The Best of Old Country Music

A blog dedicated to the best of old country music. Featuring the classic hits and artists that made country music great.

The history of old country music

Old country music is a genre that developed in the early 20th century in the United States. It was a blend of various music styles including folk, blues, and popular music. The first old country music recordings were made in the 1920s. The most popular old country Music artists include Jimmie Rodgers, the Carter Family, and Hank Williams. Old country music influenced many subsequent genres including rockabilly, honky-tonk, and bluegrass.

The best old country songs

“I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton’s song “I Will Always Love You” is a timeless classic that has been covered by many artists over the years. The original version of the song was released in 1974 and was a huge hit, spending 14 weeks at the top of the country charts. Parton’s version of the song has been covered by Whitney Houston, Linda Ronstadt, and many others.

“Stand by Your Man” by Tammy Wynette

“Stand by Your Man” is a song co-written and recorded by Tammy Wynette. It was released as a single in September 1968, and became the most successful recording of Wynette’s career as well as one of the most influential recordings in country music history. The song was written by Wynette and her then-husband, George Jones.

The song is a classic example of the genre of country music known as tamborine music, in which the tambourine is used to accent the rhythm rather than being played throughout the song. The instrumentation on the recording also features sparse acoustic guitar and minimal drums.

The lyrics of “Stand by Your Man” are about a woman’s dedication to her man, even through his flaws. The protagonist pledges to stand by her man even though he is not perfect, because she loves him unconditionally.

The song was originally recorded in 1968 and was released as a single that same year. It became an instant hit, reaching number one on the country charts and staying there for three weeks. The song also crossed over to the pop charts, peaking at number nineteen.

“Stand by Your Man” has been covered by many artists over the years, including Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Cher, Nancy Sinatra, and Tammy Faye Bakker. The song has also been featured in movies such as Five Easy Pieces (1970), The Blues Brothers (1980), Urban Cowboy (1980), Thelma & Louise (1991), and Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001).

“He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones

“He Stopped Loving Her Today” is a song recorded by American country music artist George Jones. It was released in April 1980 as the lead single from the album I Am What I Am. The song was George Jones’ first and only number-one single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart; it spent eighteen weeks at the top of that chart in 1980 and early 1981. The song is considered one of country music’s greatest songs, and has been covered by many other artists.

The song’s narrator describes a man who continues to love a woman even after she has left him and married someone else. He never stops loving her, and despite everyone telling him to forget her, he hangs on to the hope that she will one day return to him. The man eventually dies, but his love for the woman endures even after death. The final stanza reveals that the story was told by the man’s tombstone; according to writer Bob Allen, this was inspired by a visit that Jones and producer Billy Sherrill made to Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

George Jones recorded “He Stopped Loving Her Today” in February 1980 at Nashville’s Music City Recorders. According to Sherrill, they “finished it in about two hours”. Billy Joe Royal, Merle Haggard, Tommy Overstreet, Johnny Mathis and Ronnie Milsap were among the singers who unsuccessfully auditioned to provide background vocals for the recording before Sherrill chose The Jordanaires.

The song’s instrumentation includes a steel guitar solo by Lloyd Green and a string section arranged and conducted by Jerry Bradley; Sherrill recalled that Bradley “really helped make that record”. Bradley’s arrangement is unusual in that it does not feature a traditional crescendo towards the end of the song; rather, it remains at a consistent volume throughout.

In his 2008 autobiography I Lived To Tell It All, Jones said:

release years: 1955-present

The future of old country music

When it comes to country music, the past decade has seen a lot of changes. Newer artists have brought fresh sounds and perspectives to the genre, while some older acts have managed to stay relevant by evolving with the times. As we look to the future of country music, it’s impossible to say exactly what direction it will go in. However, here are a few things we predict will happen in the next few years.

1. The popularity of streaming services will continue to grow.

This is already starting to happen, and it’s likely that even more people will turn to streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music in the coming years. This could lead to a decline in sales of physical albums and CDs, as well as a decrease in radio airplay.

2. Country music will become more diverse.

We’re already seeing this with artists like Kacey Musgraves and Lil Nas X breaking into the mainstream. In the future, we think we’ll see even more diversity in country music, with artists of all backgrounds and genres finding success within the genre.

3. Country music will become more electronic.

This is something that’s already happening to some extent, with artists like Maren Morris incorporating elements of EDM into their songs. We think this trend will continue, and that we’ll see more and more country artists experiment with electronic sounds in their music.