The Best of Country 1950s

“It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” is a country song from 1952 written by J.D. “Jay” Miller. It was recorded by the American country music singer Kitty Wells. It was an answer song to the Hank Thompson hit “The Wild Side of Life.” It became the first number one Billboard Country chart hit for a solo woman artist. In 1998 this recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and has been preserved by the National Recording Registry.

“The Wild Side of Life” is a song that was made famous by the American country music singer Hank Thompson and released in 1952. The song became one of the most popular recordings in the country genre and went to number one on the Billboard Country chart. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The title of the song inspired the title of the 1956 novel “A Walk on the Wild Side” by Nelson Algren.

“I Walk the Line” is a song that was written and recorded by the American country singer and songwriter Johnny Cash. It became Cash’s first number one hit on the Billboard Country chart and crossed over to the pop charts, charting on the Billboard Top 100. The song was included in The 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, a permanent exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. It is number 30 on the list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The 1956 recording of the song on Sun Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

“Walkin’ After Midnight” is a song that was written by Alan Block and Don Hecht. It was recorded by the American country music singer Patsy Cline. Cline performed the song on an episode of the CBS TV program “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” and released it as a single in 1957. It became Cline’s first major hit single on the Billboard Country Music chart and crossed over to the pop charts. This 1957 release was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2020.

“Cold, Cold Heart” is a country music and pop song that was written and originally recorded by the American country singer and songwriter Hank Williams. This is a bluesy ballad that is both a classic of honky-tonk and an entry in the Great American Songbook. Williams adapted the melody from T. Texas Tyler’s 1945 recording "You'll Still Be in My Heart," written by Ted West in 1943.

“Crazy Arms” is a country song that was a career-making hit for the American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist Ray Price. It came out in 1956 and became the number one country hit of that year. The song was written in 1949 by pedal steel player Ralph Mooney and Charles “Chuck” Seals. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

“Blue Moon of Kentucky” is a waltz that was written in 1945 by the bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded with his band, the Blue Grass Boys. Monroe’s version was added to the National Recording Registry and is at number 11 on the list of The 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music.

“El Paso” is a western ballad that was written and originally recorded by the American country singer and songwriter Marty Robbins. It was first released on Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs and as a single the following month. The song became a major hit on both the country and pop music charts and the first number one hit of the 1960s. Members of the Western Writers of America chose the song as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Robbins recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.