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This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1962.
Events
- September 25 – Loretta Lynn is inducted into the Grand Ole Opry at 30 years of age.
- November 3 — Billboard renames its Hot C&W Sides chart "Hot Country Singles," a name it will keep for the next 27 years. The chart length remains 30 positions.
No dates
- Rhythm and blues singer Ray Charles releases his landmark album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. The album of pop-styled covers of country standards is vastly influential in the genre.
Top hits of the year
Number one hits
United States
(as certified by Billboard)
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1" style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- style="background:#00AA00"
!Date
!Single Name
!Artist
!width="40"|Wks. No.1
!Spec. Note
|-
|March 10
|Misery Loves Company
|Porter Wagoner
|align="center"|2
|
<sup>[[#endnote_2|[2]]]</sup>
- Returns to Number One March 24.
- Wagoner's first Billboard Number One since "A Satisfied Mind" in 1955.
|-
|March 17
|That's My Pa
|Sheb Wooley
|align="center"|1
|<sup>[[#endnote_C|[C]]]</sup>
|-
|March 31
|She's Got You
|Patsy Cline
|align="center"|5
|<sup>[[#endnote_2|[2]]], [[#endnote_B|[B]]]</sup>
- Returns to Number One May 5.
|-
|April 28
|Charlie's Shoes
|Billy Walker
|align="center"|2
|<sup>[[#endnote_2|[2]]],[[#endnote_C|[C]]]</sup>
- Returns to Number One May 12.
|-
|May 19
|She Thinks I Still Care
|George Jones
|align="center"|6
|
|-
|June 30
|Wolverton Mountain
|Claude King
|align="center"|9
|<sup>[[#endnote_1|[1]]], [[#endnote_C|[C]]]</sup>
|-
|September 1
|Devil Woman
|Marty Robbins
|align="center"|8
|
|-
|October 27
|Mama Sang a Song
|Bill Anderson
|align="center"|7
|<sup>[[#endnote_2|[2]]], [[#endnote_A|[A]]]</sup>
- Returns to Number One on November 17, and then on December 22.
|-
|November 10
|I've Been Everywhere
|Hank Snow
|align="center"|2
|<sup>[[#endnote_2|[2]]]</sup>
- Returns to Number One December 15.
- Snow's first Billboard Number One since "Let Me Go, Lover!" in 1954.
|-
|December 29
|Don't Let Me Cross Over
|Carl Butler and Pearl
|align="center"|11
|<sup>[[#endnote_2|[2]]], [[#endnote_C|[C]]]</sup>
- Returns to Number One on January 12, January 26, and then on February 16.
|}
;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^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
- C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
Other major hits
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!width="50"|<small>US</small>
!width="250"|Single
!width="150"|Artist
|-
|align="center"|5
|Aching, Breaking Heart
|George Jones
|-
|align="center"|2
|Adios Amigo
|Jim Reeves
|-
|align="center"|7
|After Loving You
|Eddy Arnold
|-
|align="center"|11
|Air Mail to Heaven
|Carl Smith
|-
|align="center"|5
|Alla My Love
|Webb Pierce
|-
|align="center"|13
|Anywhere There's People
|Lawton Williams
|-
|align="center"|16
|The Best Dressed Beggar (In Town)
|Carl Smith
|-
|align="center"|12
|Big Fool of the Year
|George Jones
|-
|align="center"|16
|Black Cloud
|Leroy Van Dyke
|-
|align="center"|10
|The Burning of Atlanta
|Claude King
|-
|align="center"|16
|The Cajun Queen
|Jimmy Dean
|-
|align="center"|3
|Call Me Mr. In-Between
|Burl Ives
|-
|align="center"|10
|Cold Dark Waters
|Porter Wagoner
|-
|align="center"|7
|The Comancheros
|Claude King
|-
|align="center"|4
|The Comeback
|Faron Young
|-
|align="center"|5
|Cow Town
|Webb Pierce
|-
|align="center"|2
|Crazy
|Patsy Cline
|-
|align="center"|8
|Crazy Wild Desire
|Webb Pierce
|-
|align="center"|20
|Daddy Stopped In
|Claude Gray
|-
|align="center"|10
|Day Into Night
|Kitty Wells
|-
|align="center"|9
|Dear Ivan
|Jimmy Dean
|-
|align="center"|18
|Don't Go Near the Eskimos
|Ben Colder
|-
|align="center"|4
|Don't Go Near the Indians
|Rex Allen
|-
|align="center"|3
|Everybody but Me
|Ernest Ashworth
|-
|align="center"|7
|Footsteps of a Fool
|Judy Lynn
|-
|align="center"|9
|Funny Way of Laughin'
|Burl Ives
|-
|align="center"|14
|Get a Little Dirt on Your Hands
