This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1974.
Events March 16 — The Grand Ole Opry moves from the Ryman Auditorium, its home of the past 41 years, to the newly constructed 4,400-seat Grand Ole Opry House, on the Opryland complex. President Richard Nixon is a guest at the Ryman's last show. The Ryman would essentially sit vacant for the next two decades before being renovated in the early 1990s as a historical landmark and concert hall. July 17 — Don Rich, a key member of Buck Owens' backing band, The Buckaroos, is killed in a motorcycle crash on State Route 99 north of Bakersfield, California; he was 32. Owens is deeply saddened by Rich's death, and it will gravely affect his career for many years.The Baron of Bakersfield October 17 — The pilot episode of Austin City Limits, featuring Willie Nelson, is recorded, and will air during PBS' 1975 pledge drive.
No dates Country purists, long troubled by a growing trend of pop music-influenced country, form the Association of Country Entertainers, as a result of the outcry over the 1974 Country Music Association awards program, where pop diva Olivia Newton-John won Female Vocalist of the Year, and Danny Davis & the Nashville Brass was awarded another Instrumental Group of the Year. The proliferation of No. 1 hits, as certified by Billboard, extends into 1974, when 40 songs reach the top of the Hot Country Singles chart. In fact, just nine songs – 10, counting Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December", which spent two of its four weeks at No. 1 in January – remain at the top spot for more than one week. Dolly Parton leaves Porter Wagoner's band and his weekly television show, after seven years, to embark on a solo career. Loretta Lynn releases "The Pill", a sexually frank song about birth control. The song is deemed controversial and some country stations refuse to play it.
Top hits of the year
Number-one hits
United States (as certified by Billboard)
DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1CAN peakSpec. NoteJanuary 19I LoveTom T. Hall2February 2JoleneDolly Parton1February 9World of Make BelieveBill Anderson1February 16That's the Way Love GoesJohnny Rodriguez12February 23Another Lonely SongTammy Wynette2March 9There Won't Be AnymoreCharlie Rich2March 23There's a Honky Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me Back In)Conway Twitty1March 30Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)Tanya Tucker17April 6A Very Special Love SongCharlie Rich3April 27Hello LoveHank Snow1[B]May 4Things Aren't Funny AnymoreMerle Haggard12May 11Is It Wrong (For Loving You)Sonny James175[B]May 18Country BumpkinCal Smith12May 25No ChargeMelba Montgomery1[C]June 1Pure LoveRonnie Milsap12[A] Written by Eddie Rabbitt.June 8I Will Always Love YouDolly Parton14June 15I Don't See Me in Your Eyes AnymoreCharlie Rich17June 22This TimeWaylon Jennings1[A]June 29Room Full of RosesMickey Gilley16[A]July 6He Thinks I Still CareAnne Murray211[A]July 20Marie LaveauBobby Bare1[C]July 27You Can't Be a Beacon If Your Light Don't ShineDonna Fargo1August 3Rub It InBilly "Crash" Craddock2[A]August 17As Soon as I Hang Up the PhoneConway Twittyand Loretta Lynn1August 24Old Man from the MountainMerle Haggard1August 31The Grand TourGeorge Jones12September 7Please Don't Tell Me How the Story EndsRonnie Milsap2September 21I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love MeDon Williams110[A]September 28I'm a Ramblin' ManWaylon Jennings12October 5I Love My FriendCharlie Rich1October 12Please Don't Stop Loving MePorter Wagonerand Dolly Parton145[B] – Porter WagonerOctober 19I See the Want To in Your EyesConway Twitty2November 2I Overlooked an OrchidMickey Gilley115November 9Love Is Like a ButterflyDolly Parton12November 16Country IsTom T. Hall1November 23Trouble in ParadiseLoretta Lynn114November 30Back Home AgainJohn Denver1[A]December 7She Called Me BabyCharlie Rich1December 14I Can HelpBilly Swan2[C]December 28What a Man My Man IsLynn Anderson1[B]
