This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1983.

List of years in country music (table)
+...

Events

edit
  • March — In a span of two days, two major cable networks signed on the air. Country Music Television (CMT) went on-the-air March 5, while The Nashville Network (TNN) came on two days later on March 7. CMT (originally called "CMTV") was chiefly video-oriented, while TNN offered more feature-oriented programming.

Top hits of the year

edit

Singles released by American artists

edit
US CAN Single Artist
19 23 After the Great Depression Razzy Bailey
10 After the Last Goodbye Gus Hardin
7 27 Ain't No Trick (It Takes Magic) Lee Greenwood
13 3 All My Life Kenny Rogers
20 16 Almost Called Her Baby by Mistake Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers Band
4 1 Amarillo by Morning George Strait
1 12 American Made The Oak Ridge Boys
17 17 Anybody Else's Heart but Mine Terri Gibbs
9 Atlanta Burned Again Last Night Atlanta
4 Baby I Lied Deborah Allen
1 1 Baby, What About You Crystal Gayle
2 1 The Bird Jerry Reed
1 1 Black Sheep John Anderson
20 25 Born to Love Me Ray Charles
18 7 The Boy Gets Around Sylvia
10 4 Breakin' Down Waylon Jennings
10 18 C.C. Waterback Merle Haggard/George Jones
1 Can't Even Get the Blues Reba McEntire
17 A Child of the Fifties The Statler Brothers
1 1 The Closer You Get Alabama
1 1 Common Man John Conlee
15 12 The Conversation Waylon Jennings with Hank Williams, Jr.
9 39 Dance Little Jean Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
11 Dixie Dreaming Atlanta
1 1 Dixieland Delight Alabama
9 22 Don't Count the Rainy Days Michael Martin Murphey
1 1 Don't You Know How Much I Love You Ronnie Milsap
13 11 Down on the Corner Jerry Reed
9 10 Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) Lacy J. Dalton
18 Everybody's Dream Girl Dan Seals
7 5 Everything's Beautiful in Its Own Way Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson
19 Eyes of a Stranger David Wills
1 1 Faking Love T. G. Sheppard and Karen Brooks
10 Feel Right Tanya Tucker
1 2 A Fire I Can't Put Out George Strait
4 8 Flight 309 to Tennessee Shelly West
20 20 Fly Into Love Charly McClain
1 1 Fool for Your Love Mickey Gilley
4 8 Foolin' Johnny Rodriguez
5 7 Goin' Down Hill John Anderson
1 1 Going Where the Lonely Go Merle Haggard
4 4 Gonna Go Huntin' Tonight Hank Williams, Jr.
19 39 A Good Night's Love Tammy Wynette
16 31 Good Ole Boys Jerry Reed
9 16 Guilty The Statler Brothers
9 5 Hangin' Around The Whites
1 1 He's a Heartache (Looking for a Place to Happen) Janie Fricke
6 3 Heartache Tonight Conway Twitty
2 1 Hey Bartender Johnny Lee
1 1 Highway 40 Blues Ricky Skaggs
20 7 Hold On, I'm Comin' Waylon Jennings & Jerry Reed
1 2 Holding Her and Loving You Earl Thomas Conley
10 2 Honkytonk Man Marty Robbins
1 1 Houston (Means I'm One Day Closer to You) Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers Band
6 16 How Could I Love Her So Much Johnny Rodriguez
6 4 I.O.U. Lee Greenwood
1 6 I Always Get Lucky with You George Jones
10 3 I Don't Remember Loving You John Conlee
2 3 I Have Loved You Girl (But Not Like This Before) Earl Thomas Conley
4 3 I Love Her Mind The Bellamy Brothers
17 I Love How You Love Me Glen Campbell
19 I Still Love You in the Same Ol' Way Moe Bandy
20 I Wish I Was in Nashville Mel McDaniel
8 14 I Wonder Rosanne Cash
10 10 I Wonder Where We'd Be Tonight Vern Gosdin
9 14 I Wonder Who's Holding My Baby Tonight The Whites
1 1 I Wouldn't Change You If I Could Ricky Skaggs
5 1 I'm Movin' On Emmylou Harris
1 2 I'm Only in It for the Love John Conlee
1 1 If Hollywood Don't Need You (Honey I Still Do) Don Williams
19 If It Was Easy Ed Bruce
5 39 If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right) Vern Gosdin
10 10 In the Middle of the Night Mel Tillis
4 6 In Times Like These Barbara Mandrell
1 1 Inside Ronnie Milsap
1 1 Islands in the Stream Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton
14 It Hasn't Happened Yet Rosanne Cash
29 19 The Jogger Bobby Bare
1 1 Jose Cuervo Shelly West
1 1 Lady Down on Love Alabama
2 1 Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning Willie Nelson
