1939 in country music

Events

No dates

• sales recovered to approximately 2/3 of 1929 levels
• Billboard magazine begins publishing its first country music chart. Known as "Hillbilly Hits," the chart appears on a semi-regular (usually, monthly) basis, and will be published until early 1942. It is the predecessor for ''Billboard'''s later "Most Played Juke Box Folk Records," which would be published weekly and eventually evolve into today's Hot Country Songs chart.

Top Hillbilly (Country) Recordings

The following songs achieved the highest positions in Billboard magazine's 'Hillbilly Hits' chart, supplemented by 'Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954' and record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, and other sources as specified, during 1939. Numerical rankings are approximate, they are only used as a frame of reference.

Births

• January 12 – William Lee Golden, baritone (and long-bearded) member of the Oak Ridge Boys.
• January 19 – Phil Everly, of The Everly Brothers (died 2014).
• January 24 – Ray Stevens, country-pop singer releasing a long string of novelty-themed songs.
• February 14 – Razzy Bailey, blues-styled country vocalist of the 1980s.
• March 19 – Bob Kingsley, radio personality and longtime host of American Country Countdown and Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 (died 2019).
• April 20 – Johnny Tillotson, 1960s country singer ("It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin'").
• May 27 – Don Williams, baritone-voiced "Gentle Giant", one of country's biggest stars of the 1970s and 1980s (died 2017).
• June 11 – Wilma Burgess, 1960s country singer (died 2003).
• June 13 – Billy "Crash" Craddock, "Mr. Country Rock," gaining fame in the 1970s.
• August 8 – Phil Balsley, baritone-voiced member of the Statler Brothers.
• August 21 – Harold Reid, bass singer, member of the Statler Brothers (died 2020).
• September 6 – David Allan Coe, singer-songwriter and key member of the outlaw country movement of the 1970s.
• October 27 – Dallas Frazier, songwriter best known for "Elvira".
• October 27 – Ruby Wright, daughter of Johnnie Wright and Kitty Wells and member of their touring show (died 2009).
• December 29 – Ed Bruce, singer-songwriter, best known for writing "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." (died 2021)

References

References

1. Whitburn, Joel. (1986). "Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954". Record Research.
2. "Decca matrix 64504. It makes no difference now / Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
3. (April 29, 1939). "The Billboard pg 84".
4. "Decca matrix DLA 1660. The Big Rock Candy Mountains / Haywire Mac - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
5. (June 24, 1939). "The Billboard June 24, 1939 pg 127".
6. "Vocalion (USA) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 4500 - 4999".
7. "Decca matrix 64536. On the owl-hoot trail / The Shelton Brothers - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
8. (May 27, 1939). "The Billboard May 27, 1939".
9. "Vocalion 78rpm numerical listing discography: 4000 - 4500".
10. "Decca matrix 64538. Knot hole blues / The Shelton Brothers - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
11. "Vocalion (USA) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 5000 - 5499".
12. "Decca matrix 66303. Truck driver's blues / Cliff Bruner and his Boys - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
13. "TSHA {{!}} Autry, Orvon Gene".
14. "Decca matrix 64544. My own sweet darling wife / The Shelton Brothers - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
15. "Decca matrix 64510. When you're smiling / Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
16. "Decca matrix DLA 1551. It makes no difference now / Jimmie Davis - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
17. "Decca matrix 65124. Ease my troubled mind / Buddy Jones - Discography of American Historical Recordings".
18. "Bob Kingsley Dies At Age 80," All Access Music Group, October 17, 2019. Accessed 10-17-19. [https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/190626/bob-kingsley-dies-at-age-80?ref=mail_bulletin]