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1949 in country music

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1949.

1949 in music
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List of years in country music (table)
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Events

  • December 10 — Billboard begins a "Country & Western Records Most Played by Folk Disk Jockeys" chart – the first chart ever to track a song's popularity by radio airplay. The first No. 1 song on the new chart is "Mule Train" by Tennessee Ernie Ford. With the new chart, there are three charts gauging a song's popularity, with the sales and jukebox charts also being used.

Top hits of the year

Number one hits

(As certified by Billboard magazine)

US Single Artist
January 22 "I Love You So Much It Hurts" Jimmy Wakely
March 5 "Don't Rob Another Man's Castle" Eddy Arnold
March 19 "Tennessee Saturday Night" Red Foley and the Cumberland Valley Boys
April 2 "Candy Kisses" George Morgan
May 7 "Lovesick Blues" Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
June 18 "One Kiss Too Many" Eddy Arnold
July 30 "I'm Throwing Rice (At the Girl That I Love)" Eddy Arnold
September 10 "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me" Wayne Raney
September 24 "Slipping Around" Ernest Tubb
October 8 "Slipping Around" Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely
December 10 "Mule Train" Tennessee Ernie Ford
Note: Several songs were simultaneous No. 1 hits on the separate "Most Played Juke Box Folk (later Country & Western) Records," "Best Selling Retail Folk (later Country & Western) Records) and – starting December 10 – "Country & Western Records Most Played by Folk Disk Jockeys" charts.


Top country records of 1949

The following songs appeared in The Billboard's 'Best-Selling Retail Folk Records' and 'Most-Played Juke Box Folk Records' charts during 1949. Each week fifteen points were awarded to the number one record, then nine points for number two, eight points for number three, and so on. The total points a record earned determined its year-end rank. Additional information was obtained from the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, 'Cashbox', and other sources as noted.

Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart Positions
1 Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys "Lovesick Blues"[1] MGM 10352 December 22, 1948 (1948-12-22) February 11, 1949 (1949-02-11) US Billboard 1949 #253, US #24 for 1 weeks, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #1, USHB #1 for 16 weeks, 42 total weeks, 725 points, CashBox #3, Grammy Hall of Fame 2011, 1,000,000 sales[2]
2 Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely "Slippin' Around"[3] Capitol 40224 September 5, 1949 (1949-09-05) September 10, 1949 (1949-09-10) US Billboard 1949 #10, US #1 for 3 weeks, 23 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #2, USHB #1 for 16 weeks, 32 total weeks, 633 points
3 Eddy Arnold, The Tennessee Plowboy and His Guitar "Don't Rob Another Man's Castle"[4] RCA Victor 21-0002 December 21, 1948 (1948-12-21) January 21, 1949 (1949-01-21) US Billboard 1949 #234, US #23 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #3, USHB #1 for 12 weeks, 31 total weeks, 454 points
4 Jimmy Wakely "I Love You So Much It Hurts"[5] Capitol 15243 August 3, 1949 (1949-08-03) October 8, 1949 (1949-10-08) US Billboard 1948 #170, US #21 for 1 week, 8 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #4, USHB #1 for 5 weeks, 26 total weeks, 402 points
5 Red Foley and The Cumberland Valley Boys "Tennessee Saturday Night"[6] Decca 46136 August 12, 1947 (1947-08-12) September 14, 1948 (1948-09-14) US Hillbilly 1949 #5, USHB #1 for 1 weeks, 40 total weeks, 343 points
6 Wayne Raney "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me"[7] King 791 April 5, 1949 (1949-04-05) June 1949 (1949-06) US Billboard 1949 #218, US #22 for 1 week, 4 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #6, USHB #1 for 3 weeks, 21 total weeks, 318 points
7 Eddy Arnold, The Tennessee Plowboy and His Guitar "I'm Throwing Rice (At The Girl That I Love)"[8] RCA Victor 21-0083 April 5, 1949 (1949-04-05) June 10, 1949 (1949-06-10) US Billboard 1949 #178, US #19 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #7, USHB #1 for 3 weeks, 21 total weeks, 314 points
8 The Delmore Brothers "Blues Stay Away From Me"[7] King 803 May 6, 1949 (1949-05-06) August 31, 1949 (1949-08-31) US Hillbilly 1949 #8, USHB #1 for 1 weeks, 23 total weeks, CashBox #10, 296 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2007
9 Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys "Wedding Bells"[1] MGM 10401 March 20, 1949 (1949-03-20) April 23, 1949 (1949-04-23) US Hillbilly 1949 #9, USHB #2 for 2 weeks, 29 total weeks, 294 points
10 George Morgan "Candy Kisses"[9] Columbia 20547 January 16, 1949 (1949-01-16) February 1949 (1949-02) US Billboard 1949 #157, US #17 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #10, USHB #1 for 3 weeks, 21 total weeks, 253 points
11 Eddy Arnold, The Tennessee Plowboy and His Guitar "One Kiss Too Many"[10] RCA Victor 21-0051 December 22, 1948 (1948-12-22) April 22, 1949 (1949-04-22) US Billboard 1949 #238, US #23 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #11, USHB #1 for 3 weeks, 22 total weeks, 226 points
12 Ernest Tubb "Slipping Around"[11] Decca 46173 June 12, 1949 (1949-06-12) September 24, 1949 (1949-09-24) US Billboard 1949 #157, US #17 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #12, USHB #1 for 1 weeks, 20 total weeks, 210 points
13 Eddy Arnold, The Tennessee Plowboy and His Guitar "The Echo of Your Footsteps"[12] RCA Victor 21-0051 December 20, 1948 (1948-12-20) April 22, 1949 (1949-04-22) US Hillbilly 1949 #13, USHB #2 for 3 weeks, 19 total weeks, 176 points
14 Tennessee Ernie "Mule Train"[3] Capitol 40258 October 18, 1949 (1949-10-18) November 28, 1949 (1949-11-28) US Billboard 1949 #84, US #9 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #14, USHB #1 for 4 weeks, 10 total weeks, 160 points
15 Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely "I'll Never Slip Around Again"[3] Capitol 40246 September 5, 1949 (1949-09-05) October 10, 1949 (1949-10-10) US Billboard 1949 #69, US #8 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #16, USHB #2 for 3 weeks, 13 total weeks, 145 points
16 Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It"[13] MGM 10560 December 22, 1948 (1948-12-22) February 11, 1949 (1949-02-11) US Billboard 1949 #, US #1 for 8 weeks, 24 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #17, USHB #2 for 1 weeks, 12 total weeks, 125 points
17 Red Foley "Tennessee Border"[14] Decca 46151 January 25, 1949 (1949-01-25) February 13, 1949 (1949-02-13) US Hillbilly 1949 #18, USHB #3 for 1 week, 20 total weeks, 124 points
18 Andrews Sisters and Ernest Tubb "I'm Bitin' My Fingernails and Thinking of You"[15] Decca 24592 February 15, 1949 (1949-02-15) March 10, 1949 (1949-03-10) US Billboard 1949 #304, US #29 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #19, USHB #2 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, 112 points
19 Tennessee Ernie "Anticipation Blues"[3] Capitol 40258 October 16, 1949 (1949-10-16) November 28, 1949 (1949-11-28) US Hillbilly 1949 #20, USHB #3 for 3 weeks, 11 total weeks, 101 points
20 George Morgan "Please Don't Let Me Love You"[9] Columbia 20547 January 16, 1949 (1949-01-16) February 1949 (1949-02) US Hillbilly 1949 #21, USHB #4 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks, 87 points
21 Red Foley "Tennessee Polka"[16] Decca 46170 April 28, 1949 (1949-04-28) June 1949 (1949-06) US Hillbilly 1949 #22, USHB #4 for 3 weeks, 13 total weeks, 76 points
22 Ernest Tubb "Blue Christmas"[17] Decca 46186 August 26, 1949 (1949-08-26) October 26, 1949 (1949-10-26) US Billboard 1949 #263, US #27 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #23, USHB #1 for 1 weeks, 6 total weeks, 65 points
23 Eddy Arnold, The Tennessee Plowboy and His Guitar "There's Not A Thing (I Wouldn't Do For You)"[18] RCA Victor 21-0002 August 20, 1947 (1947-08-20) January 21, 1949 (1949-01-21) US Hillbilly 1949 #24, USHB #3 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, 57 points
24 Kenny Roberts "I Never See Maggie Alone"[19] Coral 64012 May 3, 1949 (1949-05-03) July 1949 (1949-07) US Hillbilly 1949 #25, USHB #4 for 1 weeks, 11 total weeks, 56 points
25 Gene Autry and the Pinafores "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"[20] Columbia 38610 June 27, 1949 (1949-06-27) September 1, 1949 (1949-09-01) US Billboard 1949 #17, US #1 for 1 weeks, 13 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #26, USHB #1 for 4 weeks, 5 total weeks, 55 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1985, 7,000,000 sold by 1969[21]
30 Ernest Tubb "Have You Ever Been Lonely? (Have You Ever Been Blue)"[22] Decca 46144 December 11, 1948 (1948-12-11) February 19, 1949 (1949-02-19) US Hillbilly 1949 #30, USHB #2 for 1 weeks, 10 total weeks, 44 points
31 Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys "Mind Your Own Business"[1] MGM 10461 March 1, 1949 (1949-03-01) July 9, 1949 (1949-07-09) US Hillbilly 1949 #31, USHB #5 for 1 weeks, 11 total weeks, 36 points
40 Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys "You're Gonna Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave)"[13] MGM 10506 March 1, 1949 (1949-03-01) September 9, 1949 (1949-09-09) US Hillbilly 1949 #40, USHB #4 for 1 weeks, 9 total weeks, 24 points
43 Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra "Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)"[23] RCA Victor 20-3411 March 14, 1949 (1949-03-14) May 14, 1949 (1949-05-14) US Billboard 1949 #1, US #1 for 12 weeks, 22 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #43, USHB #2 for 1 weeks, 3 total weeks, 15 points, CashBox #1, 1,000,000 sales[2]
55 Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys "Never Again (Will I Knock on Your Door)"[1] MGM 10352 December 11, 1946 (1946-12-11) July 9, 1949 (1949-07-09) US Hillbilly 1949 #55, USHB #6 for 1 weeks, 2 total weeks, 8 points
61 Gene Autry "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)"[24] Columbia 20377 August 28, 1947 (1947-08-28) November 7, 1949 (1949-11-07) US Billboard 1949 #248, US #24 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1949 #61, USHB #8 for 1 week, 3 total weeks, 3 points, 1,000,000 sales[2]

