Country Crossover Kings, Vol. 2 Quiz

Answer: Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash released "One Piece at a Time" as the title song from the album of the same name. It was written by Wayne Kemp. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
29 - US Billboard Hot 100
6 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
1 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks
40 - Canadian RPM Top Singles
1 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks
32 - UK Singles

The song was Johnny's last Number One on the US Country chart. It was his 12th Number One on that chart. The promoters of the song actually had a car built like the song describes and it was presented to Johnny in 1976. On the US Country chart it was preceded by Conway Twitty's "After All the Good is Gone" and succeeded by Crystal Gayle's "I'll Get Over You".

Answer: Achy Breaky Heart

Billy Ray Cyrus released "Achy Breaky Heart" as his debut single from his album "Some Gave All". It became his signature song and an international hit. It was written by Don Von Tress. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
4 - US Billboard Hot 100
23 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
1 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks
4 - Canadian RPM Top Singles
5 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks
1 - Australian ARIA Singles
2 - Irish Singles
3 - UK Singles
6 - Austrian Singles
11 - French SNEP Singles
22 - Swiss Singles
27 - German Singles

The song was nominated for two Grammys and was named the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Number One Single of 1992. On the US Country chart it was preceded by Sawyer Brown's "Some Girls Do" and succeeded by Wynonna Judd's "I Saw the Light".

Answer: Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker released "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" as a single from his first solo Country album "Learn To Live". Rucker had been the lead singer of the rock band Hootie and the Blowfish. The song was written by Rucker and Clay Mills. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
35 - US Billboard Hot 100
3 - Canadian Radio & Records Country Singles
47 - Canadian Hot 100

The song was the first of three US Country Number Ones that were also Top 40 hits on the US Hot 100 for him. It spent two weeks at the top of the chart. Rucker was the first African-American singer to hit Number One on the US Country chart since Charlie Pride in 1983 with "Night Games". On the US Country chart it was preceded by Jimmy Wayne's "Do You Believe Me Now" and succeeded by Kenny Chesney's "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven".

Answer: Please Remember Me

Tim McGraw released "Please Remember Me" as a single from his album "A Place in the Sun". It was written by Rodney Crowell and Will Jennings. Crowell originally released the song with limited success. McGraw's chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
10 - US Billboard Hot 100
1 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks

The song spent five weeks atop the US Country chart and two weeks atop the Canadian Country chart. It was his highest position reached on the US Hot 100 as a solo artist, although he did reach number seven on that chart with his duet with Faith Hill called "It's Your Love". On the US Country chart it was preceded by Mark Wills' "Wish You Were Here" and succeeded by George Strait's "Write This Down".

Answer: Eddie Rabbitt

Eddie Rabbitt released "Drivin' My Life Away" as a single from his album "Horizon". It was written by Rabbitt, Even Stevens, and David Malloy. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
5 - US Billboard Hot 100
3 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
2 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks
45 - Canadian RPM Top Singles
2 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks

The song has been featured on the soundtrack of two movies, 1980's "Roadie" and 1998's "Black Dog". Interestingly, both movies starred the rocker Meat Loaf. It was his seventh Number One on the US Country chart. On that chart it was preceded by Alabama's "Tennessee River" and succeeded by Ronnie Milsap's "Cowboys and Clowns".

Answer: Rhinestone Cowboy

Glen Campbell released "Rhinestone Cowboy" as the title single from his album of the same name. It was written by Larry Weiss. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
1 - US Billboard Hot 100
1 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
1 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks
1 - Canadian RPM Top Singles
7 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks
4 - UK Singles

The song was named Song of the Year for 1975 for the US Country chart. On that chart it was preceded by Freddy Fender's "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" and succeeded by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's "Feelings'". On the US Hot 100 it was preceded by KC and the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight" and succeeded by David Bowie's "Fame".

Answer: Charlie Rich

Charlie Rich released "The Most Beautiful Girl" as a single from his album "Behind Closed Doors". It was written by Bill Sherrill, Noris Wilson, and Rory Michael Bourke. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
1 - US Billboard Hot 100
1 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
1 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks
1 - Canadian RPM Top Singles
1 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks

It spent three weeks atop the US Country chart and the US Adult Contemporary chart and two weeks atop the US Hot 100. On the US Country chart it was preceded by Marie Osmond's "Paper Roses" and succeeded by Charley Pride's "Amazing Love". On the US Hot 100 it was preceded by The Carpenters' "Top of the World" and succeeded by Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle".

Answer: I'm Sorry

John Denver released "I'm Sorry" as a single from his album "Windsong". It was written by Denver. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
1 - US Billboard Hot 100
1 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
4 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks
1 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks

It was the third and final Number One for Denver on the US Country chart and the fourth and final Number One on the US Hot 100. It was the fifth of Nine Number Ones on the US Adult Contemporary chart. On the US Country chart it was preceded by Don Williams' "(Turn Out the Lights And) Love Me Tonight" and succeeded by Waylon Jennings' "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way".

Brenda Lee released "I'm Sorry" as a 15 year-old. Her song was written by Dub Albritton and Ronnie Self. It was Number One on the US Hot 100 for three weeks in 1960. Today it is played on many oldies Country stations even though it never charted on the US Country chart.

Answer: Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash released "Guess Things Happen That Way" as a single from his album "Johnny Cash: Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous". Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
11 - US Billboard Hot 100

The song spent eight weeks at the top of the US Country chart. On that chart it was preceded by Don Gibson's "Oh Lonesome Me" and succeeded by Don Gibson's "Blue Blue Day".

Answer: Sixteen Tons

Tennessee Ernie Ford released "Sixteen Tons" as a single and then on his album "Ford Favorites". Authorship of the song is unclear but most credit it to Merle Travis, who originally recorded it in 1946. Chart success:
Number/Chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles
1 - US Billboard Hot 100

The song held the top of the US Country chart for ten weeks and the top of the US Hot 100 for eight weeks.