List of Top Country LP's number ones of 1969

Singer Hank Williams Jr
Hank Williams Jr (pictured in 2006) had his first chart-topping album with Songs My Father Left Me, an album of songs written by his father, Hank Williams.

Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard. In 1969, six different albums topped the chart, which was at the time published under the title Top Country LP's, based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of stores nationwide.[1]

In the issue of Billboard dated January 4, Glen Campbell was at number one with the album Wichita Lineman, the record's sixth week in the top spot.[2] The album remained at number one through the issue of Billboard dated April 12 and its run of 20 consecutive weeks atop the chart was the longest achieved since the listing was first published in 1964. When the album was finally displaced from the top of the chart it was by another of Campbell's albums, Galveston, which remained at number one for 12 consecutive weeks, meaning that Campbell had held the top spot without interruption for 32 weeks. Having reached the top of the chart with five other records in 1968, Campbell had achieved seven number-one albums within an 18-month period, but although his smooth country-pop style remained popular into the 1970s, he would not top the albums chart again until 1975.[3][4] Campbell's occupation of the top spot came to an end in the issue of Billboard dated July 5 when Hank Williams Jr reached number one for the first time with Songs My Father Left Me, an album featuring recordings of songs written by his father, Hank Williams, who had died in 1953.[5][6] The younger Williams had been promoted since an early age as the heir to his father's legacy and had recorded many of his songs, but it was not a role which he felt fit him well.[7] Following a succession of personal problems he finally developed his own musical identity in the mid-1970s and went on to become one of the biggest country stars of the 1980s.[7]

In the issue of Billboard dated August 2, Johnny Cash reached number one with the live album Johnny Cash at San Quentin (sometimes referred to simply as At San Quentin,[8][9] but listed by Billboard with the artist's name as part of the title[10]) which tied the record set by Campbell earlier in the year by spending 20 consecutive weeks atop the chart. Recorded at San Quentin State Prison in California, it was the second chart-topping album by Cash to have been recorded live at a correctional facility, following the previous year's Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.[11] The album recorded at San Quentin also topped Billboard's all-genre Top LP's chart,[12] a feat also achieved earlier in the year by Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman,[13] and is considered a high point of Cash's lengthy career.[14] It was displaced from the number-one position on the country albums listing by the compilation The Best of Charley Pride by Charley Pride, which held the top spot for the final two weeks of 1969.

Chart history

Singer Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell occupied the top spot for the first six months of the year.
Singer Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash reached the top spot with Johnny Cash at San Quentin, his second chart-topping album to be recorded live at a prison.
Singer Charley Pride
Charley Pride ended the year at number one.
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 4 Wichita Lineman Glen Campbell [2]
January 11 [15]
January 18 [16]
January 25 [17]
February 1 [18]
February 8 [19]
February 15 [20]
February 22 [21]
March 1 [22]
March 8 [23]
March 15 [24]
March 22 [25]
March 29 [26]
April 5 [27]
April 12 [28]
April 19 Galveston [29]
April 26 [30]
May 3 [31]
May 10 [32]
May 17 [33]
May 24 [34]
May 31 [35]
June 7 [36]
June 14 [37]
June 21 [38]
June 28 [39]
July 5 Songs My Father Left Me Hank Williams Jr. [40]
July 12 [41]
July 19 Same Train, a Different Time Merle Haggard and the Strangers [42]
July 26 [43]
August 2 Johnny Cash at San Quentin Johnny Cash [10]
August 9 [44]
August 16 [45]
August 23 [46]
August 30 [47]
September 6 [48]
September 13 [49]
September 20 [50]
September 27 [51]
October 4 [52]
October 11 [53]
October 18 [54]
October 25 [55]
November 1 [56]
November 8 [57]
November 15 [58]
November 22 [59]
November 29 [60]
December 6 [61]
December 13 [62]
December 20 The Best of Charley Pride Charley Pride [63]
December 27 [64]

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
  2. ^ a b "Country Albums chart for January 4, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 48. ISBN 9780898201734.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Glen Campbell Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Hank Williams Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  6. ^ Lewis, Randy (October 2, 2011). "'Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams' finds good company in Bob Dylan". LA Times. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Hank Williams, Jr. Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  8. ^ Marsh, Phil (July 26, 1969). "Johnny Cash 'At San Quentin' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  9. ^ Campbell, Craig (August 16, 2019). "The story of Johnny Cash, part three: Going behind bars to lock in legend status". The Sunday Post. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Country Albums chart for August 2, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  11. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 20, 1968". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  12. ^ "Top 200 Albums chart for August 23, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  13. ^ "Top 200 Albums chart for March 8, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  14. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Johnny Cash At San Quentin". AllMusic. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  15. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 11, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  16. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 18, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  17. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 25, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  18. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 1, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  19. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 8, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  20. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 15, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  21. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 22, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  22. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 1, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  23. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 8, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  24. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 15, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  25. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 22, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  26. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 29, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  27. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 5, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  28. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 12, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  29. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 19, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  30. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 26, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  31. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 3, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  32. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 10, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  33. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 17, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  34. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 24, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  35. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 31, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  36. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 7, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  37. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 14, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  38. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 21, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  39. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 28, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  40. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 5, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  41. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 12, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  42. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 19, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  43. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 26, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  44. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 9, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  45. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 16, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  46. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 23, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  47. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 30, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  48. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 6, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  49. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 13, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  50. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 20, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  51. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 27, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  52. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 4, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  53. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 11, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  54. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 18, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  55. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 25, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  56. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 1, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  57. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 8, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  58. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 15, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  59. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 22, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  60. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 29, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  61. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 6, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  62. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 13, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  63. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 20, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  64. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 27, 1969". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2020.