Top new album releases

Births

Deaths

  • December 11 — Fiddlin' John Carson, 81, one of country music's first popular recording artist on a nationwide basis.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "MGM 78rpm numerical listing discography: 10000 - 10500". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  2. ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research.
  3. ^ a b c d "78rpm Numerical Listing Discography for Capitol 40000: Americana". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  4. ^ "Victor matrix D8VB-4096. Don't rob another man's castle / Eddy Arnold - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  5. ^ "Capitol 15000 series numerical listing discography". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  6. ^ "Decca matrix NT 112. Tennessee Saturday night / Red Foley - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  7. ^ a b "KING 78rpm numerical listing discography: Hillbilly series #500 - 1000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  8. ^ "Victor matrix D9VB-1237. I'm throwing rice (at the girl I love) / Eddy Arnold ; Ben Lambert - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  9. ^ a b "COLUMBIA 78rpm numerical listing discography: 20500 - 21000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  10. ^ "Victor matrix D8VB-4106. One kiss too many / Eddy Arnold - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  11. ^ "Decca matrix NA 177. Slipping around / The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  12. ^ "Victor matrix D8VB-4089. The echo of your footsteps / Eddy Arnold - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  13. ^ a b "MGM records - numerical listing discography 10500 - 11000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  14. ^ "Decca matrix NA 1009. Tennessee border / Red Foley - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  15. ^ "Decca matrix L 4898. I'm biting my fingernails and thinking of you / The Andrews Sisters ; Ernest Tubb - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  16. ^ "Decca matrix NA 159. Tennessee polka / Red Foley - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  17. ^ "Decca matrix NA 2029. Blue Christmas / The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  18. ^ "Victor matrix D7VB-1539. There's not a thing (I wouldn't do for you) / Eddy Arnold - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  19. ^ "Decca matrix CIN 175. I never see Maggie alone / Kenny Roberts - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  20. ^ "COLUMBIA RECORDS: 78rpm numerical listing discography 38500 - 39000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  21. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The book of golden discs. Internet Archive. London : Barrie & Jenkins. ISBN 978-0-214-20512-5.
  22. ^ "Decca matrix 74350. Have you ever been lonely? / The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  23. ^ "RCA Victor 78rpm numerical listing discography: 20-3000 through 20-3500". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  24. ^ "COLUMBIA 78rpm numerical listing discography: Country/Western series 20000 - 20500". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  25. ^ Russell Smith, Amazing Rhythm Aces Singer, Dead at 70
  26. ^ Nick Tosches, Music Journalist and Novelist, Dead at 69

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.
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