1986 in country music
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See also: 1985 in country music, 1986 in music, other events of 1986, 1987 in country music, 1980s in music and the List of years in Country Music
Contents |
[edit] Events
- For the first time in its 42-year history, there is a new No. 1 song for each week of the year, according to Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles Chart.
- 1986 was a renissance year in country music, with a host of "New Traditionalist"-minded artists reinvigorating a genre that critics were saying had grown increasingly stagnant and pop-oriented. Among the most successful new artists: Holly Dunn, Ricky Van Shelton, Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam. Keith Whitley, another artist who had been around for a few years, has his first real hit early in the year. They - along with popular newcomers from earlier in the decade such as Alabama, George Strait and Reba McEntire, and longtime artists like George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty - prove that country music was not only the music of the people, but also the genre's resiliancy.
- Jenifer Strait, the 13-year-old daughter of George Strait (who by now is one of country music's top performers) is killed in a car accident in San Marcos, Texas on June 25. Her father still refuses to talk about his daughter's death to this day.
- After 17 years of playing co-host to Roy Clark, Buck Owens announces his departure from the still-popular "Hee Haw." Clark would soldier on alone for the next six years, with rotating guest stars each week.
[edit] Top hits of the year
[edit] Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)
| Date | Song Name | Artist | Wks. No. 1 | Spec. Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 11 | Morning Desire | Kenny Rogers | 1 | |
| January 18 | Bop | Dan Seals | 1 | |
| January 25 | Never Be You | Rosanne Cash | 1 | 1 |
| February 1 | Just in Case | The Forester Sisters | 1 | |
| February 8 | Hurt | Juice Newton | 1 | |
| February 15 | Making Up for Lost Time (The Dallas Lovers Song) | Gary Morris with Crystal Gayle |
1 | |
| February 22 | There's No Stopping Your Heart | Marie Osmond | 1 | |
| March 1 | You Can Dream of Me | Steve Wariner | 1 | |
| March 8 | Think About Love | Dolly Parton | 1 | |
| March 15 | I Could Get Used to You | Exile | 1 | |
| March 22 | What's a Memory Like You (Doing in a Love Like This) | John Schneider | 1 | |
| March 29 | Don't Underestimate My Love for You | Lee Greenwood | 1 | |
| April 5 | 100% Chance of Rain | Gary Morris | 1 | |
| April 12 | She and I | Alabama | 1 | |
| April 19 | Cajun Moon | Ricky Skaggs | 1 | |
| April 26 | Now and Forever (You and Me) | Anne Murray | 1 | B |
| May 3 | Once in a Blue Moon | Earl Thomas Conley | 1 | |
| May 10 | Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) | The Judds | 1 | |
| May 17 | Ain't Misbehavin' | Hank Williams Jr. | 1 | |
| May 24 | Tomb of the Unknown Love | Kenny Rogers | 1 | |
| May 31 | Whoever's in New England | Reba McEntire | 1 | |
| June 7 | Happy, Happy Birthday Baby | Ronnie Milsap | 1 | |
| June 14 | Life's Highway | Steve Wariner | 1 | |
| June 21 | Mama's Never Seen Those Eyes | The Forester Sisters | 1 | |
| June 28 | Living in the Promiseland | Willie Nelson | 1 | |
| July 5 | Everything That Glitters (is Not Gold) | Dan Seals | 1 | |
| July 12 | Hearts Aren't Made to Break (They're Made to Love) | Lee Greenwood | 1 | |
| July 19 | Until I Met You | Judy Rodman | 1 | C |
| July 26 | On the Other Hand | Randy Travis | 1 | A |
| August 2 | Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her | George Strait | 1 | |
| August 9 | Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain | The Judds | 1 | |
| August 16 | You're the Last Thing I Needed Tonight | John Schneider | 1 | B |
| August 23 | Strong Heart | T.G. Sheppard | 1 | B |
| August 30 | Heartbeat in the Darkness | Don Williams | 1 | |
| September 6 | Desperado Love | Conway Twitty | 1 | B |
| September 13 | Little Rock | Reba McEntire | 1 | |
| September 20 | Got My Heart Set on You | John Conlee | 1 | B |
| September 27 | In Love | Ronnie Milsap | 1 | |
| October 4 | Always Have, Always Will | Janie Fricke | 1 | B |
| October 11 | Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers) | Eddie Rabbitt with Juice Newton |
1 | B - Juice Newton |
| October 18 | Just Another Love | Tanya Tucker | 1 | |
| October 25 | Cry | Crystal Gayle | 1 | |
| November 1 | It'll Be Me | Exile | 1 | |
| November 8 | Diggin' Up Bones | Randy Travis | 1 | |
| November 15 | That Rock Won't Roll | Restless Heart | 1 | A |
| November 22 | You're Still New to Me | Paul Davis with Marie Osmond |
1 | B - Paul Davis B - Marie Osmond |
| November 29 | Touch Me When We're Dancing | Alabama | 1 | |
| December 6 | It Ain't Cool to Be Crazy About You | George Strait | 1 | |
| December 13 | Hell and High Water | T. Graham Brown | 1 | A |
| December 20 | Too Much is Not Enough | The Bellamy Brothers with The Forester Sisters |
1 | |
| December 27 | Mind Your Own Business | Hank Williams Jr. featuring Reba McEntire, Tom Petty, Reverend Ike, & Willie Nelson |
2 | C - Reverend Ike C - Tom Petty |
- 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.
