1953 in country music

Events

January 1 - Hank Williams, due to play a New Year's Day show in Canton, Ohio, dies sometime after midnight in the rear seat of his Cadillac, somewhere between Knoxville, Tennessee and Oak Hill, West Virginia. He was 29. Stories conflict on what happened in the final hours of his life, but what is not disputed is that his death gave rise to the legend. In the 50-plus years following his death, Williams' songs would be covered countless times, singers and songwriters would directly cite him as an influence, and his son - Hank Williams, Jr., would become a star in his own right. Ironically, the last song released in his lifetime was "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive."

Top hits of the year

Number one hits

January 10 - "Midnight" - Red Foley
January 24 - "I'll Go On Alone" - Marty Robbins
January 24 - "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" - Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
January 31 - "No Help Wanted" - The Carlisles
January 31 - "Eddy's Song" - Eddy Arnold
February 7 - "I Let the Stars Get in My Eyes" - Goldie Hill (The Golden Hillbilly)
February 21 - "Kaw-Liga" - Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
April 11 - "Your Cheatin' Heart" - Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
May 9 - "Mexican Joe" - Jim Reeves
June 6 - "Take These Chains From My Heart" - Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
July 11 - "It's Been So Long" - Webb Pierce
August 1 - "Rub-a-Dub-Dub" - Hank Thompson and His Brazos Valley Boys
August 22 - "Hey Joe!" - Carl Smith
August 29 - "A Dear John Letter" - Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky
October 17 - "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" - The Davis Sisters
November 21 - "There Stands the Glass" - Webb Pierce
December 12 - "Caribbean" - Mitchell Torok
December 19 - "Let Me Be the One" - Hank Locklin

Note: Several songs were simultaneous No. 1 hits on the separate "Most Played in Juke Boxes," "Most Played by Jockeys" and "National Best Sellers" charts.

Other major hits

"Gambler's Guitar" Rusty Draper
"Crying in the Chapel" - Rex Allen
"How Much is That Hound Dog in the Window" - Homer and Jethro
"I Couldn't Keep From Crying" - Marty Robbins
"Paying For That Back Street Affair" - Kitty Wells
"Shake a Hand" - Red Foley
"Yesterday's Girl" - Hank Thompson and His Brazos Valley Boys

"A Fool Suc–h As I" Hank Snow "Gal Who Invented Kissin" Hank Snow "Spanish Fire Ball" Hank Snow "When Mexican Joe Let Jole Blon" Hank Snow "The Last Waltz" Webb Pierce "I'll Go On Alone" Webb Pierce "That's Me Without You" Webb Pierce, Sonny James "I'm Walkin' The Dog" Webb Pierce "Free Home Demonstration" Eddy Arnold "Mama Come Get Your Baby Boy" Eddy Arnold "I Won't Be Home No More" Hank Williams "Weary Blues" Hank Williams "North Wind" Slim Whitman "Trademark" Carl Smith "Do I Like It" Carl Smith "Just Wait Till I Get You Alone" Carl Smith "This Orchid Means Goodbye" Carl Smith "Satisfaction Guaranteed" Carl Smith "Crying In The Chapel" Darryl Glenn "Going Steady" Faron Young "Knothole" Carlisles "Is Zat You Myrtle" Carlisles "Bumming Around" T.Texas Tyler, Jimmy Dean "Death Of Hank Williams" Jack Cardwell "Dear Joan" Jack Cardwell "Forgive Me John" Jean Shepherd & Ferlin Husky "No Help Wanted #2" Ernest Tubb & Red Foley "No Help Wanted" Hank Thompson "Seven Lonely Days" Bonnie Lou "Tennessee Wig Walk" Bonnie Lou –

Top new album releases

Births

April 9 - Hal Ketchum, popular country artist of the early 1990s.
June 1 - Ronnie Dunn, one half of Brooks & Dunn.

Deaths

January 1 - Hank Williams, 29, country music singing-songwriting giant and pioneer.