This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1977.

List of years in country music (table)
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Events

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Top hits of the year

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Number one hits

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United States

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(as certified by Billboard)

Date Single Name Artist Wks. No.1 CAN peak Spec. Note
January 8 Broken Down in Tiny Pieces Billy "Crash" Craddock 1 2 [B]
January 15 You Never Miss a Real Good Thing (Till He Says Goodbye) Crystal Gayle 1
January 22 I Can't Believe She Gives It All to Me Conway Twitty 1
January 29 Let My Love Be Your Pillow Ronnie Milsap 1
February 5 Near You George Jones and
Tammy Wynette
2 [B] – Tammy Wynette
February 19 Moody Blue Elvis Presley 1 3
February 26 Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow Tom Jones 1 [C]
March 5 Heart Healer Mel Tillis 1
March 12 She's Just an Old Love Turned Memory Charley Pride 1
March 19 Southern Nights Glen Campbell 2 2 [B]
April 2 Lucille Kenny Rogers 2 [A]
April 16 It Couldn't Have Been Any Better Johnny Duncan 1
April 23 She's Got You Loretta Lynn 1
April 30 She's Pulling Me Back Again Mickey Gilley 1
May 7 Play Guitar Play Conway Twitty 1
May 14 Some Broken Hearts Never Mend Don Williams 1 6
May 21 Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) Waylon Jennings 6 [1]
July 2 That Was Yesterday Donna Fargo 1 [B]
July 9 I'll Be Leaving Alone Charley Pride 1
July 16 It Was Almost Like a Song Ronnie Milsap 3 12
August 6 Rollin' with the Flow Charlie Rich 2
August 20 Way Down Elvis Presley 1
  • Elvis died four days before the song went to No. 1.
August 27 Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue Crystal Gayle 4
September 24 I've Already Loved You in My Mind Conway Twitty 1 4
October 1 Daytime Friends Kenny Rogers 1
October 8 Heaven's Just a Sin Away The Kendalls 4 [A]
November 5 I'm Just a Country Boy Don Williams 1
November 12 More to Me Charley Pride 1
November 19 The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want to Get Over You) Waylon Jennings 2
December 3 Here You Come Again Dolly Parton 5
Notes
  • 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
  • A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • B^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.

Canada

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(as certified by RPM)

Date Single Name Artist Wks. No.1 U.S. peak Spec. Note
January 8 Every Face Tells a Story Olivia Newton-John 1 21 [B]
January 15 Sweet Dreams Emmylou Harris 1
January 22 I Can't Believe She Gives It All to Me Conway Twitty 1
January 29 You Never Miss a Real Good Thing (Till He Says Goodbye) Crystal Gayle 2
February 12 Let My Love Be Your Pillow Ronnie Milsap 2
February 26 Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye Jim Ed Brown and
Helen Cornelius
1 2 [C] – Jim Ed Brown
[C] – Helen Cornelius
March 5 Near You George Jones and
Tammy Wynette
1
March 12 Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow Tom Jones 2 [C]
March 26 She's Just an Old Love Turned Memory Charley Pride 1
April 2 It's My Party Carroll Baker 1
April 9 Heart Healer Mel Tillis 1
April 16 Lucille Kenny Rogers 2 [A]
April 30 It Couldn't Have Been Any Better Johnny Duncan 1
May 7 She's Got You Loretta Lynn 1
May 14 She's Pulling Me Back Again Mickey Gilley 1
May 21 Play Guitar Play Conway Twitty 1
May 28 Paper Rosie Gene Watson 1 3 [C]
June 4 The Rains Came Freddy Fender 2 4 [B]
June 18 Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) Waylon Jennings 3 [1]
July 9 I'll Be Leaving Alone Charley Pride 1
July 16 That Was Yesterday Donna Fargo 2
July 30 It's Late (And I Have to Go) Carroll Baker 2
August 13 Making Believe Emmylou Harris 1 8
August 20 I Can't Love You Enough Conway Twitty and
Loretta Lynn
1 2
August 27 Susan Flowers Dick Damron 1 [B]
September 3 Rollin' with the Flow Charlie Rich 1 [B]
September 10 Way Down/Pledging My Love Elvis Presley 2 His Funeral aired on TV Channels across the country. However his funeral appeared on Der schwarze Kanal on East German Television.
September 24 Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue Crystal Gayle 2
October 8 Christopher Mary Burton & Honeyman 1 [C]
October 15 Daytime Friends Kenny Rogers 2
October 29 Heaven's Just a Sin Away The Kendalls 1 [C]
November 5 The Morning After Baby Let Me Down Carroll Baker 1
November 12 I'm Just a Country Boy Don Williams 1
November 19 We Can't Go On Living Like This Eddie Rabbitt 1 6
November 26 More to Me Charley Pride 1
December 3 The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want to Get Over You) Waylon Jennings 1
December 10 Here You Come Again Dolly Parton 2
December 24 Georgia Keeps Pulling on My Ring Conway Twitty 1 3
December 31 Sweet Music Man Kenny Rogers 1 9
Notes
  • 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by RPM.
  • A^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • B^ Last RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
  • C^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.

