This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1940.
| By location |
|---|
| By genre |
| By topic |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| +... |
Events
- 1940 marked first year that sales exceeded 1929 levels
- April 4 — Ernest Tubb makes his first recordings for Decca Records, a label where he will remain for more than 30 years.
Top Hillbilly (Country) Recordings 1940
The following songs achieved the highest positions in Billboard magazine's ' Best Sellers in Stores' chart, monthly 'Hillbilly Hits' chart, supplemented by 'Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954' and record sales reported on the " Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, [1] and other sources as specified, during 1940. Numerical rankings are approximate.
| Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bob Atcher and Bonnie Blue Eyes | " You Are My Sunshine" [2] | Vocalion 05370 | January 17, 1940 | February 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #1, US Hillbilly #1 for 5 weeks, 37 total weeks |
| 2 | Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | " San Antonio Rose" [3] | Vocalion 04755 | November 28, 1938 | April 1939 | US Hillbilly 1940 #2, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 18 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales [1] |
| 3 | Gene Autry | " Goodbye Little Darlin' Goodbye" [2] | Vocalion 05463 | March 12, 1940 | April 1940 | US Billboard 1940 #264, US #20 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1940 #3, US Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 27 total weeks |
| 4 | Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | " New San Antonio Rose" [4] [5] | Okeh 05694 | April 16, 1940 | August 1940 | US Billboard 1941 #126, US #16 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1940 #4, Hillbilly #1 for 2 week, 29 total weeks |
| 5 | Jimmie Davis | ""You Are My Sunshine" [6] [5] | Decca 7004 | February 5, 1940 | March 24, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #5, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales, [1] Grammy Hall of Fame 1999, Library of Congress artifact added 2012 |
| 6 | Bob Skyles and His Skyrockets | "Only in Dreams" [7] | Decca 5887 | April 9, 1940 | September 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #6, Hillbilly #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks |
| 7 | Gene Autry | "Were You Sincere" [8] | Vocalion 05693 | October 15, 1937 | August 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #7, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks |
| 8 | Shelton Brothers | "I'll Be Seein' You In Dallas, Alice" [9] | Decca 5844 | April 6, 1940 | May 29, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #8, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 13 total weeks |
| 9 | Cliff Bruner And His Boys | "The Girl You Loved Long Ago" [10] | Decca 5827 | September 1, 1939 | December 1939 | US Hillbilly 1940 #9, US #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks |
| 10 | Cliff Bruner And His Boys | "Sorry (I'll Say I'm Sorry)" [11] | Decca 5860 | April 8, 1940 | June 20, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #10, Hillbilly #1 for 3 weeks, 20 total weeks |
| 11 | Jimmie Davis | "I'd Love to Call You My Sweetheart" [12] | Decca 5803 | February 5, 1940 | February 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #11, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 15 total weeks |
| 12 | Roy Newman And His Boys | "Take Me Back To My Home In The Mountains" [2] | Vocalion 5486 | December 1, 1938 | April 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #12, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 14 total weeks |
| 13 | Texas Jim Lewis and His Lone Star Cowboys | "Rock And Rye Polka" [13] | Decca 5875 | August 23, 1940 | September 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #13, Hillbilly #1 for 1 week, 14 total weeks |
| 14 | Gene Autry | "I'm Beginning To Care" [2] | Vocalion 5257 | September 12, 1939 | January 2, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #14, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks |
| 15 | Texas Jim Lewis and His Lone Star Cowboys | "Seven Beers With The Wrong Woman" [14] | Decca 5874 | August 8, 1940 | September 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #15, Hillbilly #1 for 1 week, 20 total weeks |
| 16 | Shelton Brothers | "I’m a Handy Man to Have Around" [15] | Decca 5833 | April 6, 1940 | May 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #16, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks |
| 17 | Hank Penny's Radio Cowboys | "Cowboy Swing" [2] | Vocalion 5438 | November 9, 1938 | March 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #17, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 12 total weeks |
| 18 | Cliff Bruner And His Boys | "Jessie" [16] | Decca 5769 | August 26, 1939 | December 6, 1939 | US Hillbilly 1940 #18, Hillbilly #2 for 2 weeks, 19 total weeks |
| 19 | Ted Daffan's Texans | "Worried Mind" [4] | Okeh 5668 | April 25, 1940 | July 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #19, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 17 total weeks, sold over 350,000 copies [17] |
| 20 | Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | " Time Changes Everything" [4] | Okeh 05753 | April 15, 1940 | August 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #20, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks |
Births
- January 8 — Cristy Lane, Christian singer who also enjoyed secular success as a country performer in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
- June 23 – Diana Trask, Australian-born singer who enjoyed American success in the early 1970s.
