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1987 in country music

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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1987.

Events

  • June 13 — Randy Travis' "Forever and Ever, Amen" spends three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It is the first multi-week chart-topping song since "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" by Ronnie Milsap spent two weeks atop the chart in September 1985; in that time span, 85 other songs had been No. 1. Only three other songs during the 1980s — all of them in 1980 — would spend more than two weeks at No. 1, owing much to how Billboard compiled the chart data at the time.
  • June 27- Pee Wee King Celebrates is 50th Grand ole opry anniversary
  • September — Dolly Parton's TV variety series, Dolly, premieres on ABC in September. Despite strong ratings in its early weeks, the show was panned by critics and viewership declined. The series was cancelled at the end of the 1987–1988 season.

No dates

  • 46-year-old singer-songwriter K.T. Oslin becomes the success story of the year with her hit "80s Ladies", a Grammy Award-winner which tells the story of three childhood friends who stay together through an era of social change. The song spawns an award-winning video and, despite only reaching No. 7 on the Hot Country Singles chart, was one of the most played songs of the year. Oslin's rise to fame in her mid-40s came at a time when mainstream country radio was beginning to shun older female artists for younger, more attractive stars.

Top hits of the year

Singles released by American artists

USCANSingleArtist
74[80's Ladies](80-s-ladies-song)K. T. Oslin
8617Ain't No Cure for LoveJennifer Warnes
11All My Ex's Live in TexasGeorge Strait
11Am I BlueGeorge Strait
1635American MeS-K-O
4Another WorldCrystal Gayle and Gary Morris
22Baby's Got a Hold on MeNitty Gritty Dirt Band
1Baby's Got a New BabyS-K-O
48The Bed You Made for MeHighway 101
109Bonnie Jean (Little Sister)David Lynn Jones
11Born to BoogieHank Williams, Jr.
94Brilliant ConversationalistT. Graham Brown
11Can't Stop My Heart from Loving YouThe O'Kanes
61The CarpenterJohn Conlee
47Chains of GoldSweethearts of the Rodeo
1630Changin' PartnersLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
1314Child SupportBarbara Mandrell
53CinderellaVince Gill
1023Cowboy ManLyle Lovett
37Crazy from the HeartThe Bellamy Brothers
4Crazy Over YouFoster & Lloyd
75Crime of PassionRicky Van Shelton
12Cry Myself to SleepThe Judds
912Daddies Need to Grow Up TooThe O'Kanes
1010Deep River WomanLionel Richie with Alabama
8517Didn't You Go and Leave MeRosemary Sharp
13Do YaK. T. Oslin
45Domestic LifeJohn Conlee
104Don't Be CruelThe Judds
11Don't Go to StrangersT. Graham Brown
2019Don't Touch Me ThereCharly McClain
47A Face in the CrowdMichael Martin Murphey and Holly Dunn
22Fallin' for You for YearsConway Twitty
811Fallin' OutWaylon Jennings
75Fire in the SkyNitty Gritty Dirt Band
11Fishin' in the DarkNitty Gritty Dirt Band
711ForeverThe Statler Brothers
11Forever and Ever, AmenRandy Travis
1618Full Grown FoolMickey Gilley
710Girls Ride Horses TooJudy Rodman
1318Give Back My HeartLyle Lovett
13Give Me WingsMichael Johnson
1823God WillLyle Lovett
810Goodbye's All We've Got LeftSteve Earle
1011Gotta Get AwaySweethearts of the Rodeo
96Gotta Have YouEddie Rabbitt
23Half Past Forever (Till I'm Blue in the Heart)T. G. Sheppard
66The Hand That Rocks the CradleGlen Campbell (with Steve Wariner)
10Hard Livin'Keith Whitley
1450Have I Got Some Blues for YouCharley Pride
1839He's Letting GoBaillie & the Boys
925Homecoming '63Keith Whitley
1712House of Blue LightsAsleep at the Wheel
11How Do I Turn You OnRonnie Milsap
13I Can't Win for Losin' YouEarl Thomas Conley
11I Know Where I'm GoingThe Judds