6 7 Leave Them Boys Alone Hank Williams, Jr.
10 27 Let's Get Over Them Together Moe Bandy (featuring Becky Hobbs)
2 1 Like Nothing Ever Happened Sylvia
10 20 Little Old Fashioned Karma Willie Nelson
15 13 Lonely But Only for You Sissy Spacek
1 3 (Lost His Love) On Our Last Date Emmylou Harris
2 1 Lost in the Feeling Conway Twitty
5 5 Lost My Baby Blues David Frizzell
11 18 Love Affairs Michael Martin Murphey
1 1 Love is On a Roll Don Williams
5 27 The Love She Found in Me Gary Morris
1 1 Love Song The Oak Ridge Boys
3 1 A Love Song Kenny Rogers
1 4 Lucille (You Won't Do Your Daddy's Will) Waylon Jennings
17 The Man in the Mirror Jim Glaser
6 2 Marina del Rey George Strait
5 11 Midnight Fire Steve Wariner
7 3 More and More Charley Pride
20 Movin' Train The Kendalls
23 13 My Baby Don't Slow Dance Johnny Lee
6 33 My First Taste of Texas Ed Bruce
9 My Lady Loves Me (Just As I Am) Leon Everette
1 6 New Looks from an Old Lover B. J. Thomas
1 1 Night Games Charley Pride
2 1 Nobody but You Don Williams
2 26 Oh Baby Mine (I Get So Lonely) The Statler Brothers
1 1 One of a Kind Pair of Fools Barbara Mandrell
12 42 Only If There Is Another You Moe Bandy
1 1 Our Love Is on the Faultline Crystal Gayle
18 Outside Lookin' In Bandana
15 Over You Lane Brody
1 1 Pancho and Lefty Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
1 1 Paradise Tonight Charly McClain and Mickey Gilley
10 11 Personally Ronnie McDowell
12 Poor Side of Town Joe Stampley
20 13 Potential New Boyfriend Dolly Parton
19 Precious Love The Kendalls
5 6 Queen of My Heart Hank Williams, Jr.
6 7 Reasons to Quit Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson
4 2 The Ride David Allan Coe
1 1 The Rose Conway Twitty
6 2 Save Me Louise Mandrell
5 4 Scarlet Fever Kenny Rogers
15 6 Shadows on My Mind Leon Everette
15 10 Shame on the Moon Bob Seger
3 8 Shine On (Shine All Your Sweet Love on Me) George Jones
19 Shot Full of Love Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
17 19 Singing the Blues Gail Davies
5 3 Snapshot Sylvia
28 14 So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) Emmylou Harris
1 2 Somebody's Gonna Love You Lee Greenwood
9 6 Sometimes I Get Lucky and Forget Gene Watson
6 9 Sounds Like Love Johnny Lee
3 17 Still Taking Chances Michael Martin Murphey
5 1 Stranger in My House Ronnie Milsap
15 15 Strong Weakness The Bellamy Brothers
1 4 Swingin' John Anderson
1 3 Talk to Me Mickey Gilley
1 1 Tell Me a Lie Janie Fricke
2 1 Tennessee Whiskey George Jones
3 24 Thank God for Kids The Oak Ridge Boys
1 12 'Til I Gain Control Again Crystal Gayle
10 Today My World Slipped Away Vern Gosdin
10 26 Too Hot to Sleep Louise Mandrell
4 5 Touch Me (I'll Be Your Fool Once More) Tom Jones
9 31 Velvet Chains Gary Morris
5 3 Way Down Deep Vern Gosdin
1 1 We've Got Tonight Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
3 2 What Am I Gonna Do (With the Rest of My Life) Merle Haggard
18 What I Learned from Loving You Lynn Anderson
5 3 What She Don't Know Won't Hurt Her Gene Watson
1 1 Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love B. J. Thomas
1 5 When I'm Away from You The Bellamy Brothers
16 When You're Not a Lady Jim Glaser
10 13 Where Are You Spendin' Your Nights These Days David Frizzell
1 4 Why Baby Why Charley Pride
3 1 Why Do I Have to Choose Willie Nelson
7 45 Why Do We Want (What We Know We Can't Have) Reba McEntire
14 15 Wild Montana Skies John Denver & Emmylou Harris
4 10 The Wind Beneath My Wings Gary Morris
7 6 With You Charly McClain
12 10 Without You T. G. Sheppard
1 1 You Can't Run from Love Eddie Rabbitt
4 3 You Don't Know Love Janie Fricke
10 4 You Put the Beat in My Heart Eddie Rabbitt
1 9 You Take Me for Granted Merle Haggard
18 20 You're a Hard Dog (To Keep Under the Porch) Gail Davies
1 1 You're Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation Ronnie McDowell
2 5 You're Out Doing What I'm Here Doing Without Gene Watson
1 5 You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving Reba McEntire
2 1 You've Got a Lover Ricky Skaggs
5 6 Your Love Shines Through Mickey Gilley
1 8 Your Love's on the Line Earl Thomas Conley

