See also: 1979 in country music, 1980 in music, other events of 1980, 1981 in country music and the List of years in Country Music
Events
- January 25 – At age 84, octogenerian comedian George Burns becomes by far the oldest performer (to that time) to have a single in the top 40 of Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart with "I Wish I Was 18 Again." The song peaks at No. 15 in March.
- March 2, 1980 The Public Broadcasting Company (PBS) telecasts the Grand Ole Opry for the third time, and this telecast lasts longer than any of the other telecasts (until well after 1 am CDT!). The telecast featured Tom T. Hall, Ronnie Milsap, Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Minnie Pearl, Porter Wagoner, Billy Grammer, George Hamilton IV, Marty Robbins, and many others. Sissy Spacek also appeared on this telecast with Loretta Lynn, promoting the new movie Coal Miner's Daughter, which opened the next week.
- March – Alabama, a southern rock-influenced band from Fort Payne, Alabama, signs a recording contract with RCA Records, and records its first album, My Home's in Alabama. The album is released in May, and by late in the year, the band was on its way to superstardom.
- April 19 - For the first time in chart history, the top 5 positions on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart are held (or co-held) by female artists. The list:
- "It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" by Crystal Gayle
- "A Lesson in Leaving" by Dottie West
- "Are You On The Road To Lovin' Me Again" by Debby Boone
- "Beneath Still Waters" by Emmylou Harris
- "Two Story House" by Tammy Wynette (Duet with George Jones)
Country music goes Hollywood
- Country music had a major impact on the motion picture industry throughout the year, with no less than four major box office hits released during the year:
- March 7 – Coal Miner's Daughter, the biography of Loretta Lynn told in film, opens. Sissy Spacek wins that year's Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Lynn; Tommy Lee Jones and Beverly D'Angelo also play leading roles. The movie is a huge success with critics and at the box office, and briefly sparks Spacek's singing career.
- June 6 – The movie Urban Cowboy, starring John Travolta and Debra Winger, opens in American theaters. The movie — which showcases Mickey Gilley's nightclub, Gilley's — is a huge success at the box office ($54 million), and its soundtrack includes several major hits and makes stars out of several of the artists (most notably Johnny Lee), and will have a major impact on the direction of country music of the early 1980s.
- July 18 – Honeysuckle Rose, starring Willie Nelson, opens.
- December 19 – Nine to Five — with Dolly Parton in one of the leading roles — opens.
Top hits of the year
Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)
Other major hits
Top new album releases
Other top albums
Births
Deaths
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
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- (Group members included Roy Rogers (1911-1998); Bob Nolan (1908-1980); Lloyd Perryman (1917-1977); Tim Spencer (1908-1974); Hugh Farr (1903-1980); and Karl Farr (1909-1961)
Major Awards
Grammy awards
Academy of Country Music
Country Music Association
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 (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.
Other links
External links