1419I Only Wanted YouMarie Osmond
22I Prefer the MoonlightKenny Rogers
22I Want to Know You Before We Make LoveConway Twitty
11I Will Be ThereDan Seals
11I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)Randy Travis
1024I'll Be the OneThe Statler Brothers
59I'll Be Your Baby TonightJudy Rodman
21I'll Come Back as Another WomanTanya Tucker
415I'll Never Be in Love AgainDon Williams
11I'll Still Be Loving YouRestless Heart
924If There's Any JusticeLee Greenwood
11It Takes a Little Rain (To Make Love Grow)The Oak Ridge Boys
317It Won't HurtDwight Yoakam
812It's Only Over for YouTanya Tucker
23JuliaConway Twitty
13Kids of the Baby BoomThe Bellamy Brothers
3720Killbilly HillSouthern Pacific
12The Last One to KnowReba McEntire
11Leave Me LonelyGary Morris
45Let the Music Lift You UpReba McEntire
1617Let's Do SomethingVince Gill
73Little SisterDwight Yoakam
81Little WaysDwight Yoakam
11A Long Line of LoveMichael Martin Murphey
107Love Can't Ever Get Better Than ThisRicky Skaggs & Sharon White
23Love Me Like You Used ToTanya Tucker
65Love ReunitedThe Desert Rose Band
22Love Someone Like MeHolly Dunn
64Love, You Ain't Seen the Last of MeJohn Schneider
11LyndaSteve Wariner
11Make No Mistake, She's MineKenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap
117Mama's Rockin' ChairJohn Conlee
11Maybe Your Baby's Got the BluesThe Judds
46Midnight Girl/Sunset TownSweethearts of the Rodeo
12The Moon Is Still Over Her ShoulderMichael Johnson
11Mornin' RideLee Greenwood
1937No Easy HorsesS-K-B
21No Place Like HomeRandy Travis
207Nowhere RoadSteve Earle
11Ocean Front PropertyGeorge Strait
917Oh HeartBaillie & the Boys
11Old Bridges Burn SlowBilly Joe Royal
22One for the MoneyT. G. Sheppard
11One Promise Too LateReba McEntire
47Only When I LoveHolly Dunn
99Plain Brown WrapperGary Morris
7617Real Good HeartacheRosemary Sharp
11Right from the StartEarl Thomas Conley
35Right Hand ManEddy Raven
86The Right Left HandGeorge Jones
1614The Rock and Roll of LoveTom Wopat
11Rose in ParadiseWaylon Jennings
618Rough and Rowdy DaysWaylon Jennings
912SeñoritaDon Williams
43She Couldn't Love Me AnymoreT. Graham Brown
9She Thinks That She'll MarryJudy Rodman
11She's Too Good to Be TrueExile
11Shine, Shine, ShineEddy Raven
11Small Town GirlSteve Wariner
11Snap Your FingersRonnie Milsap
15Somebody LiedRicky Van Shelton
53SomeoneLee Greenwood
11Somewhere TonightHighway 101
12Straight to the HeartCrystal Gayle
20SusannahTom Wopat
3719Sweet Little '66Steve Earle
107Take the Long Way HomeJohn Schneider
43Talkin' to the MoonLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
74Tar TopAlabama
36Telling Me LiesDolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris
12That Was a Close OneEarl Thomas Conley
34Then It's LoveDon Williams
12This Crazy LoveThe Oak Ridge Boys
51Those Memories of YouDolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris
11Three Time LoserDan Seals
610Till I'm Too Old to Die YoungMoe Bandy
1735Time InThe Oak Ridge Boys
11To Know Him Is to Love HimDolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris
54Too Many RiversThe Forester Sisters
615Train of MemoriesKathy Mattea
22Twenty Years AgoKenny Rogers
11The Way We Make a Broken HeartRosanne Cash
11The WeekendSteve Wariner
11What Am I Gonna Do About YouReba McEntire
97What Can I Do with My HeartJuice Newton
2010When a Woman CriesJanie Fricke
21Whiskey, If You Were a WomanHighway 101
11Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right)Restless Heart
1524Why I Don't KnowLyle Lovett
13You AgainThe Forester Sisters
11You Haven't Heard the Last of MeMoe Bandy
11You Still Move MeDan Seals
25You're My First LadyT. G. Sheppard
36You're Never Too Old for Young LoveEddy Raven
5You're the PowerKathy Mattea
11"You've Got" the TouchAlabama
1213Your LoveTammy Wynette

Singles released by Canadian artists

USCANSingleArtist
8All I Really NeedAudie Henry
2010Are You Still in Love with MeAnne Murray
6Arms That Love (Hearts That Don't)Carroll Baker
19Better Off AloneThe Good Brothers
9Cowboy PrideIan Tyson
10Death and Taxes and Me Lovin' YouCarroll Baker
15Denim Blue EyesSylvia Tyson
14Diamonds in the DarkCameron Molloy with Silver Weasel
9HeroesMercey Brothers
10I Love You MoreFamily Brown
20I've Found Someone TooAnita Perras
16Listen to My HeartStoker Bros
11New Fool at an Old GameMichelle Wright
9No Holiday in L.A.Ronnie Prophet
13None of the Feeling Is GoneTerry Carisse with Michelle Wright
3Old PhotographsTerry Carisse
8Raised by the RadioMercey Brothers
8411Roller CoasterAlibi
13Say WhenTim Taylor
14Small TalkGlory-Anne Carriere
10Starting Forever AgainTerry Carisse
15Taste of RomanceBootleg
20Too Short a RideSylvia Tyson
14True BlueAnne Lord
1TryBlue Rodeo
10Walk in the Rain TonightGary Fjellgaard
20What a Fool I'd BeColleen Peterson

Top new album releases

USAlbumArtistRecord label
16*10*Asleep at the WheelEpic
14*20 Greatest Hits*Don WilliamsMCA
1*[80's Ladies](80-s-ladies)*K. T. OslinRCA
18*After All This Time*Charley Pride16th Avenue
1*Always & Forever*Randy TravisWarner Bros.
16*American Faces*John ConleeColumbia
23*Angel Band*Emmylou HarrisWarner Bros.
7*The Best*Dan SealsCapitol
25*Borderline*Conway TwittyMCA
1*Born to Boogie*Hank Williams, Jr.Curb/Warner Bros.
23*Brilliant Conversationalist*T. Graham BrownCapitol
8*Chill Factor*Merle HaggardEpic
17*Come On Joe*Jo-El SonnierRCA
22*Cornerstone*Holly DunnMTM
21*Country Rap*The Bellamy BrothersCurb/MCA
25*Crackin' Up*Ray StevensMCA
24*The Desert Rose Band*The Desert Rose BandCurb/MCA
15*Exit 0*Steve Earle & The DukesMCA
2*Greatest Hits*Reba McEntireMCA
22*Greatest Hits*John SchneiderMCA
25*Greatest Hits*Steve WarinerMCA
1*Greatest Hits Volume Two*George StraitMCA
19*Hangin' Tough*Waylon JenningsMCA
1*Hank Live*Hank Williams, Jr.Curb/Warner Bros.
9*Harmony*Anne MurrayCapitol
13*Heart & Soul*Ronnie MilsapRCA
20*Heartbeat*The Oak Ridge BoysMCA
1*Heartland*The JuddsCurb/RCA
7*Highway 101*Highway 101Warner Bros.
1*Hillbilly Deluxe*Dwight YoakamReprise
24*Hits*Gary MorrisWarner Bros.
14*Hold On*Nitty Gritty Dirt BandWarner Bros.
18*I Prefer the Moonlight*Kenny RogersRCA
14*Island in the Sea*Willie NelsonColumbia
1*Just Us*AlabamaRCA
6*King's Record Shop*Rosanne CashColumbia
3*The Last One to Know*Reba McEntireMCA
23*Lone Star State of Mind*Nanci GriffithMCA
10*Love Me Like You Used To*Tanya TuckerCapitol
22*A Man Called Hoss*Waylon JenningsMCA
9*Maple Street Memories*The Statler BrothersMercury
1*Ocean Front Property*George StraitMCA
18*Rainbow*Dolly PartonColumbia
18*Right Hand Man*Eddy RavenRCA
5*The Royal Treatment*Billy Joe RoyalAtlantic
13*Shelter from the Night*ExileEpic
16*Somewhere in the Night*Sawyer BrownCapitol/Curb
24*Sure Feels Good*Barbara MandrellEMI America
14*Too Wild Too Long*George JonesEpic
1*Trio*Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt
& Emmylou HarrisWarner Bros.
11*Untasted Honey*Kathy MatteaMercury
13*The Way Back Home*Vince GillRCA
25*What If We Fall in Love?*Crystal Gayle & Gary MorrisWarner Bros.
14*Where the Fast Lane Ends*The Oak Ridge BoysMCA
1*Wild-Eyed Dream*Ricky Van SheltonColumbia
13*You Again*The Forester SistersWarner Bros.
10*You Haven't Heard the Last of Me*Moe BandyCurb

