1979 in country music

Events

March 3 — The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) would telecast an entire Saturday night live from the Grand Ole Opry for the very first time - the show would last until 12:30 am with a half-hour break between the two shows at 9 pm CDT. The show featured many acts including Del Reeves, Barbara Mandrell, Bill Monroe, Hank Snow, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Don Gibson and many others. The telecast became the most popular one of the year for PBS, and was a part of their March fundraising campaigns.

December 21 — The Electric Horseman, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, premieres. Willie Nelson is a supporting character in the film, and he will contribute to the movie's soundtrack.

United States

(as certified by Billboard)

Canada

(as certified by RPM)

Top new album releases

3/4 Lonely — T. G. Sheppard (Warner Bros./Curb)

All Around Cowboy - Marty Robbins (Columbia)

Alone Too Long - Charly McClain (Epic)

Are You Sincere - Mel Tillis (MCA)

Blue Kentucky Girl - Emmylou Harris (Reprise)

Classics - Kenny Rogers and Dottie West (United Artists)

Cross Winds - Conway Twitty (MCA)

Electric Horseman - Willie Nelson (Columbia/CBS)

Great Balls of Fire - Dolly Parton (RCA)

I Don't Lie - Joe Stampley (Epic)

Images – Ronnie Milsap (RCA)

It's a Cheating Situation - Moe Bandy (Columbia)

Jim Ed and Helen - Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius (RCA Victor)

Just For the Record - Barbara Mandrell (MCA)

Just Good Ol' Boys - Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley (Columbia/CBS)

Kenny - Kenny Rogers (United Artists)

Ladies Choice - Bill Anderson (MCA)

Love Notes - Janie Fricke (Epic)

Love Lies - Cristy Lane (LS)

Loveline - Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)

New Kind of Feeling - Anne Murray (Capitol)

Million Mile Reflections - The Charlie Daniels Band (Epic)

Miss the Mississippi...and You - Crystal Gayle (United Artists)

Mr. Entertainer - Mel Tillis (MCA)

The Oak Ridge Boys Have Arrived - Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)

One for the Road - Willie Nelson and Leon Russell (Columbia/CBS)

The Originals - Statler Brothers (Mercury/Polygram)

Out of a Dream - Reba McEntire (Mercury/Polygram)

Outlaw is Just a State of Mind - Lynn Anderson (Columbia)

The Performer - Marty Robbins (Columbia)

Portraits - Don Williams (MCA)

Rides Again Vol. 2 - Statler Brothers (Mercury/Polygram)

See You When the Sun Goes Down - Johnny Duncan (Columbia)

Simple Little Words - Cristy Lane (United Artists)

Sings Kris Kristofferson - Willie Nelson (Columbia/CBS)

Songs We Made Love To - Mickey Gilley (Playboy)

Stay With Me/Golden Tears - Dave & Sugar

Straight Ahead - Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers (Columbia)

Straight From Texas - Johnny Duncan (Columbia)

Take Heart - Juice Newton (Capitol)

The Two and Only - The Bellamy Brothers (Warner Bros./Curb)

We Should Be Together - Crystal Gayle (United Artists)

What Goes Around Comes Around - Waylon Jennings (RCA)

Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound - Hank Williams Jr. (Warner Bros.)

You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius (RCA Victor)

You're My Jamaica - Charley Pride (RCA)

Christmas albums

Light of the Stable - Emmylou Harris (Reprise)

Pretty Paper - Willie Nelson (CBS)

Births

February 1 — Julie Roberts, country music singer-songwriter.

April 24 — Rebecca Lynn Howard, pop-styled singer-songwriter of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

May 18 – David Nail, singer of the 2010s best known for "Let It Rain."

June 10 — Lee Brice, singer-songwriter of the 2010 best for his hits "Love Like Crazy" and the number-one single "A Woman Like You" as well as his 2012 second studio album Hard 2 Love.

July 24 – Jerrod Niemann, songwriter who wrote Garth Brooks' hit "Good Ride Cowboy" before achieving his own success with hits like "Lover, Lover."

Deaths

January 8 — Sara Carter, 80, lead singer and member of the pioneering Carter Family.

February 21 — Carl T. Sprague, 83, "The Original Singing Cowboy," active mainly in the 1920s.

May 11 — Lester Flatt, 64, early bluegrass pioneer who, with Earl Scruggs, formed the Foggy Mountain Boys. (heart failure)

November 29 — Jimmie Tarlton, 87, one half of Darby and Tarlton, an early country music duo.

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Hubert Long (1923–1972)

Hank Snow (1914–1999)

Grammy Awards

Best Female Country Vocal Performance — Blue Kentucky Girl, Emmylou Harris

Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "The Gambler," Kenny Rogers

Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," Charlie Daniels Band

Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Big Sandy/Leather Britches," Doc Watson and Merle Watson

Best Country Song — "You Decorated My Life," Debbie Hupp and Bob Morrison (Performer: Kenny Rogers)

Juno Awards

Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Ronnie Prophet

Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Carroll Baker

Country Group or Duo of the Year — The Good Brothers

Academy of Country Music

Entertainer of the Year — Willie Nelson

Song of the Year — "It's a Cheatin' Situation," Sonny Throckmorton and Curly Putman (Performer: Moe Bandy)

Single of the Year — "All the Gold in California," Larry Gatlin

Album of the Year — Straight Ahead, Larry Gatlin

Top Male Vocalist — Larry Gatlin

Top Female Vocalist — Crystal Gayle

Top Vocal Duo — Joe Stampley and Moe Bandy

Top New Male Vocalist — R. C. Bannon

Top New Female Vocalist — Lacy J. Dalton

Country Music Association

Entertainer of the Year — Willie Nelson

Song of the Year — "The Gambler," Don Schlitz (Performer: Kenny Rogers)

Single of the Year — "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," Charlie Daniels Band

Album of the Year — The Gambler, Kenny Rogers

Male Vocalist of the Year — Kenny Rogers

Female Vocalist of the Year — Barbara Mandrell

Vocal Duo of the Year — Kenny Rogers and Dottie West

Vocal Group of the Year — The Statler Brothers

Instrumentalist of the Year — Charlie Daniels

Instrumental Group of the Year — Charlie Daniels Band

Other links

Country Music Association

Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame