98 Country Classic Bonus – 5 Great Country Classic Hits from 1969 [VIDEO]

Good morning, it’s a beautiful April 6^th, and welcome to the 98 Country Sunday Morning Country Classic Show. We're on-air at 98.1 FM, online and we’re mobile on radioPup.

Each week, in addition to our four-hour journey into classic country music, we feature five additional tracks with video, online. Today we're remembering some of the biggest hits of 1969 from Merle Haggard, Kenny Rogers, Charley Pride, Tammy Wynette and Buck Owens.

And of course, we're taking your requests at 320-252-9897 and by email at dick@98country.com.

Merle Haggard – “Okie From Muskogee”

Merle Haggard is truly a living legend. And coincidentally, today is his birthday. Haggard was born April 6, 1937. His most famous song is “Okie From Muskogee.” He co-wrote the song with Roy Burris. "Okie" is slang for someone from Oklahoma and Muskogee is a city in Oklahoma.  The song was released in September 1969, the title track from the album, “Okie From Muskogee.”

Kenny Rogers and the First Edition – “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”

Kenny Rogers and the First Edition was a rock-based band that performed  R&B, folk and country music.  “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” is a song written by Mel Tillis.  The song is about a paralyzed veteran of "a crazy Asian war," but never explicitly stated to be the Vietnam War.  Kenny Rogers and the First Edition made the song famous, but the song was originally recorded in 1967 by Johnny Darrell.

Charley Pride – “Kawliga

“Kawliga” a song written by Hank Williams Senior and Fred Rose.  Hank Williams recorded the song in 1952 and was released in 1953,after Williams death. Kawliga has been covered by many artists.  One of them -- Charley Pride. He took the song to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. 

Kawliga was a wooden Indian Standing by the door,
he fell in love with an Indian maid.

Tammy Wynette – “Singing My Song”

“Singing My Song” was Tammy Wynette’s fifth number one single on the country charts as a solo artist.  Wynette co-wrote the song with Bill Sherrill and Glen Sutton. 

Here’s a song I love to sing, it’s about the man that wears my ring.

The song spent two weeks at number one in 1969 on the country chart.

Buck Owens – “Tall Dark Stranger”

In 1969, Buck Owens wrote and recorded “Tall Dark Stranger.”  It went to number one in August of that year, spending thirteen weeks on the country chart.  The song's about a handsome, tall, dressed in black man stealing the hearts of a young man’s girlfriend.  And of course, Owens is well known for the TV show “Hee Haw,”  which he co-hosted.