Other top albums

USAlbumArtistRecord label
29*After Midnight*Janie FrickieColumbia
37*Ain't No Binds*The WhitesMCA
32*Americana*Michael Martin MurpheyWarner Bros.
56*Angel with a Lariat*k.d. langSire
48*Back to Basics*Mickey GilleyEpic
27*Baillie & the Boys*Baillie & the BoysRCA
53*The Best of Crystal Gayle*Crystal GayleWarner Bros.
41*Blue Skies Again*John AndersonMCA
51*Break the Routine*The KendallsStep One
63*Celebration*Janie FrickieColumbia
66*A Christmas Card*The Forester SistersWarner Bros.
57*A Christmas Tradition*Various ArtistsWarner Bros.
49*Christmas Time with The Judds*The JuddsCurb/RCA
47*Country Collection*Various ArtistsK-Tel
48*Country Now*Various ArtistsK-Tel
50*Crazy from the Heart*The Bellamy BrothersCurb/MCA
69*A Crystal Christmas*Crystal GayleWarner Bros.
59*Emotion*Juice NewtonRCA
33*Foster & Lloyd*Foster & LloydRCA
43*Greatest Hits*Mel McDanielCapitol
59*Greatest Hits*SylviaRCA
41*Greatest Hits, Vol. 1*Ray StevensMCA
62*Greatest Hits, Vol. 2*Ray StevensMCA
28*Hard Times on Easy Street*David Lynn JonesMercury
43*Higher Ground*Tammy WynetteEpic
54*Honky Tonk Crazy*Gene WatsonEpic
38*If There's Any Justice*Lee GreenwoodMCA
29*It's a Crazy World*Steve WarinerMCA
36*Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town*Johnny CashMercury/PolyGram
54*Larry Boone*Larry BooneMercury
63*The Lonesome Jubilee*John MellencampMercury
50*A Matter of Life... and Death*David Allan CoeColumbia
72*Merry Christmas to You*Reba McEntireMCA
54*Modern Times*Johnny PaycheckMercury/PolyGram
52*No Easy Horses*S-K-BMTM
47*One for the Money*T. G. SheppardColumbia
55*The Only One*O. B. McClintonEpic
71*The Patsy Cline Story*Patsy ClineMCA
29*A Place Called Love*Judy RodmanMTM
49*Rattlesnake Annie*Rattlesnake AnnieColumbia
60*Romeo's Escape*Dave AlvinEpic
65*Rosie Flores*Rosie FloresReprise
31*Seashores of Old Mexico*Merle Haggard & Willie NelsonEpic
35*Still I Stay*Charly McClainEpic
32*Still within the Sound of My Voice*Glen CampbellMCA
26*Super Hits*George JonesEpic
39*Walking the Line*Merle Haggard, George Jones
& Willie NelsonEpic
42*What a Girl Next Door Could Do*Girls Next DoorMTM
41*You Ain't Seen the Last of Me*John SchneiderMCA