- August 5 — Bobby Braddock, prominent songwriter with more than 40 years of success; later, producer for Blake Shelton.
- August 10 – Jerry Kennedy, prominent producer from the 1960s through early 1990s.
Deaths
Further reading
- 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. "Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954: The History of American Popular Music," Record Research Inc., Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, 1986 ( ISBN 0-89820-083-0).
References
- ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research.
- ^ a b c d e "Vocalion 78rpm numerical listing discography - 5000 series (main sequence)". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Vocalion (USA) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 4500 - 4999". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ a b c "OKeh (by CBS) numerical listing discography: 5600 - 5999". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ a b "Complete National Recording Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ "Decca matrix 67157. You are my sunshine / Jimmie Davis - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92062. Only in dreams / Bob Skyles Skyrockets - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Vocalion 78rpm numerical listing discography 5500 - 5600". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92026. I'll be seein' you in Dallas / The Shelton Brothers - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 66355. The girl that you loved long ago / Cliff Bruner and his Boys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92053. Sorry (I'll say I'm sorry) / Cliff Bruner and his Boys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 67159. I'd love to call you my sweetheart / Jimmie Davis - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix DLA 2084. Rock and rye polka / Texas Jim Lewis and his Lone Star Cowboys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ "Decca matrix DLA 2083. Seven beers with the wrong woman / Texas Jim Lewis and his Lone Star Cowboys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92036. I'm a handy man to have around / The Shelton Brothers - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 66300. Jessie / Cliff Bruner and his Boys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/30 30]. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1940.
| By location |
|---|
| By genre |
| By topic |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| +... |
Events
- 1940 marked first year that sales exceeded 1929 levels
- April 4 — Ernest Tubb makes his first recordings for Decca Records, a label where he will remain for more than 30 years.
Top Hillbilly (Country) Recordings 1940
The following songs achieved the highest positions in Billboard magazine's ' Best Sellers in Stores' chart, monthly 'Hillbilly Hits' chart, supplemented by 'Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954' and record sales reported on the " Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, [1] and other sources as specified, during 1940. Numerical rankings are approximate.
| Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bob Atcher and Bonnie Blue Eyes | " You Are My Sunshine" [2] | Vocalion 05370 | January 17, 1940 | February 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #1, US Hillbilly #1 for 5 weeks, 37 total weeks |
| 2 | Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | " San Antonio Rose" [3] | Vocalion 04755 | November 28, 1938 | April 1939 | US Hillbilly 1940 #2, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 18 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales [1] |
| 3 | Gene Autry | " Goodbye Little Darlin' Goodbye" [2] | Vocalion 05463 | March 12, 1940 | April 1940 | US Billboard 1940 #264, US #20 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1940 #3, US Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 27 total weeks |
| 4 | Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | " New San Antonio Rose" [4] [5] | Okeh 05694 | April 16, 1940 | August 1940 | US Billboard 1941 #126, US #16 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1940 #4, Hillbilly #1 for 2 week, 29 total weeks |
| 5 | Jimmie Davis | ""You Are My Sunshine" [6] [5] | Decca 7004 | February 5, 1940 | March 24, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #5, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales, [1] Grammy Hall of Fame 1999, Library of Congress artifact added 2012 |
| 6 | Bob Skyles and His Skyrockets | "Only in Dreams" [7] | Decca 5887 | April 9, 1940 | September 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #6, Hillbilly #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks |
| 7 | Gene Autry | "Were You Sincere" [8] | Vocalion 05693 | October 15, 1937 | August 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #7, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks |
| 8 | Shelton Brothers | "I'll Be Seein' You In Dallas, Alice" [9] | Decca 5844 | April 6, 1940 | May 29, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #8, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 13 total weeks |
