ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Porter Wagoner (5 songs)

This W Plains MO-native singer-songwriter-guitarist hosted his own TV series, 1960-1979, & co-hosted TNN’s “Opry Backstage”. He died of lung cancer, 10/28/2007.

#1
This song, his 2nd release, debuted 05/28/1955 & spent 33 weeks on the charts, 4 of those at #1. His 1st release, 1954-5’s “Company’s Comin’”, had peaked at #7. His next 2 releases stretched the Top 10 streak to 4: 1955-6’s “Eat, Drink, & Be Merry” (#3) & 1956’s “What Would You Do?” (#8).

#2
After none of his releases mid 1956 to 1960 reached the Top 10, he returned to that area of the charts with 1961’s “Your Old Love Letters” (#10). Then, this song hit the airwaves 01/13/1962; it spent 29 weeks on the charts, 2 of those at its peak of #1. His 2nd stretch of 4 straight Top 10s concluded with 1962’s “Cold Dark Waters” (#10) & 1962-3’s “I’ve Enjoyed As Much Of This As I Can Stand” (#7).

#3
Neither of his 2 releases in 1963 notched in the Top 10. This song, his 2nd release in 1964, returned him to the Top 10; it debuted 04/25/1964, spent 23 weeks on the charts & peaked at #5. His last release in 1964, “I’ll Go Down Swinging”, peaked at #11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1zbY8zY1hA

#4
While many artists have recorded this song, the most-successful version internationally was Tom Jones’ 1967 release. Wagoner’s version debuted 2 years earlier, hitting the airwaves 07/31/1965. It spent 19 weeks on the charts & peaked at #4. His next single, 1965-6’s “Skid Row Joe”, peaked at #3. His next Top 10 was 1967’s “The Cold Hard Facts Of Life” (#2).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBNgiC2w42g

#5
This song debuted 11/09/1968 & spent 21 weeks on the charts, 4 of those at its peak position of #2. It also won the CMA Song Of The Year award. From the late 1960s to mid 1970s, he had 11 Top 10 tunes with Dolly Parton. His last solo Top 10 was 1980’s “Making Plans” (#2, 2 weeks).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj_dK-O0PP8