[edit] Other major hits
[edit] Top new album releases
[edit] Gallery
 7 |
 Greatest Hits |
 Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. |
 Holly Dunn |
 Life's Highway |
 Partners |
 Storms of Life |
 Straight to the Heart |
 The Touch |
[edit] Christmas releases
[edit] Other new album releases
- Falling for You For Years - Conway Twitty (Warner Bros.)
- Four For the Show - Statler Brothers (Mercury/Polygram)
- A Friend in California - Merle Haggard (Epic)
- Greatest Hits - Alabama (RCA)
- Heart of the Matter - Kenny Rogers (RCA)
- Howard & David - Bellamy Brothers (Warner Bros./Curb)
- Lost in the Fifties Tonight – Ronnie Milsap (RCA)
- Seasons - Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)
- Too Many Times - Earl Thomas Conley (RCA)
- Wine Colored Roses - George Jones (Epic)
[edit] Christmas releases
- Christmas Again - Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)
- Christmas With Ronnie Milsap – Ronnie Milsap (RCA)
[edit] Gospel/Christian albums
- Radio Gospel Favorites - Statler Brothers (Mercury/Polygram)
[edit] On television
[edit] Regular series
- Hee Haw (1969-1993, syndicated)
[edit] Specials
[edit] Births
- June 28 — Kellie Pickler, former American Idol finalist and current country up-and-comer.
[edit] Deaths
- June 20 - Whitey Ford, 85, beloved Grand Ole Opry comedian and storyteller.
- June 25 - Jenifer Strait, 13, daughter of George Strait (car accident).
- June 27 - Joe Maphis, 65, prolific guitarist and fiddler, prominently featured on the theme to "Bonanza" (cancer).
- December 5 - Carmol Taylor, 53, songwriter.
[edit] Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
- The Duke of Paducah (1901-1986)
- Wesley Rose (1918-1990)
[edit] Major Awards
[edit] Grammy awards
- Best Country Vocal Performance, Female -- "Whoever's In New England" - Reba McEntire
- Best Country Vocal Solo Performance, Male -- "Lost In The Fifties Tonight" - Ronnie Milsap
- Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal -- "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Old Days)" - Judds (Naomi Judd, Wynonna Judd)
- Best Country Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group Or Soloist) -- "Raisin' The Dickins" - Ricky Skaggs
- Best Country Song -- "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Old Days)" - Jamie O'Hara, songwriter
[edit] Academy of Country Music
- Entertainer Of The Year -- Hank Williams Jr.
- Song Of The Year -- "On The Other Hand" - Randy Travis - Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz
- Single Of The Year -- "On The Other Hand" - Randy Travis
- Album Of The Year -- Storms Of Life - Randy Travis
- Top Male Vocalist -- Randy Travis
- Top Female Vocalist -- Reba McEntire
- Top Vocal Duo -- The Judds
- Top Vocal Group -- Forester Sisters
- Top New Male Vocalist -- Dwight Yoakam
- Top New Female Vocalist -- Holly Dunn
- Video Of The Year -- "Whoever's In New England" - Reba McEntire (Director: Jon Small)
[edit] Country Music Association
- Instrumental Group of the Year -- Oak Ridge Boys
- Instrumentalist of the Year -- Johnny Gimble
- Entertainer of the Year -- Reba McEntire
- Male Vocalist of the Year -- George Strait
- Female Vocalist of the Year -- Reba McEntire
- Horizon Award -- Randy Travis
- Vocal Group of the Year -- The Judds
- Vocal Duo of the Year -- Marie Osmond and Dan Seals
- Album of the Year -- Ronnie Milsap
- Song of the Year -- Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz
- Single of the Year -- Dan Seals
- Music Video of the Year -- George Jones
[edit] 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.