Notes 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard. A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist. B^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist. C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
Canada (as certified by RPM)
DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1U.S. peakSpec. NoteJanuary 12Amazing LoveCharley Pride1January 19If We Make It Through DecemberMerle Haggard1January 26I LoveTom T. Hall2February 9Hey LorettaLoretta Lynn13February 16JoleneDolly Parton1[A]February 23World of Make BelieveBill Anderson1March 2A Love SongAnne Murray25March 16There Won't Be AnymoreCharlie Rich1March 23Another Lonely SongTammy Wynette1March 30There's a Honky Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me Back In)Conway Twitty1April 6Sweet Magnolia BlossomBilly "Crash" Craddock13April 13A Very Special Love SongCharlie Rich3RPM didn't publish on May 4.May 11Hello LoveHank Snow2[B]May 25No ChargeMelba Montgomery1[C]June 1Honeymoon Feelin'Roy Clark14[B]June 8The StreakRay Stevens13[C]June 15If You Love Me (Let Me Know)Olivia Newton-John22[A]June 29When the Morning ComesHoyt Axton110[C]July 6We CouldCharley Pride13July 13This TimeWaylon Jennings1July 20I'm Not Through Loving You YetConway Twitty13July 27They Don't Make 'em Like My DaddyLoretta Lynn14August 3Marie LaveauBobby Bare1[C]August 10As Soon as I Hang Up the PhoneConway Twitty andLoretta Lynn1August 17Rub It InBilly "Crash" Craddock1August 24You Can't Be a Beacon If Your Light Don't ShineDonna Fargo1August 31Old Man from the MountainMerle Haggard1September 7Talkin' to the WallLynn Anderson27September 21Dance with Me (Just One More Time)Johnny Rodriguez12September 28Please Don't Tell Me How the Story EndsRonnie Milsap1[A]October 5I Love My FriendCharlie Rich2October 19Bonaparte's RetreatGlen Campbell13October 26I See the Want To in Your EyesConway Twitty1November 2Woman to WomanTammy Wynette14November 9Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta TownCharley Pride13November 16I Honestly Love YouOlivia Newton-John26November 30Carefree HighwayGordon Lightfoot181December 7Country IsTom T. Hall1[B]December 14I Can HelpBilly Swan1[C]December 21Back Home AgainJohn Denver1[A]December 28She Called Me BabyCharlie Rich1
Notes A^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist. B^ Last RPM No. 1 hit for that artist. C^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
Other major hits
Singles released by American artists USCANSingleArtist17—After the Fire Is GoneWillie Nelson and Tracy Nelson1012Ain't Love a Good ThingConnie Smith1937Angels Are Hard to FindHank Williams, Jr.93Annie's SongJohn Denver1324At the TimeJean Shepard1357Atta Way to GoDon Williams5115Back in the CountryRoy Acuff62Baby DollBarbara Fairchild1421The Baptism of Jesse TaylorJohnny Russell1115Between Lust and Watching TVCal Smith2217Biff, the Friendly Purple BearDick Feller42Big Four Poster BedBrenda Lee87Big Game HunterBuck Owens1726Bloody Mary MorningWillie Nelson88Boney FingersHoyt Axton and Renee Armand914Bring Back Your Love to MeDon Gibson242Can I Come Home to YouBill Anderson913Can You Feel ItDavid Houston19—Come on In and Let Me Love YouLois Johnson1038Credit Card SongDick Feller1317The Crude Oil BluesJerry Reed25Daddy, What IfBobby Bare and Bobby Bare, Jr.1415Delta DirtLarry Gatlin1117Don't Let GoMel Tillis and Sherry Bryce1047Don't Tell (That Sweet Ole Lady of Mine)Johnny Carver1213Don't You ThinkMarty Robbins10—Drinkin' ThingGary Stewart75Every Time I Turn the Radio OnBill Anderson2316A Field of Yellow DaisiesCharlie Rich36Get on My Love TrainLaCosta1217A Good Woman's