Other major hits

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Singles released by American artists

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US CAN Single Artist
24 16 Abilene Sonny James
4 3 Adios Amigo Marty Robbins
10 6 (After Sweet Memories) Play Born to Lose Again Dottsy
12 23 Anything but Leavin' Larry Gatlin
7 3 Are You Ready for the Country Waylon Jennings
15 20 Baby, I Love You So Joe Stampley
22 20 Baby, You Look Good to Me Tonight John Denver
19 Barbara Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know Mel Street
2 2 Blue Bayou Linda Ronstadt
11 23 Bluest Heartache of the Year Kenny Dale
12 8 Born Believer Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius
9 3 Burning Memories Mel Tillis
23 10 C.B. Savage Rod Hart
9 7 Chains of Love Mickey Gilley
7 15 Cheap Perfume and Candlelight Bobby Borchers
15 Close Enough for Lonesome Mel Street
15 50 Country Party Johnny Lee
13 33 Cowboys Ain't Supposed to Cry Moe Bandy
6 2 Crazy Linda Ronstadt
16 19 Dancing the Night Away Tanya Tucker
15 38 The Danger of a Stranger Stella Parton
5 5 Desperado Johnny Rodriguez
3 10 Don't Be Angry Donna Fargo
5 5 Don't Go City Girl on Me Tommy Overstreet
6 5 Don't Let Me Touch You Marty Robbins
15 Don't Say Goodbye Rex Allen, Jr.
5 5 Don't Throw It All Away Dave & Sugar
2 2 East Bound and Down Jerry Reed
12 13 Easy Look Charlie Rich
14 7 Everyday I Have to Cry Some Joe Stampley
19 The Feeling's Right Narvel Felts
18 Fool John Wesley Ryles
9 16 Fools Fall in Love Jacky Ward
4 3 From Graceland to the Promised Land Merle Haggard
18 Gentle to Your Senses Mel McDaniel
16 15 Hangin' On Vern Gosdin and Emmylou Harris
19 15 He Ain't You Lynn Anderson
7 4 Head to Toe Bill Anderson
12 14 Hold Me Barbara Mandrell
4 2 Honky Tonk Memories Mickey Gilley
2 5 I Can't Help Myself Eddie Rabbitt
10 7 I Don't Know Why (I Just Do) Marty Robbins
3 I Don't Wanna Cry Larry Gatlin
3 3 I Got the Hoss Mel Tillis
15 10 I Just Came Home to Count the Memories Cal Smith
9 20 I Love You a Thousand Ways Willie Nelson
8 8 I Was There The Statler Brothers
2 3 I'll Do It All Over Again Crystal Gayle
10 17 I'm Getting Good at Missing You (Solitaire) Rex Allen, Jr.
2 4 I'm Knee Deep in Loving You Dave & Sugar
11 29 I'm Not Easy Billie Jo Spears
9 9 I'm Sorry for You, My Friend Moe Bandy
8 6 I'm the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised) Johnny Paycheck
16 I've Got You (To Come Home To) Don King
12 18 If It Ain't Love by Now Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius
11 12 If Love Was a Bottle of Wine Tommy Overstreet
5 5 If Practice Makes Perfect Johnny Rodriguez
2 2 If We're Not Back in Love by Monday Merle Haggard
11 16 If You Don't Love Me (Why Don't You Just Leave Me Alone) Freddy Fender
16 If You Ever Get to Houston (Look Me Down) Don Gibson
20 17 If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody Dickey Lee
8 17 If You Want Me Billie Jo Spears
15 30 In the Jailhouse Now Sonny James
7 2 It's a Cowboy Lovin' Night Tanya Tucker
12 8 It's All in the Game Tom T. Hall
14 It's Nothin' to Me Jim Reeves
13 8 The King Is Gone Ronnie McDowell
7 28 Let Me Down Easy Cristy Lane
6 8 (Let's Get Together) One Last Time Tammy Wynette
6 5 Liars One, Believers Zero Bill Anderson