|Bill Anderson
|-
|align="center"|3
|A Girl I Used to Know
|George Jones
|-
|align="center"|13
|Go On Home
|Patti Page
|-
|align="center"|10
|Happy Journey
|Hank Locklin
|-
|align="center"|11
|He Stands Real Tall
|Del Reeves
|-
|align="center"|8
|Hello Out There
|Carl Belew
|-
|align="center"|11
|Honky Tonk Man
|Johnny Horton
|-
|align="center"|7
|(How Can I Write On Paper) What I Feel in My Heart
|Jim Reeves
|-
|align="center"|5
|I Can Mend Your Broken Heart
|Don Gibson
|-
|align="center"|17
|I Can't Stop (My Lovin' You)
|Buck Owens
|-
|align="center"|9
|I Guess I'll Never Learn
|Charlie Phillips
|-
|align="center"|2
|I'm Gonna Change Everything
|Jim Reeves
|-
|align="center"|16
|I'm Looking High and Low for My Baby
|Ernest Tubb
|-
|align="center"|12
|I've Just Destroyed the World (I'm Loving In)
|Ray Price
|-
|align="center"|3
|If a Woman Answers (Hang Up the Phone)
|Leroy Van Dyke
|-
|align="center"|6
|If You Don't Know I Ain't Gonna Tell You
|George Hamilton IV
|-
|align="center"|8
|In the Jailhouse Now
|Johnny Cash
|-
|align="center"|6
|In the Middle of a Heartache
|Wanda Jackson
|-
|align="center"|4
|It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin'
|Johnny Tillotson
|-
|align="center"|16
|Just Ain't
|Flatt & Scruggs
|-
|align="center"|20
|Kentucky Means Paradise
|Glen Campbell
|-
|align="center"|8
|Kickin' Our Hearts Around
|Buck Owens
|-
|align="center"|9
|Leona
|Stonewall Jackson
|-
|align="center"|20
|A Letter to My Heart
|Jim Reeves
|-
|align="center"|2
|A Little Bitty Tear
|Burl Ives
|-
|align="center"|10
|Little Black Book
|Jimmy Dean
|-
|align="center"|3
|A Little Heartache
|Eddy Arnold
|-
|align="center"|2
|Lonesome Number One
|Don Gibson
|-
|align="center"|2
|Losing Your Love
|Jim Reeves
|-
|align="center"|12
|Love Can't Wait
|Marty Robbins
|-
|align="center"|7
|My Name Is Mud
|James O'Gwynn
|-
|align="center"|11
|Nobody's Fool but Yours
|Buck Owens
|-
|align="center"|3
|Old Rivers
|Walter Brennan
|-
|align="center"|11
|One Look at Heaven
|Stonewall Jackson
|-
|align="center"|13
|Open Pit Mine
|George Jones
|-
|align="center"|3
|PT-109
|Jimmy Dean
|-
|align="center"|5
|Pride
|Ray Price
|-
|align="center"|18
|Pride Goes Before a Fall
|Jim Reeves
|-
|align="center"|20
|Sally Was a Good Old Girl
|Hank Cochran
|-
|align="center"|11
|Save the Last Dance for Me
|Buck Owens
|-
|align="center"|18
|Second Choice
|Stonewall Jackson
|-
|align="center"|11
|Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
|Johnny Tillotson
|-
|align="center"|18
|Shame on Me
|Bobby Bare
|-
|align="center"|16
|Silver Threads and Golden Needles
|The Springfields
|-
|align="center"|17
|Slow Poison
|Johnnie & Jack
|-
|align="center"|14
|So Wrong
|Patsy Cline
|-
|align="center"|16
|Somebody Save Me
|Ferlin Husky
|-
|align="center"|12
|Sometimes I'm Tempted
|Marty Robbins
|-
|align="center"|17
|Sometimes You Just Can't Win
|George Jones
|-
|align="center"|19
|Sooner or Later
|Webb Pierce
|-
|align="center"|6
|Success
|Loretta Lynn
|-
|align="center"|7
|Take Time
|Webb Pierce
|-
|align="center"|7
|Tears Broke Out on Me
|Eddy Arnold
|-
|align="center"|11
|Tennessee Flat Top Box
|Johnny Cash
|-
|align="center"|8
|Then a Tear Fell
|Earl Scott
|-
|align="center"|17
|There's Always One (Who Loves a Lot)
|Roy Drusky
|-
|align="center"|7
|Three Days
|Faron Young
|-
|align="center"|15
|To a Sleeping Beauty
|Jimmy Dean
|-
|align="center"|7
|Touch Me
|Willie Nelson
|-
|align="center"|4
|Trouble's Back in Town
|The Wilburn Brothers
|-
|align="center"|18
|Under the Cover of Night
|Dave Dudley
|-
|align="center"|5
|Unloved Unwanted
|Kitty Wells
|-
|align="center"|10
|The Violet and the Rose
|Little Jimmy Dickens
|-
|align="center"|5
|Wall to Wall Love
|Bob Gallion
|-
|align="center"|11
|Waltz of the Angels
|George Jones and Margie Singleton
|-
|align="center"|13
|The Waltz You Saved for Me
|Ferlin Husky
|-
|align="center"|7
|We Missed You
|Kitty Wells
|-
|align="center"|14
|We're Gonna Go Fishin'
|Hank Locklin
|-
|align="center"|10
|When I Get Through with You
|Patsy Cline
|-
|align="center"|9
