Artists First Chart Single Was Their Biggest Hit (1944 ~ 1993)

 To qualify, an artist first hit must have reached number one on the Billboard’s country music chart and has to be ranked as their biggest hit. The artist must have also a minimum of twenty hits. * The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). RIAA required sales of one million units for “Gold” and two million units for platinum certification.

Connie Smith

Once a Day (1964)

Songwriter: Bill Anderson

Connie was born on August 14, 1941 in Elkhart, Indiana. She began her career in 1963 after winning a local talent contest near Columbus, Ohio, which attracted the attention of singer/songwriter Bill Anderson. After recording several demos for Anderson to pitch to other artists, Smith was offered a contract by RCA Victor Records (1964). Connie followed-up her debut single, Once a Day with nineteen top-10 hits.

Donna Fargo

The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.(1972)

Songwriter: Donna Fargo

Donna was born on November 10, 1949 inMount Airy,North Carolina.Fargo’s country chart topping debut, was certified a “Gold Record” by *RIAA. She followed up with fifteen top-ten hits, including, her second “Gold Record,” Funny Face (No. 1, 1972). Raised inNorth Carolina,Fargowas a school teacher inCovina,Californiawhen she decided to try a singing career inNashville.

George Morgan

Candy Kisses (1949)

Songwriter, George Morgan

Candy Kisses spent three weeks at the top of the Billboad country chart and secured George a spot on the Grand Ole Opry (1948 ~ 1956), replacing the legendary Eddy Arnold in 1948. Born in Waverly,Tennessee, Morgan grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry. After he charted "Candy Kisses," the Grand Ole Opry came calling. “Candy Kisses" was George Morgan's only chart-topper, but he placed eight more singles into the top-ten.

Jean Shepard

A Dear John Letter (1953)

Songwriters: Billy Barton & Lewis Talley

Few female country singers working since the 1950s have produced a large body of work as enduring as Jean Shepard. Jean was a legendary pioneer for women of country music. She laid the groundwork for Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and those to follow. Since the early ‘50s, Jean has graced the podium with her unique and dynamic country vocals. She charted her only number one single,”A Dear John Letter” in 1953 and followed up with nine top-ten hits.

Jeannie C. Riley

Harper Valley P.T.A (1968)

Songwriter: Tom T. Hall

Riley was born on October 19, 1945 inAnson,Texas. Starting out at the top may not be a good thing. After all, there is no place to go but down. For Jeannie, the top was reached when “Harper Valley PTA” jumped to the of Billboard Country and Pop charts. Jeannie became the first female country singer to simultaneously top the pop and country charts. Riley’s chart topping debut, was a certified “Gold Record” by *RIAA. She followed up with five top-ten hits and “HarperValley” won the CMA Single of the Year award.

Kitty Wells

It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels

Songwriter: J. D. Miller

One of the few country stars born in Nashville, Kitty Wells had a string of hits from the 1950s to the early 1970s that earned her the title Queen of Country Music. She created the role for all other female country singers. "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” was her first number one song and it catapulted Wells to the top of the charts in 1952.

Kitty was the first female to sell a million records and reach number one in the country field. The song was an answer song to the Hank Thompson hit "The Wild Side of Life" (No. 1, 1952). Kitty followed-up her debut single with twenty seven solo top-10 hits and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976.

Red Foley

Smoke on the Water (1944)

(June 17, 1910 ~ September 19, 1968) Red was born in Blue Lick,Kentucky. Foley was one of the biggest stars in country music during the post-war era. A silky-voiced singer who sold some 25 million records between 1944 and 1965 and whose popularity went far in making country music a viable mainstream commodity. “Smoke on the Water” claimed the top spot for thirteen weeks in 1944. Red followed up with fifty six top-ten hits and he was inducted into the Country Musaic Hall of Fame in 1967.

Shelly West

Jose Cuervo (1983)

Songwriters: Jordan, Cindy

Shelly was born on May 23, 1958 in Cleveland, Ohio. Her mother was the country music star Dottie West. Shelly West is best-known for having hit duets with David Frizzell. She also was a successful solo artist, having her own number hit, "Jose Cuervo" in 1983. West followed-up her debut single with five top-10 hits.

Artist Who Didn’t Chart a Billboard Number 1 Song (1944 – 1993)

On January 4, 1936, Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade. The first Music Popularity Chart was calculated in July 1940. A variety of song charts followed, which were eventually consolidated into the Hot 100 by mid-1958.

Billboard did not begin charting country music until 1944. The Hot 100 currently combines single sales, radio airplay and digital downloads. The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs in the United States. The results are published in Billboard Magazine and on their web site. The primary chart is the Hot 100 (top 100 singles), which factors in airplay, as well as music sales in all relevant formats.

There are several country music artists who never earned a Billboard Number One hit, but who are typically regarded as a major recording artist. The following is a partial list of major country music recording artists who never achieved a Billboard Number One hit. In order to make this list, artists must have at least one top-20 song and must not be a crossover artist. The Song listed next to the artists name is their highest charted song on Billboard.

• Asleep at the Wheel ~ ”The Letter That Johnny Walker Read,” No. 10
• Bill Monroe ~ ”KentuckyWaltz,” No. 3
• Bill Phillips ~ “Put It Off Until Tomorrow,” No. 6
• Bob Luman ~ ”Lonely Women Make Good Lovers,” No. 4
• Bobby Borchers ~ “Cheap Perfume and Candlelight,” No. 7
• Bonnie Guitar ~ “A Woman In Love,” No. 4
• Brenda Lee ~ “Big Four Poster Bed,” No. 4
• Carl Belew ~ ”Hello Out There,” No. 8
• Charlie Louvin ~  "I Don’t Love You Anymore,” No. 4
• Charlie Walker ~ "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down," No. 2
• Claude Gray ~ “My Ears Should Burn,” No. 3
• Con Hunley ~ ”What’s new With You,” No. 11
• Darrell McCall ~ “A Stranger Was Here,” No. 17
• David Allan Coe ~ "Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile," No. 2
• David Wills ~ “From Barrooms to Bedrooms,” No. 10
• Dick Curless ~ ”A Tombstone Every Mile," No. 5
• Dottsy ~ “After Sweet Memories) Play Born to Lose Again,” No. 10
• Elton Britt ~ "Someday,” No. 2*
• Gail Davies ~ "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)," No. 4
• Grandpa Jones ~ ”T forTexas,” No. 5
• Jan Howard ~ "Evil on Your Mind," No. 5
• Jeannie Seely ~ “Don’t Touch Me,” No.2
• Jim Ed Brown ~ ”Pop a Top,” No. 3
• Jim & Jesse ~ ”Diesel on My Tail,” No. 18
• Jimmie Skinner ~ “I Found My Girl In theUSA,” No. 5
• Jimmy Newman ~  "A Fallen Star," No. 2
• John Wesley Ryles ~ ”Once In a Lifetime Thing,” No. 5
• Johnny Bond ~ ”Ten Little Bottles,” No. 2
• Johnny Russell ~ ”Red Necks, White Sox and Blue Ribbon Beer,” No. 4
• Johnny Bush ~ ”You Gave Me a Mountain,” No. 7
• Justin Tubb ~ ”Looking Back to See,” No. 4
• Kenny Dale ~ “Only Love Can Break a Heart,” No. 7
• Kenny Price ~ "Walking On New Grass," No. 7
• La Costa ~ “Get On My Love Train,” No. 3
• Lacy J Dalton~ "Takin' It Easy," No. 2
• Little David Wilkins ~”One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show,” No. 11
• Mac Wiseman ~ ”Jimmy Brown the Newsboy,” No. 5
• Margie Singleton ~ ”Keeping Up With the Joneses,” 5
• Mel Street~ "Lovin' On Back Streets," No. 5
• Narvel Felts ~ ”Reconsider Me,” No. 2
• Nat Stuickey ~ ”Sweet Thang,” No. 4
• Ned Miller ~ ”From a Jack to a King,” No. 2
• Norma Jean ~ ”The Game of Triangles,” No. 5
• Osborne Brothers ~ ”Once More,” No. 13
• Ray Pillow ~ ”I’ll Take the Dog,” No. 9
• Ray Stevens ~ “Misty,” No. 3
• Red Simpson ~ ”I’m a Truck,” No. 4
• Red Steagall ~ ”Lonestar Beer and Bob Wills Music,” No. 11
• Rex Allen ~ ”Crying in the Chapel,” No. 4
• Rex Allen Jr. ~ ”Two Less Lonely People,” No. 8
• Rose Maddox ~ “Sing a Little Song of Heartache,” No.3
• RoyAcuff ~ ”I’ll Forgive You But I Can’t Forget,” No. 3
• Roy Rogers ~ ”My Chickashay Gal,” No. 4
• Skeeter Davis~ "The End of the World," No. 2
• Slim Whitman ~ “Indian Love Call,” No. 2
• Sons of the Pioneers ~ ”Stars and Stripes on Imo Jima,” No. 4
• Stuart Hamblen ~ ”(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You,” No. 2
• Susan Raye ~ "(I've Got a) Happy Heart," No. 3
• Tommy Collins ~ “You Better Not Do That,” No. 2
• Tommy Overstreet ~ "Ann (Don't Go Runnin')," No. 2
• Tony Booth ~ ”The Key’s In the Mailbox,” No. 15
• T TexasTyler~ “Deck of Cards,” No. 2
• Wanda Jackson ~ ”In the Middle of a Heartache,” No. 6
• WayneKemp ~ ”Honky Tonk Wine,” No. 17
• Wilburn Brothers ~ "Give Me Forty Acres No. 9
• Willis Brothers ~ "Hurt Her Once For Me," No.3

