1980 In Country Music

1979 In Country Music ,
1980 In Music ,
Other Events Of 1980 ,
1981 In Country Music and the List Of Years In Country Music

EVENTS

January 25 – At age 84, octogenerian comedian George Burns becomes by far the oldest performer (to that time) to have a single in the top 40 of '' Billboard Magazine '''s Hot Country Singles chart with "I Wish I Was 18 Again." The song peaks at No. 15 in March.

March – Alabama , a Southern Rock -influenced band from Fort Payne, Alabama , signs a recording contract with RCA Records , and records its first album, '' My Home's In Alabama ''. The album is released in May, and by late in the year, the band was on its way to superstardom.

April 19 - For the first time in chart history, the top 5 positions on the '' Billboard Magazine '' Hot Country Singles chart are held (or co-held) by female artists. The list:

Crystal Gayle

# " A Lesson In Leaving " by Dottie West
# "Are You On The Road To Lovin' Me Again" by Debby Boone
# "Beneath Still Waters" by Emmylou Harris
# "Two Story House" by Tammy Wynette (Duet with George Jones )

July 5 - George Jones' classic " He Stopped Loving Her Today " reaches #1 on the Billboard Country Music charts.

November 18 – The country-variety TV series, ''Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters'', debuts. {Link without Title}

Country music goes Hollywood

Country music had a major impact on the motion picture industry throughout the year, with no less than four major box office hits released during the year:

--- March 7 – '' Coal Miner's Daughter '', the biography of Loretta Lynn told in film, opens. Sissy Spacek wins that year's Academy Award For Best Actress for her portrayal of Lynn; Tommy Lee Jones and Beverly D'Angelo also play leading roles. The movie is a huge success with critics and at the box office, and briefly sparks Spacek's singing career.

--- June 6 – The movie '' Urban Cowboy '', starring John Travolta and Debra Winger , opens in American theaters. The movie — which showcases Mickey Gilley's nightclub, Gilley's — is a huge success at the box office ($54 million), and its soundtrack includes several major hits and makes stars out of several of the artists (most notably Johnny Lee ), and will have a major impact on the direction of country music of the early 1980s.

--- July 18 – '' Honeysuckle Rose '', starring Willie Nelson , opens.

--- December 19 – '' Nine To Five '' — with Dolly Parton in one of the leading roles — opens.

TOP HITS OF THE YEAR

Number one hits

''(As certified by Billboard Magazine )''

January 5 – " Coward Of The County " – Kenny Rogers

January 26 – "I'll Be Coming Back For More" – T.G. Sheppard

February 9 – "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight" – Oak Ridge Boys

February 16 – "Love Me Over Again" – Don Williams

February 23 – "Years" – Barbara Mandrell

March 1 – "Ain't Livin' Long Like This" – Waylon Jennings

March 8 – "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" – Willie Nelson

March 22 – "Why Don't You Spend the Night" – Ronnie Milsap

March 29 – "I'd Love to Lay You Down" – Conway Twitty

April 5 – "Sugar Daddy" – Bellamy Brothers

April 12 – "Honky Tonk Blues" – Charley Pride

April 19 – "It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" – Crystal Gayle

April 26 – " A Lesson In Leaving " – Dottie West

May 3 – "Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me Again" – Debby Boone

