1970 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1970.

Events

 * April 13 - Marty Robbins is awarded Artist of the Decade for the 1960s by the Academy of Country Music
 * September — That Good Ole Nashville Music debuts in syndication. The series will run until 1985.

No Dates
Early in the year, Marty Robbins suffers a major heart attack which almost takes the life of the country star.

United States
(as certified by Billboard)


 * Notes
 * 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard.
 * A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
 * B^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
 * C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.

Canada
(as certified by RPM)


 * Notes
 * 2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot.
 * A^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
 * B^ Last RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
 * C^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.

Births

 * March 14 — Kristian Bush, member of Sugarland
 * July 10 — Gary LeVox, lead singer of Rascal Flatts.
 * August 22 – George Canyon, country singer from the late 1990s who enjoyed success in the mid 2000s.
 * August 24 — Kristyn Osborn, member of SHeDAISY
 * August 25 — Jo Dee Messina, female vocalist of the 1990s and 2000s (decade).
 * October 5 — Georgette Jones, the only biological child of George Jones and Tammy Wynette.
 * October 25 — Chely Wright, country singer of the late 1990s and 2000s (decade).
 * November 5 – Heather and Jennifer Kinley, recorded in the late 1990s as the duo The Kinleys
 * November 15 — Jack Ingram, rock-styled country singer-songwriter since the mid-2000s (decade).
 * December 10 — Kevin Sharp, country singer from the 1990s, best known for "Nobody Knows" (d. 2014)

Deaths

 * January 4 – Clayton McMichen, 69, pioneering fiddle player and member of the Skillet Lickers.
 * April 1 — Paul Cohen, 61, pioneering record producer at Decca Records.
 * September 5 – Curley Williams, 56, songwriter most famous for writing "Half as Much."

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

 * The Original Carter Family – (A. P. Carter 1891–1960, Sara Carter 1898–1979 and Mother Maybelle Carter 1909–1978)

Grammy Awards

 * Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden", Lynn Anderson
 * Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "For the Good Times", Ray Price
 * Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "If I Were a Carpenter", Johnny Cash and June Carter
 * Best Country Instrumental Performance — Me & Jerry, Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
 * Best Country Song — "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife", Marty Robbins (Performer: Marty Robbins)

Juno Awards

 * Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Tommy Hunter
 * Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Dianne Leigh
 * Country Group or Duo of the Year — Mercey Brothers

Academy of Country Music

 * Entertainer of the Year — Merle Haggard
 * Song of the Year — "For the Good Times", Kris Kristofferson (Performer: Ray Price)
 * Single of the Year — "For the Good Times", Ray Price
 * Album of the Year — For the Good Times, Ray Price
 * Top Male Vocalist — Merle Haggard
 * Top Female Vocalist — Lynn Anderson
 * Top Vocal Group — The Kimberleys
 * Top New Male Vocalist — Buddy Alan
 * Top New Female Vocalist — Sammi Smith

Country Music Association

 * Entertainer of the Year — Merle Haggard
 * Song of the Year — "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", Kris Kristofferson (Performer: Johnny Cash)
 * Single of the Year — "Okie from Muskogee", Merle Haggard
 * Album of the Year — Okie from Muskogee, Merle Haggard
 * Male Vocalist of the Year — Merle Haggard
 * Female Vocalist of the Year — Tammy Wynette
 * Vocal Duo of the Year — Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
 * Vocal Group of the Year — Tompall and the Glaser Brothers
 * Instrumentalist of the Year — Jerry Reed
 * Instrumental Group of the Year — Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass
 * Comedian of the Year — Roy Clark

Other links

 * Country Music Association
 * Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame