Global InformationList of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1976 information
Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1976, 37 different singles topped the chart, which at the time was published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine. Chart placings were based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[2]
At the start of the year the song at the top of the chart was "Convoy" by C. W. McCall, its third week at number one.[3] The song remained in the top spot until the issue of Billboard dated January 31, 1976, when it was replaced by "This Time I've Hurt Her More than She Loves Me" by Conway Twitty. "Convoy" also topped the magazine's all-genres singles chart, the Hot 100.[4] It was one of three 1976 country number ones to capitalize on the prevailing fad for citizens band radio (CB), along with "The White Knight" by Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band and "Teddy Bear" by Red Sovine.[5][6] CB also featured, to a lesser extent, in the song "One Piece at a Time",[7] which was the final chart-topper for Country Music Hall of Famer and icon of the genre Johnny Cash.[8][9][10]
C. W. McCall's total of four weeks at number one in 1976 was matched by Willie Nelson, who spent one week in the top spot with "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time" and three with "Good Hearted Woman" in collaboration with Waylon Jennings, as well as by Tammy Wynette, who spent three weeks at number one with two solo singles and a further week at the top with "Golden Ring", a duet with her former husband George Jones. The couple had divorced the previous year, but nonetheless continued to record together.[11] As well as Jennings, Conway Twitty, Marty Robbins and Red Sovine each spent three weeks at number one. Twitty was the only act to take three different singles to number one in 1976. Acts to top the chart for the first time in 1976 included novelty artist Cledus Maggard, who reached the number one position with his first ever Hot Country chart entry. He would go on to enter the listing with three more singles but his chart career ended in 1978,[12] after which Maggard (real name Jay Huguely) would concentrate on the field of television production.[13] Two female singers gained their first number ones via duets with established male vocalists: Mary Lou Turner with Bill Anderson and Helen Cornelius with Jim Ed Brown.[14][15][16] Vocal group Dave & Sugar topped the chart for the first time with "The Door Is Always Open",[17] the third version of the song to chart in less than three years, but by far the most successful.[18][19]
- ^ Martin, Keith (2007). Strange But True Tales of Car Collecting: Drowned Bugattis, Buried Belvederes, Felonious Ferraris and Other Wild Stories of Automotive Misadventure. Motorbooks. p. 164. ISBN 9780760353608.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944–2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN 9780898201659.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
J7was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Hoffmann, Frank (2016). Chronology of American Popular Music, 1900–2000. Routledge. ISBN 9781135868857.
- ^ Mansour, David (2011). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 76. ISBN 9780740793073.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel; Menconi, David; Ryan, Linda; Harvilla, Rob; Murray, Nick; Drell, Cady; Powell, Mike; Moss, Marissa R.; Harris, Keith (September 26, 2014). "40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time: Red Sovine, "Teddy Bear"". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
- ^ Wilson, Bill (March 25, 2014). "Johnny Cash's "One Piece at a Time" Car: Working Class Ingenuity". Motor1.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
- ^ Betts, Stephen L. (July 6, 2017). "Flashback: Hear Johnny Cash's Rare Take on Kenny Rogers' 'The Gambler'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
- ^ Thompson, Gayle (October 13, 2017). "37 Years Ago: Johnny Cash is Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
- ^ "10 Reasons to Celebrate Johnny Cash's Legend". The Boot. Townsquare Media. February 26, 2018. Archived from the original on March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (April 8, 1998). "Tammy Wynette, Country Singer Known For 'Stand by Your Man,' Is Dead at 55". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
- ^ "Cledus Maggard Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Obituary: James Wesley Huguely". Los Angeles Times. April 26, 2009. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020 – via Legacy.com.
- ^ "Mary Lou Turner Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Helen Cornelius Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ Mayor, Alan (2014). The Nashville Family Album: A Country Music Scrapbook. Macmillan. p. 196. ISBN 9781466885677.
- ^ "Tennessee Pulleybone Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
- ^ "Lois Johnson Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2018.