1952 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1952.

List of years in country music (table)

Events

No dates

  • The life of Hank Williams continues its downward spiral. Even though he enjoys several major hits, his drug and alcohol problems ruin his marriage to Audrey (the divorce was finalized on May 29), and in October, he is fired from the Grand Ole Opry. Williams marries Billie Jean Jones Eshliman in October in New Orleans, Louisiana, and rejoins Louisiana Hayride about that same time. Also during the year, he makes what turn out to be his final recordings.

Top hits of the year

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

Date Single Name Artist Wks. No.1 Spec. Note
February 2 Give Me More, More, More (Of Your Kisses) Lefty Frizzell 3 [2]
March 1 Wondering Webb Pierce 4 [A]
March 29 (When You Feel Like You're in Love) Don't Just Stand There Carl Smith 8 [2]
May 3 Easy on the Eyes Eddy Arnold 1
May 10 The Wild Side of Life Hank Thompson and His Brazo Valley Boys 15 [1]
July 12 That Heart Belongs to Me Webb Pierce 3 [2]
July 19 Are You Teasing Me Carl Smith 1
August 16 A Full-Time Job Eddy Arnold 4
August 23 It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels Kitty Wells 6 [A]
  • The answer song to Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life".
  • With this song, Kitty Wells became the first solo female artist to have a Billboard Number One.
September 6 Jambalaya (On the Bayou) Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys 14 [2]
December 6 Back Street Affair Webb Pierce 4 [2]
December 6 Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes Slim Willet 1 [B]
December 27 Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes Skeets McDonald 3 [B]
Notes
  • 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
  • 2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
  • A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • B^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
Note: Several songs were simultaneous No. 1 hits on the separate "Most Played Juke Box Folk (later Country & Western) Records," "Best Selling Retail Folk (later Country & Western) Records) and – starting December 10 – "Country & Western Records Most Played by Folk Disk Jockeys" charts.

Other major hits

US Single Artist
2 Almost George Morgan
4 Baby, We're Really in Love Hank Williams
6 Blackberry Boogie Tennessee Ernie Ford
5 Blue Christmas Ernest Tubb
4 Bundle of Southern Sunshine Eddy Arnold
8 Busybody Pee Wee King
9 Call Her Your Sweetheart Eddy Arnold
4 Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes Ray Price
2 Don't Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold) Lefty Frizzell
6 Forever (And Always) Lefty Frizzell
5 Fortunes in Memories Ernest Tubb
2 The Gold Rush Is Over Hank Snow
2 Half as Much Hank Williams
2 Honky Tonk Blues Hank Williams
7 How Long Will It Take (To Stop Loving You) Lefty Frizzell
7 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Jimmy Boyd
3 I Went to Your Wedding Hank Snow
9 I'd Trade All of My Tomorrows (For Just One Yesterday) Eddy Arnold
2 Indian Love Call Slim Whitman
5 It's a Lovely, Lovely World Carl Smith
2 Lady's Man Hank Snow
2 Let's Live a Little Carl Smith
10 Love Song of the Waterfall Slim Whitman
8 Married by the Bible, Divorced by the Law Hank Snow
8 Milk Bucket Boogie Red Foley
3 Missing in Action Ernest Tubb
4 Music Makin' Mama from Memphis Hank Snow
10 My Heart Is Broken in Three Slim Whitman
10 The New Wears Off Too Fast Hank Thompson
6 Our Honeymoon Carl Smith
8 Salty Dog Rag Red Foley
2 Settin' the Woods on Fire Hank Williams
5 Silver and Gold Pee Wee King
7 Slow Poke Hawkshaw Hawkins
9 Somebody's Stolen My Honey Ernest Tubb
3 Talk to Your Heart Ray Price
7 Three Ways of Knowing Johnnie & Jack
10 Till the End of the World Bing Crosby and Grady Martin
8 'Tis Sweet to Be Remembered Cowboy Copas
9 'Tis Sweet to Be Remembered Flatt & Scruggs
5 Too Old to Cut the Mustard Ernest Tubb and Red Foley
6 Too Old to Cut the Mustard The Carlisles
3 Waiting in the Lobby of Your Heart Hank Thompson
6 The Wild Side of Life Burl Ives and Grady Martin
10 You Win Again Hank Williams

Births

Deaths

  • March 22 — Uncle Dave Macon, 81, country music pioneer; comedian and banjo player; the first major star of the Grand Ole Opry.
  • May 4 – J.L. "Joe" Frank, 52, music executive.
  • December 4 – Rabon Delmore, 36, one half of the old-time harmony duo Delmore Brothers.

Further reading

  • Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947–1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 (ISBN 0-8118-3572-3)
  • Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-06-273244-7)
  • Whitburn, Joel. "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.
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