ROOTS of Country Music

The Professional Work of Tommy Overstreet

(born Sep. 10,1937)

Career Highlights

Film, Night Club, Radio & TV

• AustinCity Limits, 4
• Billy Bob'sTexas, 2
• Ernest Tubb’s  Midnight Jamboree, 3
• Gilley’s Club, 2
• Hee Haw, 4
• Nashville Now, 4
• Pop Goes the Country, 4
• The Statler Brothers Show, 4

1-Film, 2-Night Club, 3-Radio, 4-TV 

Billboard Chart Data 

• No. 1 Singles: 0 
• Top-10 Singles: 11
• Crossover Singles: 0
• Charted Singles: 34
• Chart Years Active: 1969-1986

Career Labels:

• Dot Records (1969-1974)
• ABC/Dot Records (1974-1979)
• Elektra Records (1979-1980)

Billboard Top-10 Singles

1. Gwen (Congratulations) 1971
2. I Don't Know You Anymore
3. Ann Don't Go Runnin'# -1972
4. Heaven is My Woman's Love
5. Send Me No Roses -1973
6. I'll Never Break These Chains
7. (Jeannie Marie) You Were a Lady -1974
8. If I Miss You Again Tonight
9. I'm a Believer
10. That's When My Woman Begins -1975
11. Don't Go City Girl on Me -1977

#-Biggest Chart Single

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Send Me No Roses: The Tommy Overstreet Story

Tommy Overstreet is a country singer often known simply as "T.O." by fans and radio disc jockeys. Overstreet has five top five hit singles in the Billboard country charts and 11 top 10 singles. During the early 1970s the airwaves of country radio electrified listeners with the sound of "Gwen (Congratulations)" and "I Don't Know You Anymore," records that did not resemble anything else playing on radio at the time. His popularity peaked in the 1970s.

Tommy was born September 10, 1937, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, but raised in Houston and Abilene, Texas. While growing up, he was always around music and was hugely influenced by a relative of his, Gene Austin, who was a major pop star during the 1920s, with one of his hits, "My Blue Heaven," selling over 5 million copies. Austin, sometimes reported as being Overstreet's uncle but was actually his third cousin, encouraged him in his musical endeavors.

After time in the US Army, Overstreet moved to Los Angeles in the early '60s to begin his songwriting (he has written over 500 songs) and recording career. He then returned to Texas and began appearing on the Abilene TV program The Slim Willet Show and formed his own group to play club dates and venues throughout western Texas. In the late 1950s, Overstreet started a group called The Shadows.

Tommy first recorded at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico, along with Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs. In 1960, Overstreet recorded in New York City at Roulette Records, with Doc Severinsen on trumpet, Sam The Man Taylor on saxophone and the Ray Charles Singers singing backup.

In 1967, Overstreet was hired to manage Dot Records in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1970, he decided to pursue a recording career, quickly establishing himself as a country hit maker that very year with a top-5 hit, Gwen (Congratulations), which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard country music chart. Tommy made frequent guest appearances on the TV variety show Hee Haw.  His highest charting Billboard hit was 1972's Ann (Don't Go Runnin'), which went to No. 2.

Overstreet's  other top-20 hits were: I Don't Know You Anymore, Heaven is My Woman's Love, Send Me No Roses, I'll Never Break These Chains, (Jeannie Marie) You Were a Lady, If I Miss You Again Tonight, I'm a Believer, That's When My Woman Begins, If Love was a Bottle of Wine, Don't Go City Girl on Me, Yes, Ma'am and Fadin' In, Fadin' Out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Researched, compiled and written by Richard Bell, Roots of Country Music, Nov. 3, 2009.