|Where I Ought to Be
|Skeeter Davis
|-
|align="center"|15
|Where the Old Red River Flows
|Jimmie Davis
|-
|align="center"|8
|Will Your Lawyer Talk to God
|Kitty Wells
|-
|align="center"|5
|Willie the Weeper
|Billy Walker
|-
|align="center"|10
|Willingly
|Willie Nelson and Shirley Collie
|-
|align="center"|3
|A Wound Time Can't Erase
|Stonewall Jackson
|-
|align="center"|15
|You Take the Future (And I'll Take the Past)
|Hank Snow
|}
Top new album releases
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!width="300"|Single
!width="225"|Artist
!width="90"|Record Label
|-
|All Aboard the Blue Train
|Johnny Cash
|Sun
|-
|George Jones Sings Bob Wills
|George Jones
|United Artists
|-
|Happy Journey
|Hank Locklin
|RCA
|-
|Homecoming in Heaven
|George Jones
|United Artists
|-
|Hymns from the Heart
|Johnny Cash
|Columbia
|-
|Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
|Ray Charles
|ABC-Paramount
|-
|My Favorites of Hank Williams
|George Jones
|United Artists
|-
|Sentimentally Yours
|Patsy Cline
|Decca
|-
|The Sound of Johnny Cash
|Johnny Cash
|Columbia
|-
|Wonderful Wanda
|Wanda Jackson
|Capitol
|-
|}
Other top releases
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!width="225"|Single
!width="350"|Artist
!width="90"|Record Label
|-
|According to My Heart
|Goldie Hill
|Decca
|-
|Bashful Brother Oswald
|Bashful Brother Oswald
|Starday
|-
|Bill Anderson Sings Country Heart Songs
|Bill Anderson
|Decca
|-
|Caribbean Guitar
|Chet Atkins
|RCA
|-
|Cross Country
|Webb Pierce
|Decca
|-
|Devil Woman
|Marty Robbins
|Columbia
|-
|Down Home
|Chet Atkins
|RCA
|-
|Family Favorites
|Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper with the Clinch Mountain Clan
|Hickory
|-
|Hank Locklin
|Hank Locklin
|RCA
|-
|Homer and Jethro and the Convention
|Homer and Jethro
|RCA
|-
|Live It Up, Laugh it Up
|Johnny Bond
|Starday
|-
|The Lightning Fingers of Roy Clark
|Roy Clark
|Capitol
|-
|Marty After Midnight
|Marty Robbins
|Columbia
|-
|The New Favorites of George Jones
|George Jones
|United Artists
|-
|Night Life
|Ray Price
|Columbia
|-
|Old Rivers
|Walter Brennan
|Liberty
|-
|One More Time
|Eddy Arnold
|RCA
|-
|Our Man Down South
|Eddy Arnold
|RCA
|-
|Porter Wagoner and Skeeter Davis Sing Duets
|Porter Wagoner and Skeeter Davis
|RCA
|-
|A Touch of Velvet
|Jim Reeves
|RCA
|-
|A Tribute to Roy Acuff: The King of Country Music
|Hank Locklin
|RCA
|-
|You're for Me
|Buck Owens
|Capitol
|}
Births
- January 13 — Trace Adkins, singer-songwriter whose style meshes honky-tonk and dance-influenced rock.
- February 4 — Clint Black, first major new star of the 1990s and key player in the new traditionalist movement.
- February 6 — Richie McDonald, former lead singer of Lonestar.
- February 7 — Garth Brooks, the man who revolutionalized country music and forever changed its direction during the 1990s.
- February 11 — Sheryl Crow, pop singer who has also had substantial success as a country singer starting in the 2000s.
- April 2 — Billy Dean, contemporary-styled singer-songwriter who had the peak of his success in the 1990s.
- May 2 — Ty Herndon, contemporary-styled singer who had most of his success in the mid-to-late 1990s.
- July 13 - Victoria Shaw, singer-songwriter since the 1990s.
- August 23 — Emilio Navaira, singer-songwriter of country and Tejano music (died 2016).
- October 13 - John Wiggins, singer-songwriter since the 1990s.
- November 26 — Linda Davis, prominent backing vocalist who had a series of solo hits in the 1990s.
- December 7 - Andy Childs, singer-songwriter since the 1990s.
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
- Roy Acuff (1903–1992)
Major awards
Grammy Awards
- Best Country and Western Recording — "Funny Way of Laughin'", Burl Ives
Further reading
- 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 ()
- Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 ()
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.
Other links
- Country Music Association
- Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame
External links
- Country Music Hall of Fame