1953 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1953.

List of years in country music (table)

Events

  • January 1 — Hank Williams, due to play a New Year's Day show in Canton, Ohio, dies sometime after midnight in the rear seat of his Cadillac, somewhere between Knoxville, Tennessee and Oak Hill, West Virginia. He was 29. Stories conflict on what happened in the final hours of his life, but what is not disputed is that his death gave rise to the legend. In the 60-plus years following his death, Williams' songs would be covered countless times, singers and songwriters would directly cite him as an influence, and his son – Hank Williams, Jr., would become a star in his own right. The last song released in his lifetime was "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive."

Top hits of the year

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

Date Single Name Artist Wks. No.1 Spec. Note
January 10 Midnight Red Foley 1
January 24 I'll Go on Alone Marty Robbins 2 [A], [2]
January 24 I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys 1
  • The first of four posthumous Number Ones recorded by Hank Williams.
January 31 No Help Wanted The Carlisles 4 [B]
January 31 Eddy's Song Eddy Arnold 3
February 7 I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes Goldie Hill 3 [B]
  • With this song, Goldie Hill became the second solo female artist to have a Number One country single.
February 21 Kaw-Liga Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys 13 [1]
April 11 Your Cheatin' Heart Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys 6 [2]
May 9 Mexican Joe Jim Reeves 9 [A], [2]
June 6 Take These Chains from My Heart Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys 4 [2]
July 11 It's Been So Long Webb Pierce 8 [2]
August 1 Rub-a-Dub-Dub Hank Thompson and His Brazo Valley Boys 3 [2]
August 22 Hey Joe Carl Smith 8 [2]
August 29 A Dear John Letter Ferlin Husky and Jean Shepard 6 [B] – Jean Shepard
[2]
October 17 I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know The Davis Sisters 8 [B], [2]
  • The first Billboard Number One by a female country act, a record that would remain until The Judds with "Mama He's Crazy" in 1984.
  • This song became a posthumous Number One hit after the death of member Betty Jack Davis in a car accident in August.
November 21 There Stands the Glass Webb Pierce 12 [2]
December 12 Caribbean Mitchell Torok 2 [B]
December 19 Let Me Be the One Hank Locklin 3 [A], [2]
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 in Juke Boxes," "Most Played by Jockeys" and "National Best Sellers" charts.

Other major hits

US Single Artist
5 Bumming Around Jimmy Dean
5 Bumming Around T. Texas Tyler
4 Crying in the Chapel Rex Allen
4 Crying in the Chapel Darrell Glenn
7 Dear Joan Jack Cardwell
3 Death of Hank Williams Jack Cardwell
9 Divorce Granted Ernest Tubb
6 Do I Like It? Carl Smith
8 Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes Red Foley
9 Don't Throw Your Life Away Webb Pierce
3 Fool Such as I Hank Snow
10 For Now and Always Hank Snow
4 Forgive Me, John Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky
4 Free Home Demonstration Eddy Arnold
4 The Gal Who Invented Kissin' Hank Snow
6 Gambler's Guitar Rusty Draper
2 Goin' Steady Faron Young
8 Hey Joe Kitty Wells
8 Hey, Mr. Cotton Picker Tennessee Ernie Ford
7 (Honey, Baby, Hurry!) Bring Your Sweet Self Back to Me Lefty Frizzell
9 Honeymoon on a Rocket Ship Hank Snow
6 Hot Toddy Red Foley
2 (How Much Is) That Hound Dog in the Window? Homer and Jethro
4 How's the World Treating You Eddy Arnold
5 I Can't Wait (For the Sun to Go Down) Faron Young
5 I Couldn't Keep from Crying Marty Robbins
10 I Found Out More Than You Ever Knew Betty Cody
5 I Haven't Got the Heart Webb Pierce
10 (I Just Had a Date) A Lover's Quarrel George Morgan
4 I Won't Be Home No More Hank Williams
4 I'll Go on Alone Webb Pierce
3 I'm an Old, Old Man Lefty Frizzell
2 Is Zat You, Myrtle The Carlisles
7 Just Wait 'Til I Get You Alone Carl Smith
3 Keep It a Secret Slim Whitman
3 Knothole The Carlisles
4 The Last Waltz Webb Pierce
4 Mama, Come Get Your Baby Boy Eddy Arnold
10 Marriage of Mexican Joe Carolyn Bradshaw
9 No Help Wanted Hank Thompson
7 No Help Wanted #2 Ernest Tubb
8 North Wind Slim Whitman
3 Older and Bolder Eddy Arnold
4 Orchids Mean Goodbye Carl Smith
6 Paying for That Back Street Affair Kitty Wells
7 Satisfaction Guaranteed Carl Smith
7 Seven Lonely Days Bonnie Lou
6 Shake a Hand Red Foley
8 Slaves of a Hopeless Love Affair Red Foley
3 Spanish Fire Ball Hank Snow
6 Tennessee Wig Walk Bonnie Lou
4 That's All Right Autry Inman
4 That's Me Without You Webb Pierce
9 That's Me Without You Sonny James
9 That's the Kind of Love I'm Looking For Carl Smith
7 Till I Waltz Again with You Tommy Sosebee
4 Too Young to Tango Sunrise Ruby
2 Trademark Carl Smith
7 Weary Blues from Waitin' Hank Williams
6 When Mexican Joe Met Jole Blon Hank Snow
8 Yesterday's Girl Hank Thompson

Births

Deaths

  • January 1 — Hank Williams, 29, country music singing-songwriting giant and pioneer.

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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