LoveJerry Reed19—GoodbyeRex Allen, Jr.128The Great DivideRoy Clark1844Guess WhoJerry Wallace2—Hang in There GirlFreddie Hart2613He Can Be MineJeannie Seely84He Can't Fill My ShoesJerry Lee Lewis64Help MeElvis Presley1723Here We Go AgainBrian Shaw1534Highway Headin' SouthPorter Wagoner2035Houston (I'm Comin' to See You)Glen Campbell117How Lucky Can One Man BeJoe Stampley17—I Just Started Hatin' Cheatin' Songs TodayMoe Bandy618I Love You, I Love YouDavid Houston and Barbara Mandrell13—I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before)Connie Smith1923I Wish That I Had Loved You BetterEddy Arnold1943I'd Fight the WorldJim Reeves17—I'll Do Anything It Takes (To Stay with You)Jean Shepard72I'll Think of SomethingHank Williams, Jr.6—I'll Try a Little Bit HarderDonna Fargo1140I'm Having Your BabySunday Sharpe177I'm Leaving It Up to YouDonny and Marie Osmond32I'm Still Loving YouJoe Stampley496I've Got a Thing About You BabyElvis Presley1111I've Just Got to Know (How Loving You Would Be)Freddy Weller82If I Miss You Again TonightTommy Overstreet16—It'll Come BackRed Sovine69(It's A) Monster's HolidayBuck Owens10—It's That Time of NightJim Ed Brown1377It's Time to Cross That BridgeJack Greene33(Jeannie Marie) You Were a LadyTommy Overstreet8—Last Time I Saw HimDottie West1312Lean It All on MeDiana Trask15—Like a First Time ThingRay Price117Lovin' on Borrowed TimeMel Street9—Loving You Has Changed My LifeDavid Rogers1117Lucky LadiesJeannie Seely1138Makin' the Best of a Bad SituationDick Feller410The Man That Turned My Mama OnTanya Tucker33Memory MakerMel Tillis43A Mi Esposa Con Amor (To My Wife with Love)Sonny James22Midnight Me and the BluesMel Tillis6416My Girl BillJim Stafford1937My Part of ForeverJohnny Paycheck93My Wife's HouseJerry Wallace1912Old Home Filler-Up an' Keep On-a-Truckin' CafeC. W. McCall84The Older the Violin, The Sweeter the MusicHank Thompson913On the Cover of the Music City NewsBuck Owens365Once You've Had the BestGeorge Jones830One Day at a TimeDon Gibson19—One Day at a TimeMarilyn Sellars1622The Rainbow in Daddy's EyesSammi Smith1321Rainy Night in GeorgiaHank Williams, Jr.2119Red Rose from the Blue Side of TownGeorge Morgan139The River's Too WideJim Mundy1733Rosie Cries a LotFerlin Husky5111Sally GPaul McCartney2020Silver Threads and Golden NeedlesLinda Ronstadt1510Smile for MeLynn Anderson1223Snap Your FingersDon Gibson86Some Kind of a WomanFaron Young611SomethingJohnny Rodriguez107Sometime SunshineJim Ed Brown25Somewhere Between Love and TomorrowRoy Clark89Song and Dance ManJohnny Paycheck17—Standing in Your LineBarbara Fairchild106Statue of a FoolBrian Collins729Still Loving YouBob Luman34Stomp Them GrapesMel Tillis4011Stop and Smell the RosesMac Davis1830Stop the World (And Let Me Off)Susan Raye59Take Me Home to SomewhereJoe Stampley188Tell Tale SignsJerry Lee Lewis149Ten Commandments of LoveDavid Houston and Barbara Mandrell1114That Girl Who Waits on TablesRonnie Milsap22That Song Is Driving Me CrazyTom T. Hall12—This Time I Almost Made ItBarbara Mandrell1219Tonight Someone's Falling in LoveJohnny Carver109Twentieth Century DrifterMarty Robbins2516The Uptown Poker ClubJerry Reed14—Wake Me Into LoveBud Logan and Wilma Burgess33The Want-To'sFreddie Hart8—We Loved It AwayGeorge Jones and Tammy Wynette5—We Should Be TogetherDon Williams1516(We're Not) The Jet SetGeorge Jones and Tammy Wynette1626When I Get My Hands on YouDiana Trask1414When Your Good Love Was MineNarvel Felts1012Who Left the Door to Heaven OpenHank Thompson2718Workin' at the Car Wash BluesTony Booth65Wrong IdeasBrenda Lee2022The Wrong in Loving YouFaron Young1534You Don't Need to Move a MountainJeanne Pruett15—You Make Me Feel More Like a ManMel Street1620You're Not Getting Older (You're Getting Better)Freddy Weller
Singles released by Canadian artists