Episode 2: Countryish Music of the 1970s

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PLAYLIST

1. “The Most Beautiful Girl” by Charlie Rich (1973)

2. “Please Mr. Please” by Olivia Newton-John (1975)

3. “White Lightning” by George Jones (1959)

4. “Country Boy” by Glen Campbell (1975)

5. “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Camppell (1975)

6. “Here You Come Again” by Dolly Parton (1977)

SHOW NOTES

The debate over authenticity in country music is nothing new, nor are the questions about the blurred line between country and pop. This episode explores the backlash over countryish artists such as Olivia Newton-John and Ronnie Milsap winning Country Music Association awards in 1974. Part of that exploration involves examining a 1968 memo from Alan Torbert and Associates to country music radio stations. Based on what the memo had to say, it seems that in the 1970s and beyond, country radio was exactly where it wanted to be.

For more on this topic, read the companion essay to this podcast episode: The 1968 Memo that Helped Create Modern Country Radio

Written and recorded by Larry Weiss. Released in March 1974 from the album "Black And Blue Suite", it reached #24 AC.

Larry Weiss’ recording of the song he wrote, “Rhinestone Cowboy,” is a worth a listen. He sounds a bit like Neil Diamond.

The August 30, 1975 Billboard Top 10 is quite diverse. The complete Top 40 for that week is below. The first number is the chart placement for the current week and the second number is the chart placement for the previous week.
1 3 GET DOWN TONIGHT –•– K.C. and the Sunshine Band (T.K.)-8 (1 week at #1)
2 1 FALLIN’ IN LOVE –•– Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds (Playboy)-11
3 5 RHINESTONE COWBOY –•– Glen Campbell (Capitol)-14
4 2 ONE OF THESE NIGHTS –•– The Eagles (Asylum)-14
5 7 HOW SWEET IT IS (To Be Loved By You) –•– James Taylor (Warner Brothers)-11
6 4 JIVE TALKIN’ –•– The Bee Gees (RSO)-14
7 9 AT SEVENTEEN –•– Janis Ian (Columbia)-12
8 8 SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT –•– Elton John (MCA)-9
9 6 WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS –•– War (United Aritsts)-18
10 11 FIGHT THE POWER (Part 1) –•– The Isley Brothers (T-Neck)-11

11 24 FAME –•– David Bowie (RCA)-10
12 15 COULD IT BE MAGIC –•– Barry Manilow (Arista)-10
13 16 WASTED DAYS AND WASTED NIGHTS –•– Freddy Fender (ABC / Dot)-11
14 17 FEEL LIKE MAKIN’ LOVE –•– Bad Company (Swan Song)-9
15 19 THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD –•– Earth, Wind and Fire (Columbia)-9
16 20 BALLROOM BLITZ –•– Sweet (Capitol)-12
17 18 HOLDIN’ ON TO YESTERDAY –•– Ambrosia (20th Century)-12
18 21 THIRD RATE ROMANCE –•– The Amazing Rhythm Aces (ABC)-11
19 13 LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER –•– The Captain and Tennille (A&M)-20
20 49 I’M SORRY / CALYPSO –•– John Denver (RCA)-3

21 25 TUSH –•– ZZ Top (London)-7
22 22 HELP ME RHONDA –•– Johnny Rivers (Epic / Soul City)-8
23 37 RUN JOEY RUN –•– David Geddes (Big Tree)-5
24 28 BLACK SUPERMAN / MUHAMMAD ALI –•– Johnny Wakelin and the Kinshasa Band (Pye)-23
25 29 I BELIEVE THERE’S NOTHING STRONGER THAN OUR LOVE –•– Paul Anka with Odia Coates (United Artists)-6
26 30 SOLITAIRE –•– The Carpenters (A&M)-5
27 31 DAISY JANE –•– America (Warner Brothers)-7
28 41 DANCE WITH ME –•– Orleans (Asylum)-7
29 35 FEELINGS –•– Morris Albert (RCA)-11
30 34 THE PROUD ONE –•– The Osmonds (Kolob)-6

31 10 PLEASE MR. PLEASE –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-13
32 36 HOW LONG (Betcha’ Got a Chick On the Side) –•– The Pointer Sisters (ABC / Blue Thumb)-7
33 33 TWO FINE PEOPLE –•– Cat Stevens (A&M)-7
34 46 AIN’T NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY –•– Helen Reddy (Capitol)-4
35 40 IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE –•– Tavares (Capitol)-6
36 38 DREAM MERCHANT –•– New Birth (Buddah)-9
37 39 GLASSHOUSE –•– The Temptations (Gordy)-8
38 47 ROCKY –•– Austin Roberts (Private Shock)-7
39 48 THEY JUST CAN’T STOP IT THE (Games People Play) –•– The Spinners (Atlantic)-4
40 42 SWEET MAXINE –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-5

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SOURCES

Bracket, David. “Country Music Approaches the Mainstream” in The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Bryan, Luke. “Whatever Makes You Country.” Whatever Makes You Country, Capitol Nashville, 2017.

Campbell, Glen. “Country Boy (You’ve Got Your Feet in L.A.).” Rhinestone Cowboy, Capitol Records, 1975.

Campbell, Glen. “Rhinestone Cowboy.” Rhinestone Cowboy, Capitol Records, 1975.

Egerton, John. The Americanization of Dixie: The Southernization of America. New York: Harper’s Magazine Press, 1974.

Jones, George. “White Lightning.” White Lightning and Other Favorites, Mercury Records, 1959.

Peterson, Richard A. "The Production of Cultural Change: The Case of Contemporary Country Music." Social Research 45, no. 2 (1978): 292-314. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40970334.

Wicker, Bill. “Rhinestone Cowboy , Larry Weiss , 1974.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 Apr. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kMvv_kg4Bc.