11 4 Light of a Clear Blue Morning Dolly Parton
21 10 Look Who I'm Cheatin' on Tonight Bobby Bare
3 6 Love Is Just a Game Larry Gatlin
12 Love's Explosion Margo Smith
19 Loving Arms Sammi Smith
20 18 Lovin' On T. G. Sheppard
14 16 A Mansion on the Hill Ray Price
13 8 Margaritaville Jimmy Buffett
3 3 Married But Not to Each Other Barbara Mandrell
15 12 Me and Millie (Stompin' Grapes and Gettin' Silly) Ronnie Sessions
16 31 Midnight Angel Barbara Mandrell
27 9 Mobile Boogie Hank Williams, Jr.
9 6 Mockingbird Hill Donna Fargo
17 27 Mother Country Music Vern Gosdin
10 15 The Movies The Statler Brothers
20 My Good Thing's Gone Narvel Felts
24 14 My Mountain Dew Charlie Rich
43 12 New Kid in Town Eagles
11 9 The Old Man and His Horn Gene Watson
5 9 Once in a Lifetime Thing John Wesley Ryles
6 17 One of a Kind Tammy Wynette
13 The Pay Phone Bob Luman
13 23 The Pleasure's Been All Mine Freddie Hart
2 3 Ramblin' Fever Merle Haggard
12 7 Ridin' Rainbows Tanya Tucker
17 18 Right Time of the Night Jennifer Warnes
2 5 Roses for Mama C. W. McCall
14 Savin' This Love Song for You Johnny Rodriguez
19 21 Semolita Jerry Reed
8 17 Shame on Me Donna Fargo
11 16 Shame Shame on Me (I Had Planned to Be Your Man) Kenny Dale
11 2 She Just Loved the Cheatin' Out of Me Moe Bandy
11 She Took More Than Her Share Moe Bandy
17 She's the Girl of My Dreams Don King
18 10 Silver Medals and Sweet Memories The Statler Brothers
19 32 Sing a Sad Song Wynn Stewart
7 7 Slide Off Your Satin Sheets Johnny Paycheck
5 5 A Song in the Night Johnny Duncan
5 17 Southern California George Jones and Tammy Wynette
5 4 Statues Without Hearts Larry Gatlin
11 13 Still the One Bill Anderson
4 7 Sunflower Glen Campbell
7 4 A Tear Fell Billy "Crash" Craddock
16 25 Ten Years of This Gary Stewart
11 4 Thank God She's Mine Freddie Hart
7 6 That's the Way Love Should Be Dave & Sugar
11 49 There She Goes Again Joe Stampley
20 This Time I'm in It for the Love Tommy Overstreet
7 37 Till the End Vern Gosdin
18 11 Too Much Is Not Enough Billie Jo Spears
3 3 Torn Between Two Lovers Mary MacGregor
18 Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa Randy Barlow
3 2 Two Dollars in the Jukebox Eddie Rabbitt
8 4 Two Less Lonely People Rex Allen, Jr.
4 4 Uncloudy Day Willie Nelson
22 12 Virginia, How Far Will You Go Dickey Lee
18 What a Way to Go Bobby Borchers
21 14 What're You Doing Tonight Janie Fricke
19 12 When It's Just You and Me Dottie West
18 22 Where Are You Going, Billy Boy Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner
12 19 Whispers Bobby Borchers
7 6 Why Can't He Be You Loretta Lynn
8 3 Why Lovers Turn to Strangers Freddie Hart
16 9 Wiggle Wiggle Ronnie Sessions
16 8 A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today Merle Haggard
12 6 Wrap Your Love All Around Your Man Lynn Anderson
3 2 Y'all Come Back Saloon The Oak Ridge Boys
9 11 Yesterday's Gone Vern Gosdin and Emmylou Harris
4 6 You Light Up My Life Debby Boone
6 4 (You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie Emmylou Harris
16 11 You Ought to Hear Me Cry Willie Nelson
9 21 You're Free to Go Sonny James
4 11 Your Man Loves You Honey Tom T. Hall
11 7 Your Place or Mine Gary Stewart
20 Your Pretty Roses Came Too Late Lois Johnson