Singles released by Canadian artists

edit
US CAN Single Artist
10 Born Again Terry Sumsion
19 Come January (You're My June) Lou Natale
19 Could It Be Love Kelita Haverland
5 Country Fever Dallas Harms
10 Does Your Heart Still Belong to Me Marie Bottrell
8 Dressed to Kill Gilles Godard
12 Everybody Wants to Be Single Marie Bottrell
7 Face in the Mirror Albert Hall
8 Fooling with Fire Dallas Harms
1 Honky Tonkin' (All Night Long) Dallas Harms
18 I Need a Lover Ronnie Prophet
12 I've Already Left You (In My Mind) Mercey Brothers
86 8 If Tomorrow Never Comes Ray Griff
1 1 A Little Good News Anne Murray
8 Love Hangover Carroll Baker
18 Loving You Needing You Eddie Eastman
8 Memorized by Heart Family Brown
18 Never Did Like That Train Murray McLauchlan
17 One Less Lonely Night Jessie Burns
17 Only the Names Have Been Changed Marie Bottrell
9 Pressures of Progress Harold MacIntyre
18 Right or Wrong Carroll Baker
7 3 Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye Anne Murray
9 Two Bits Worth of Hurtin' Paul Weber
67 4 We Really Got a Hold on Love Family Brown
14 What's He Doin' at the Door David Thompson
9 Where Beauty Lives in Memory Paul Weber

Top new album releases

edit
US Album Artist Record Label
16 20 Greatest Hits Kenny Rogers Liberty
9 All the People Are Talkin' John Anderson Warner Bros.
2 American Made The Oak Ridge Boys MCA
5 Burlap & Satin Dolly Parton RCA
5 Cage the Songbird Crystal Gayle Warner Bros.
8 Castles in the Sand David Allan Coe Columbia
10 Cheat the Night Deborah Allen RCA
1 The Closer You Get... Alabama RCA
23 Crystal Gayle's Greatest Hits Crystal Gayle Columbia
25 A Decade of Hits Charlie Daniels Epic
1 Deliver The Oak Ridge Boys MCA
22 Dirty Looks Juice Newton Capitol
1 Don't Cheat in Our Hometown Ricky Skaggs Epic
9 Don't Let Our Dreams Die Young Tom Jones Mercury
3 Don't Make It Easy for Me Earl Thomas Conley RCA
20 Dream Baby Lacy J. Dalton Columbia
10 Exile Exile Epic
1 Eyes That See in the Dark Kenny Rogers RCA
20 Fool for Your Love Mickey Gilley Epic
22 Greatest Hits Vol. II Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Columbia
4 Greatest Hits Vol. II Eddie Rabbitt Warner Bros.
17 Hangin' Up My Heart Sissy Spacek Atlantic
15 Hey Bartender Johnny Lee Warner Bros.
17 If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right) Vern Gosdinal Compleat
9 In My Eyes John Conlee MCA
10 It's Only Rock + Roll Waylon Jennings RCA
17 John Conlee's Greatest Hits John Conlee MCA
2 Keyed Up Ronnie Milsap RCA
9 A Little Good News Anne Murray Capitol
10 Love Lies Janie Fricke Columbia
16 The Man in the Mirror Jim Glaser Noble Vision
3 Man of Steel Hank Williams Jr. Warner Bros./Curb
16 Movin' Train The Kendalls Mercury
13 New Looks B. J. Thomas Cleveland Int'l.
20 Night Games Charley Pride RCA
22 Old Familiar Feeling The Whites Warner Bros./Curb
24 Our Best to You David Frizzell & Shelly West Warner Bros./Viva
1 Pancho & Lefty Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson Epic
21 Paradise Charly McClain Epic
23 Personally Ronnie McDowell Epic
1 Right or Wrong George Strait MCA
7 Shine On George Jones Epic
17 Slow Burn T. G. Sheppard Warner Bros./Curb
7 Snapshot Sylvia RCA
25 Some Memories Just Won't Die Marty Robbins Columbia
3 Somebody's Gonna Love You Lee Greenwood MCA
16 Sometimes I Get Lucky Gene Watson MCA
5 Spun Gold Barbara Mandrell MCA
7 Strong Stuff Hank Williams, Jr. Elektra/Curb
5 T. G. Sheppard's Greatest Hits T. G. Sheppard Warner Bros./Curb
3 Take It to the Limit Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings Columbia
8 That's the Way Love Goes Merle Haggard Epic
10 Today The Statler Brothers Mercury
4 Tougher Than Leather Willie Nelson Columbia
12 Waylon and Company Waylon Jennings RCA
3 We've Got Tonight Kenny Rogers Liberty
6 West by West Shelly West Warner Bros./Viva
22 White Shoes Emmylou Harris Warner Bros.
6 Why Lady Why Gary Morris Warner Bros.
3 Without a Song Willie Nelson Columbia
6 The Woman in Me Charly McClain Epic
8 Wynonna & Naomi The Judds RCA/Curb
12 Yellow Moon Don Williams MCA
24 You've Really Got a Hold on Me Mickey Gilley Epic

