
* "I Wish I Was Eighteen Again" — George Burns
* "I'll Even Love You (Better Than I Did Then)" - The Statler Brothers
* "I'm Already Blue" -- The Kendalls
* "I'm Not Ready Yet" -- George Jones
* "It's Hard to Be Humble" -- Mac Davis
*"It's Too Late" -- Jeanne Pruett
*"It's True Love" -- Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
*"I've Never Seen the Likes of You" -- Conway Twitty
*"The Last Cowboy Song" -- Ed Bruce
*"Lay Back in the Arms of Someone" -- Randy Barlow
*"Leavin's For Unbelievers" -- Dottie West
*"Let's Get It While the Getting's Good" -- Eddy Arnold
*"Let's Keep It That Way" -- Mac Davis
*"Love the World Away" -- Kenny Rogers
*"Lucky Me" - Anne Murray
*"Lying Time Again" -- Mel Tillis
*"Making Plans" -- Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
*"Men" -- Charly McClain
*"Midnight Rider" -- Willie Nelson
*"Misery and Gin" -- Merle Haggard
*"Missin' You" -- Charley Pride
*"Morning Comes Too Early" - Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius
*"My Home's in Alabama" -- Alabama
*"Nothing Sure Looked Good on You" - Gene Watson
*"Oh, How I Miss You Tonight" - Jim Reeves and Deborah Allen
*"Old Habits" -- Hank Williams Jr.
*"The Old Side of Town" - Tom T. Hall
*"Over" -- Leon Everette
*"Pecos Promenade" - Tanya Tucker
*"Pour Me Another Tequila" -- Eddie Rabbitt
*"Put It Off Until Tomorrow" - The Kendalls
*"Save Your Heart For Me" -- Jacky Ward
*"She Can't Say That Anymore" -- John Conlee
*"She Just Started Liking Cheating Songs" -- John Anderson
*"Shriner's Convention" - Ray Stevens
*"Smooth Sailing" -- T.G. Sheppard
*"Steppin' Out" - Mel Tillis
*"Sweet Sexy Eyes" - Cristy Lane
*"Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me" - Jim Reeves and Deborah Allen
*"Take Me to Your Lovin' Place" -- Larry Gatlin
*"Takin' Somebody With Me When I Fall" - Larry Gatlin
*"Tell Ole I Ain't Here" -- Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley
*"Temporarily Yours" -- Jeanne Pruett
*"That Lovin' You Feelin Again" -- Roy Orbison and Emmylou Harris
*"That's the Way a Cowboy Rocks and Rolls" -- Jacky Ward
*"That's What I Get For Loving You" -- Eddy Arnold
*"They Never Lost You" - Con Hunley
*"Tumbleweed" -- Sylvia
*"Two Story House" -- George Jones and Tammy Wynette
*"The Way I Am" -- Merle Haggard
*"Wayfaring Stranger" -- Emmylou Harris
*"Women I've Never Had" -- Hank Williams Jr.
*"Yesterday Once More" - Moe Bandy
*"You Almost Slipped My Mind" - Charley Pride
*"You Lay a Whole Lot of Love on Me" - Con Hunley
*"You Make an Angel Wanna Cheat" - The Kendalls
*"You Know Just What I'd Do" -- Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
*"(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven" -- Reba McEntire
*"Your Body is an Outlaw" -- Mel Tillis
*"Your Lying Blue Eyes" - John Anderson
*"Your Old Cold Shoulder" - Crystal Gayle

Top new album releases

* "9 to 5 and Odd Jobs" — Dolly Parton (RCA)
* "Anne Murray's Greatest Hits" — Anne Murray (Capitol)
* "'Dolly, Dolly, Dolly" — Dolly Parton (RCA)
* "Feel the Fire — Reba McEntire (Mercury)
* "I Am What I Am" — George Jones (Epic)
* "My Home's in Alabama" — Alabama (RCA)
* "Roses in the Snow" — Emmylou Harris (Warner Bros.)
* "Smooth Sailin"' — T. G. Sheppard (Warner Bros./Curb)
* "Special Delivery" — Dottie West (Liberty)
* "Urban Cowboy - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" — Various Artists (Asylum)

Other top albums

*"Together" - Oak Ridge Boys
*"Greatest Hits" - Oak Ridge Boys
*"Greatest Hits Vol. 1" — Ronnie Milsap (RCA)
*"Lonestar Cowboy" — Donna Fargo
*"Milsap Magic" — Ronnie Milsap (RCA)
*"The Way I Am" — Merle Haggard (Epic)

Births

* October 18 — Josh Gracin, rose to fame as fourth-place contestant on "American Idol" in 2003; had a string of hits thereafter ("I Want to Live," "Nothin' to Lose").

Deaths

*April 4 -- Red Sovine, 61, best known for recitations of truck driving life (car accident resulting from a heart attack)

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

*Johnny Cash (1932-2003)
*Connie B. Gay (1914-1989)
*Original Sons of the Pioneers:: (Group members included Roy Rogers (1911-1998); Bob Nolan (1908-1980); Lloyd Perryman (1917-1977); Tim Spencer (1908-1974); Hugh Farr (1903-1980); and Karl Farr (1909-1961)

Major Awards

Grammy awards

*Best Country Vocal Performance, Female -- "Could I Have This Dance?" - Anne Murray
*Best Country Vocal Performance, Male -- "He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
*Best Country Performance Duo Or Group -- "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again" - Emmylou Harris and Roy Orbison
*Best Country Instrumental Performance -- "Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown" - Gilley's Urban Cowboy Band
*Best Country Song -- "On The Road Again" - Willie Nelson

Academy of Country Music

*Song Of The Year -- "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - George Jones - Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman
*Single Of The Year -- "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - George Jones
*Album Of The Year -- Movie Soundtrack Urban Cowboy
*Top Male Vocalist -- George Jones
*Top Female Vocalist -- Dolly Parton
*Top New Male Vocalist -- Johnny Lee
*Top New Female Vocalist -- Terri Gibbs

Country Music Association

*Instrumental Group of the Year -- Charlie Daniels Band
*Instrumentalist of the Year -- Roy Clark
*Entertainer of the Year -- Barbara Mandrell
*Male Vocalist of the Year -- George Jones
*Female Vocalist of the Year -- Emmylou Harris
*Vocal Group of the Year -- Statler Brothers
*Vocal Duo of the Year -- Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley
*Album of the Year -- Beverly D'Angelo, Levon Helm, and Sissy Spacek
*Song of the Year -- "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - George Jones, Bobby Braddock, and Curly Putman
*Single of the Year -- "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - George Jones

Further reading

*Kingsbury, Paul, "The Grand Ole Opry: History of Country Music. 70 Years of the Songs, the Stars and the Stories," Villard Books, Random House; Opryland USA, 1995
*Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947-1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 (ISBN 0-8118-3572-3)
*Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-06-273244-7)
*Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944-2005 - 6th Edition." 2005.

Other links

* Country Music Association
* Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame

External links

* [http://www.cmaawards.com/2004/hof/default.asp Country Music Hall of Fame]