Singles released by Canadian artists

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US CAN Single Artist
13 Here Comes Yesterday R. Harlan Smith
17 Hey Good Lookin' Bob Lucier
14 Homemade Wine The Good Brothers
8 I'd Love You Like Nobody Dared To Chris Nielsen
18 If I Believed in Myself Mercey Brothers
9 It's Crying Time for Me Dallas Harms
20 Jamie Mercey Brothers
7 Jukebox Lover Family Brown
27 11 The Last of the Winfield Amateurs Ray Griff
11 Leroy Can't Go Home Orval Prophet
10 Lovin' Fool Family Brown
10 Michelle's Song Russell Thornberry
18 On the Road Again Burton & Honeyman
28 20 A Passing Thing Ray Griff
19 Phone Call from Allyson Ronnie Prophet
14 Race Among the Ruins Gordon Lightfoot
20 Rocky Road Glory-Anne Carriere
19 Shadow of a Man Mike Graham
14 Shilo Song Gene MacLellan with Anne Murray
11 Sing a Song of Love Family Brown
13 Tulsa Turnaround Gustafson
13 Waylon's T-shirt Dick Damron
7 Wiggle It a Little Rondini
16 Winestoned Plowboy Nestor Pistor
9 Woman Alone Glory-Anne Carriere
19 Would You Still Love Me Mike Graham

Top new album releases

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Single Artist Record Label
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes Jimmy Buffett MCA
Fargo Country Donna Fargo Warner Bros.
Here You Come Again Dolly Parton RCA
Ol' Waylon Waylon Jennings RCA
She's Just an Old Love Turned Memory Charley Pride RCA
Take This Job and Shove It Johnny Paycheck Epic

Other new albums

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Single Artist Record Label
Billy Boy & Mary Lou Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner MCA
Daytime Friends Kenny Rogers United Artists
Happiness Margo Smith Warner Bros.
I Remember Patsy Loretta Lynn MCA
If You Want Me Billie Jo Spears United Artists
It Was Almost Like a Song Ronnie Milsap RCA
Kenny Rogers Kenny Rogers United Artists
Scorpio Bill Anderson MCA
Southern Nights Glen Campbell Capitol
To Lefty From Willie Willie Nelson Columbia
Y'all Come Back Saloon Oak Ridge Boys Dot

Births

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Deaths

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  • March 22 – Stoney Cooper, 58, bluegrass and gospel singer who best known for his series of recordings with wife, Wilma Lee (as Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper), from the 1940s through early 1960s.
  • May 31 – Lloyd Perryman, 60, member of the Sons of the Pioneers.
  • July 16 — Marg Osburne, 49, "The Girl from the Singing Hills", of CBC Radio and CBC Television fame.
  • August 16 — Elvis Presley, 42, "The King," cross-genre celebrity who fused rhythm and blues, rockabilly and country music to become popular with country and rock audiences (heart failure).
  • October 14 — Bing Crosby, 74, one of popular music's all-time leading performers; several of his 1930s and 1940s hits became hugely popular with country fans (including "Pistol Packin' Mama," the first-ever Billboard country No. 1 song). (heart attack)

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

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Major awards

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Grammy Awards

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Juno Awards

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Academy of Country Music

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Country Music Association

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Further reading

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  • Kingsbury, Paul, "The Grand Ole Opry: History of Country Music. 70 Years of the Songs, the Stars and the Stories," Villard Books, Random House; Opryland USA, 1995
  • 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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