*Elton Britt is best remembered for his 1942 recording, There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere. This song wasn’t ranked as Billboard did not begin charting country music until 1944. This song was by far the most popular patriotic song of the time and was one of the biggest selling country records of that time. No doubt it would have topped out at number one.

Youngest and Oldest Country Music Artists to Achieve a Debut No. 1 Single

What's Your Mama's Name is the title track from Tanya Tucker's 1973 album. What's Your Mama's Name was written by Dallas Frazier and Earl Montgomery and was Tucker's fourth hit on the country chart and her first No. 1 Billboard single.

When the song entered the Billboard country chart in 1973, Tucker was just fifteen years old. The song stayed at No. 1 for a week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the chart. On the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, it reached No. 86.

The song tells, in flashback, of a man named Buford Wilson. The story begins at least 30 years beforehand, when the young man travels to Memphis, Tennessee in search of a woman that he had a previous relationship with in New Orleans. He spends the next decade asking people about the woman's whereabouts, and is generally ignored.

The following are the five youngest artists to chart a debut No. 1 single:

Tanya Tucker (b. Oct. 10, 1958) What’s Your Mama’s Name (Mar. 24, 1973)15

Jean Sheppard (b. Nov. 21, 1933) A Dear John Letter (Jul. 25, 1953)20

Bobby Helms (b. Aug. 15, 1936) Fraulein (Mar. 30, 1957) 20

Hank Williams Jr. (May 26, 1949) All For the Love of Sunshine (Aug. 1, 1970) 21

Jerry Lee Lewis (b. Sep. 29, 1935) Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going on (Jun. 17, 1957) 21 

At age 51, Johnny Wright was the oldest country music artist to chart a debut No. 1 single on Billboard. Hello Vietnam, with backing vocals from Johnny Wright's wife, Kitty Wells, was Wright's most successful release on the Billboard country music chart as a solo singer.

His singing partner from Johnnie and Jack (Jack Anglin), was killed in a car accident in March 1963. Hello Vietnam spent twenty weeks on the chart with three weeks at No. 1. Somewhat unusual for this song's success was the fact that the song openly and uncharacteristically, supported the Vietnam War effort.

The following are the five oldest artists to chart a debut No. 1 single:

Johnny Wright (b. May 13, 1914) Hello Vietnam (Aug. 28, 1965) 51

Vern Gosdin (Aug. 5, 1934) I Can Tell by the Way You Dance (Mar. 31, 1984) 49

Lester Flatt (b. Jun. 19, 1914) Battle of Jed Clampett (Dec. 8, 1962) 48

Dottie West (Oct. 11, 1932) A Lesson in Leavin’ (Feb. 9, 1980) 47

CW McCall (b. Nov. 15, 1928) Convoy (Nov. 29, 1975) 47

Jim Glazier (b. Dec. 16, 1937) You’re Getting to Me Again (Jun. 9, 1984) 46

Written and compiled by: Richard Bell, Country Music Historian, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. June. 2009.