Other top albums

edit
US Album Artist Record Label
34 After All This Time Mel Tillis MCA
61 All-American Cowboys Various Artists Kat Family
41 All-American Redneck Randy Howard Warner Bros.
35 All Time Heart Touching Favorites Roger Whittaker Main Street
61 Back Lynn Anderson Permian
36 Behind the Scene Reba McEntire Mercury
48 Better Days Guy Clark Warner Bros.
61 Bill Monroe and Friends Bill Monroe MCA
57 Classic Conway Conway Twitty MCA
70 Classic Country Albert Coleman's Atlanta Pops Epic
30 Close Up Louise Mandrell RCA
56 Country Boy's Heart Ronnie McDowell Epic
63 Country Christmas, Volume 2 Various Artists RCA
36 Country Classics Charley Pride RCA
50 Dangerous Tony Joe White Columbia
35 Delia Bell Delia Bell Warner Bros.
41 Devoted to Your Memory Moe Bandy Columbia
28 The Epic Collection (Recorded Live) Merle Haggard Epic
66 Even the Strong Get Lonely Tammy Wynette Epic
64 Footprints in the Sand Cristy Lane LS/Liberty
30 For Every Rose Johnny Rodriguez Epic
27 The Great American Dream B. J. Thomas Cleveland Int'l.
33 Greatest Hits Razzy Bailey RCA
63 Greatest Hits Lacy J. Dalton Columbia
41 Greatest Hits Johnny Lee Warner Bros.
67 Greatest Hits Ray Stevens RCA
31 Gus Hardin Gus Hardin RCA
42 Harvest Moon Joe Waters New Colony
27 The Heart Never Lies Michael Martin Murphey Liberty
44 Heart to Heart Merle Haggard & Leona Williams Mercury
38 Hello in There David Allan Coe Columbia
35 I Was the One Elvis Presley RCA
55 It's About Time John Denver RCA
65 The Jim Reeves Medley Jim Reeves RCA
27 Jones Country George Jones Epic
34 Leon Everette Leon Everette RCA
61 Let the Hard Times Roll McGuffey Lane Atco
26 Let's Go Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Liberty
36 A Lifetime of Song 1951–1982 Marty Robbins Columbia
27 Lost in the Feeling Conway Twitty Warner Bros.
60 Lyin', Cheatin', Woman Chasin',
Honky Tonkin', Whiskey Drinkin' You
Loretta Lynn MCA
48 Master of the Art Ray Price Viva
36 Memory Lane Joe Stampley Epic
37 Merry Twismas from Conway Twitty
and His Little Friends
Conway Twitty Warner Bros.
39 Midnight Fire Steve Wariner RCA
62 My Fingers Do the Talkin' Jerry Lee Lewis MCA
49 The Nashville Sessions Dean Martin Warner Bros.
63 Naturally Country Mel McDaniel Capitol
65 New Horizons Dottie West Liberty
35 ...Not the Man I Used to Be Boxcar Willie Main Street
32 On My Own Again David Frizzell Viva
35 One Particular Harbour Jimmy Buffett MCA
32 Over Easy Terri Gibbs MCA
34 Ready Jerry Reed RCA
40 Rebel Heart Dan Seals Liberty
26 Red Hot Shelly West Viva
54 Those Were the Days Gary Stewart & Dean Dillon RCA
30 Today My World Slipped Away Vern Gosdin AMI
26 Too Hot to Sleep Louise Mandrell RCA
48 Viva Porter Wagoner Porter Wagoner Warner Bros.
48 What Can I Say Gail Davies Warner Bros.
29 Wish You Were Here Tonight Ray Charles Columbia
64 Work It out with Chet Atkins C.G.P. Chet Atkins Columbia
35 You're Not Leavin' Here Tonight Ed Bruce MCA

On television

edit

Regular series

edit

Specials

edit

Births

edit

Deaths

edit
  • April 6 — Cliff Carlisle, 79, country yodeler of the 1930s and steel guitar pioneer.
  • October 20 — Merle Travis, 65, singer and composer of classic songs such as "Sixteen Tons", "Dark as a Dungeon", "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed" and "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette." (heart attack)

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

edit

Major awards

edit

Grammy Awards

edit

Juno Awards

edit

Academy of Country Music

edit

Canadian Country Music Association

edit

Country Music Association

edit

See also

edit

Further reading

edit
  • 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.
edit