1944 in country music
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See also: 1943 in country music, 1944 in music, other events of 1944, 1945 in country music, 1940s in music and the List of years in Country Music
Contents |
[edit] Events
- January 8 — Billboard magazine publishes its first "Most Played Juke Box Folk Records" chart, the first widespread method of tracking the nationwide popularity of current country music songs. The first No. 1 song is "Pistol Packin' Mama" by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters. The new chart is the predecessor to today's Hot Country Songs chart.
- February 26 - Less than two months after the chart's inception, jazz and rhythm & blues performer Louis Jordan becomes the first African-American performer to top the Most Played Juke Box Folk chart (with "Ration Blues"). It is a big year for African-American performers: Jordan has a second No. 1 hit later in the year with "Is You Is or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby)," while the Nat King Cole-led trio reach the top with "Straighten Up and Fly Right." Jordan and Cole are the only black performers to have a No. 1 hit until 1969, when Charley Pride breaks the streak.
[edit] Top hits of the year
[edit] Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)
- January 8 - "Pistol Packin' Mama" - Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
- February 5 - "Pistol Packin' Mama" - Al Dexter
- February 26 - "Ration Blues" - Louis Jordan
- March 11 - "Rosalita" - Al Dexter
- March 18 - "They Took the Stars Out of Heaven" - Floyd Tillman
- March 25 - "So Long Pal" - Al Dexter
- April 1 - "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" - Al Dexter
- June 10 - "Straighten Up and Fly Right" - The King Cole Trio
- July 29 - "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby)" - Louis Jordan
- September 2 - "Soldier's Last Letter" - Ernest Tubb
- September 23 - "Smoke on the Water" - Red Foley
- December 23 - "I'm Wastin' My Tears on You" - Tex Ritter
[edit] Other major hits
- "Born To Lose" — Ted Daffan
- "G.I. Blues" — Floyd Tillman
- "I Hang My Head And Cry" — Gene Autry
- "I'll Forgive You But I Can't Forget" — Roy Acuff
- "I'm Sending You Red Roses" — Jimmy Wakely
- "I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes" — Gene Autry
- "If It's Wrong To Love You" — Charley Mitchell
- "Is It Too Late Now?" — Jimmie Davis
- "Look Who's Talkin'" — Ted Daffan
- "New San Antonio Rose" — Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
- "No Letter Today" — Ted Daffan
- "The Prodigal Son" — Roy Acuff
- "She Broke My Heart In Three Pieces" — Hoosier Hot Shots
- "There's A Blue Star Shining Bright" — Red Foley
- "There's A Chill On The Hill" — Jimmie Davis
- "There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder" — Tex Ritter
- "Texas Blues" — Foy Willing
- "Try Me One More Time" — Ernest Tubb
- "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again" — Cindy Walker
- "We Might As Well Forget It" — Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
- "Write Me Sweetheart" — Roy Acuff
- "Yesterday's Tears" — Ernest Tubb
- "You're From Texas" — Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
[edit] Top new album releases
[edit] Births
[edit] Deaths
[edit] Further reading
- 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.