May 10 – "Beneath Still Waters" – Emmylou Harris

May 17 – "Gone Too Far" – Eddie Rabbitt

May 24 – " Starting Over Again " – Dolly Parton

May 31 – "My Heart" – Ronnie Milsap

June 21 – "One Day at a Time" – Cristy Lane

June 28 – "Trying to Love Two Women" – Oak Ridge Boys

July 5 – " He Stopped Loving Her Today " – George Jones

July 12 – "You Win Again" – Charley Pride

July 19 – "Bar Room Buddies" – Merle Haggard and Clint Eastwood

July 26 – " True Love Ways " – Mickey Gilley

August 2 – "Dancin' Cowboys" – Bellamy Brothers

August 9 – " Stand By Me " – Mickey Gilley

August 16 – " Tennessee River " – Alabama

August 23 – " Drivin' My Life Away " – Eddie Rabbitt

August 30 – "Cowboys and Clowns" – Ronnie Milsap

September 6 – " Lookin' For Love " – Johnny Lee

September 27 – " Old Flames Can't Hold A Candle To You " – Dolly Parton

October 4 – "Do You Wanna Go to Heaven" – T.G. Sheppard

October 11 – "Loving Up a Storm" – Razzy Bailey

October 18 – "I Believe in You" – Don Williams

November 1 – " Theme From 'The Dukes Of Hazzard' (Good Ol' Boys) " – Waylon Jennings

November 8 – "On the Road Again" – Willie Nelson

November 15 – "Could I Have This Dance" – Anne Murray

November 22 – " Lady " – Kenny Rogers

November 29 – "If You Ever Change Your Mind" – Crystal Gayle

December 6 – "Smoky Mountain Rain" – Ronnie Milsap

December 13 – " Why Lady Why " – Alabama

December 20 – "That's All That Matters" – Mickey Gilley

December 27 – "One in a Million" – Johnny Lee

Other major hits

"Blue Heartache" -- Gail Davies

"The Blue Side" -- Crystal Gayle

"Broken Trust" -- Brenda Lee (with The Oak Ridge Boys )

"Charlotte's Web" -- Statler Brothers

"Crackers" -- Barbara Mandrell

"Clyde" -- Waylon Jennings

"The Cowboy and the Dandy" -- Brenda Lee

"Daydream Believer" -- Anne Murray

"Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer" -- Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes

"Faded Love" -- Willie Nelson and Ray Price

"Free To Be Lonely Again" -- Debby Boone

"Friday Night Blues" -- John Conlee

"Good Ol' Boys Like Me" -- Don Williams

"Hard Times" -- Lacy J. Dalton

"Holding the Bag" -- Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley

"I Don't Want to Lose You" - Con Hunley

"I Wish I Was Eightteen Again" — George Burns

"I'm Already Blue" -- The Kendalls

"I'm Not Ready Yet" -- George Jones

"It's Hard to Be Humble" -- Mac Davis

"It's Too Late" -- Jeanne Pruett

"It's True Love" -- Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn

"Leavin's For Unbelievers" -- Dottie West

"Let's Get It While the Getting's Good" -- Eddy Arnold

"Let's Keep It That Way" -- Mac Davis

"Love the World Away" -- Kenny Rogers

"Lying Time Again" -- Mel Tillis

"Making Plans" -- Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

"Men" -- Charly McClain

"Midnight Rider" -- Willie Nelson

"Misery and Gin" -- Merle Haggard

" My Home's In Alabama " -- Alabama

"Old Habits" -- Hank Williams Jr.

"Over" -- Leon Everette

"Pour Me Another Tequila" -- Eddie Rabbitt

"Save Your Heart For Me" -- Jacky Ward

"She Just Started Liking Cheating Songs" -- John Anderson

"Smooth Sailing" -- T.G. Sheppard

"Take Me to Your Lovin' Place" -- Larry Gatlin

"Tell Ole I AIn't Here" -- Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley

"Temporarily Yours" -- Jeanne Pruett

"That Lovin' You Feelin Again" -- Roy Orbison and Emmylou Harris

"That's What I Get For Loving You" -- Eddy Arnold

"They Never Lost You" - Con Hunley

"Tumbleweed" -- Sylvia

"Two Story House" -- George Jones and Tammy Wynette

"The Way I Am" -- Merle Haggard

"Wayfaring Stranger" -- Emmylou Harris

"Women I've Never Had" -- Hank Williams Jr.

"You Lay a Whole Lot of Love on Me" - Con Hunley

"You Know Just What I'd Do" -- Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn

"(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven" -- Reba McEntire

"Your Body is an Outlaw" -- Mel Tillis

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1980 In Country Music