| 9 | Cliff Bruner And His Boys | "The Girl You Loved Long Ago" [10] | Decca 5827 | September 1, 1939 | December 1939 | US Hillbilly 1940 #9, US #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks |
| 10 | Cliff Bruner And His Boys | "Sorry (I'll Say I'm Sorry)" [11] | Decca 5860 | April 8, 1940 | June 20, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #10, Hillbilly #1 for 3 weeks, 20 total weeks |
| 11 | Jimmie Davis | "I'd Love to Call You My Sweetheart" [12] | Decca 5803 | February 5, 1940 | February 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #11, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 15 total weeks |
| 12 | Roy Newman And His Boys | "Take Me Back To My Home In The Mountains" [2] | Vocalion 5486 | December 1, 1938 | April 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #12, Hillbilly #1 for 3 week, 14 total weeks |
| 13 | Texas Jim Lewis and His Lone Star Cowboys | "Rock And Rye Polka" [13] | Decca 5875 | August 23, 1940 | September 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #13, Hillbilly #1 for 1 week, 14 total weeks |
| 14 | Gene Autry | "I'm Beginning To Care" [2] | Vocalion 5257 | September 12, 1939 | January 2, 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #14, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks |
| 15 | Texas Jim Lewis and His Lone Star Cowboys | "Seven Beers With The Wrong Woman" [14] | Decca 5874 | August 8, 1940 | September 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #15, Hillbilly #1 for 1 week, 20 total weeks |
| 16 | Shelton Brothers | "I’m a Handy Man to Have Around" [15] | Decca 5833 | April 6, 1940 | May 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #16, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks |
| 17 | Hank Penny's Radio Cowboys | "Cowboy Swing" [2] | Vocalion 5438 | November 9, 1938 | March 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #17, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 12 total weeks |
| 18 | Cliff Bruner And His Boys | "Jessie" [16] | Decca 5769 | August 26, 1939 | December 6, 1939 | US Hillbilly 1940 #18, Hillbilly #2 for 2 weeks, 19 total weeks |
| 19 | Ted Daffan's Texans | "Worried Mind" [4] | Okeh 5668 | April 25, 1940 | July 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #19, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 17 total weeks, sold over 350,000 copies [17] |
| 20 | Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys | " Time Changes Everything" [4] | Okeh 05753 | April 15, 1940 | August 1940 | US Hillbilly 1940 #20, Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks |
Births
- January 8 — Cristy Lane, Christian singer who also enjoyed secular success as a country performer in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
- June 23 – Diana Trask, Australian-born singer who enjoyed American success in the early 1970s.
- August 5 — Bobby Braddock, prominent songwriter with more than 40 years of success; later, producer for Blake Shelton.
- August 10 – Jerry Kennedy, prominent producer from the 1960s through early 1990s.
Deaths
Further reading
- 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. "Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954: The History of American Popular Music," Record Research Inc., Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, 1986 ( ISBN 0-89820-083-0).
References
- ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research.
- ^ a b c d e "Vocalion 78rpm numerical listing discography - 5000 series (main sequence)". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Vocalion (USA) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 4500 - 4999". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ a b c "OKeh (by CBS) numerical listing discography: 5600 - 5999". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ a b "Complete National Recording Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ "Decca matrix 67157. You are my sunshine / Jimmie Davis - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92062. Only in dreams / Bob Skyles Skyrockets - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Vocalion 78rpm numerical listing discography 5500 - 5600". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92026. I'll be seein' you in Dallas / The Shelton Brothers - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 66355. The girl that you loved long ago / Cliff Bruner and his Boys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92053. Sorry (I'll say I'm sorry) / Cliff Bruner and his Boys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 67159. I'd love to call you my sweetheart / Jimmie Davis - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix DLA 2084. Rock and rye polka / Texas Jim Lewis and his Lone Star Cowboys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ "Decca matrix DLA 2083. Seven beers with the wrong woman / Texas Jim Lewis and his Lone Star Cowboys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ "Decca matrix 92036. I'm a handy man to have around / The Shelton Brothers - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Decca matrix 66300. Jessie / Cliff Bruner and his Boys - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/30 30]. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.