On television

Regular series

  • Dolly (1987–1988, ABC)
  • Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)

Specials

Births

  • January 31 – Tyler Hubbard, member of Florida Georgia Line, a duo of the 2010s.
  • May 7 – Russell Dickerson, country performer of the 2010s onward.
  • May 21 – Cody Johnson, Texas country singer-songwriter of the 2010s onward ("'Til You Can't").
  • August 16 – Dan Smyers, member of Dan + Shay, a rising duo of the 2010s.
  • September 25 — Greg Bates, up-and-coming country singer of the early 2010s.
  • October 17 – Jameson Rodgers, up-and-coming country singer-songwriter of the early 2020s.

Deaths

  • June 25 – Boudleaux Bryant, 67, songwriter (with wife Felice) of many 1950s and 1960s hits.

Hall of Fame inductees

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

  • Rod Brasfield (1910–1958)

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

  • Lucille Starr

Major awards

Grammy Awards

  • Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "80's Ladies", K. T. Oslin
  • Best Male Country Vocal PerformanceAlways & Forever, Randy Travis
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with VocalTrio, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris
  • Best Country Collaboration with Vocals — "Make No Mistake, She's Mine," Ronnie Milsap and Kenny Rogers
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance — "String of Pars," Asleep at the Wheel
  • Best Country Song — "Forever and Ever, Amen," Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz (Performer: Randy Travis)

Juno Awards

  • Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Ian Tyson
  • Country Female Vocalist of the Year — k.d. lang
  • Country Group or Duo of the Year — Prairie Oyster

Academy of Country Music

  • Entertainer of the Year — Hank Williams, Jr.
  • Song of the Year — "Forever and Ever, Amen," Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz (Performer: Randy Travis)
  • Single of the Year — "Forever and Ever, Amen," Randy Travis
  • Album of the YearTrio, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt
  • Top Male Vocalist — Randy Travis
  • Top Female Vocalist — Reba McEntire
  • Top Vocal Duo — The Judds
  • Top Vocal Group — Highway 101
  • Top New Male Vocalist — Ricky Van Shelton
  • Top New Female Vocalist — K. T. Oslin
  • Video of the Year — "80's Ladies", K. T. Oslin (Director: Jack Cole)

ARIA Awards

(presented in Sydney on March 2, 1987)

  • Best Country Album - Mallee Boy (John Williamson)

Canadian Country Music Association

  • Entertainer of the Year — k.d. lang
  • Male Artist of the Year — Ian Tyson
  • Female Artist of the Year — Anita Perras
  • Group of the Year — Family Brown
  • SOCAN Song of the Year — "Heroes" Gary Fjellgaard (Performer: Mercey Brothers)
  • Single of the Year — "Navajo Rug", Ian Tyson
  • Album of the YearCowboyography, Ian Tyson
  • Top Selling AlbumStorms of Life, Randy Travis
  • Vista Rising Star Award — k.d. lang
  • Duo of the Year — Anita Perras and Tim Taylor

Country Music Association

  • Entertainer of the Year — Hank Williams, Jr.
  • Song of the Year — "Forever and Ever, Amen," Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz (Performer: Randy Travis)
  • Single of the Year — "Forever and Ever, Amen," Randy Travis
  • Album of the YearAlways & Forever, Randy Travis
  • Male Vocalist of the Year — Randy Travis
  • Female Vocalist of the Year — Reba McEntire
  • Vocal Duo of the Year — Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White
  • Vocal Group of the Year — The Judds
  • Horizon Award — Holly Dunn
  • Music Video of the Year — "My Name Is Bocephus," Hank Williams, Jr. (Directors: Bill Fishman and Preacher Ewing)
  • Instrumentalist of the Year — Johnny Gimble
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