This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1975.
Events
March 13 — The rocky marriage of George Jones and Tammy Wynette ends in divorce. July 17 — A Russian-language version of Conway Twitty's 1970 hit, "Hello Darlin'" is played and broadcast to a worldwide audience as part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. The song, which in Russian was called "Privet Radost," is a "gesture of goodwill" from the Apollo crew to the Soviet Union's Soyuz crew. Twitty worked with a language professor from the University of Oklahoma to record the phonetic Russian version of the song. August 8 — While mountain climbing at Ajax Mountain, Montana, Hank Williams, Jr. is involved in a catastrophic accident. He tumbles nearly 500 feet and is critically injured, suffering numerous facial and head injuries. His recovery takes nearly two years, during which time he undergoes a major cosmetic — and musical — overhaul. October — The defining moment in the recent debate over what defines country music – and each side's vision of the genre – comes at the Country Music Association awards. Charlie Rich, the 1974 CMA Entertainer of the Year, was selected to name the new Entertainer of the Year. When he opened the envelope, he took out his cigarette lighter, lighted the piece of paper with the winner's name on fire, and disgustedly announced the winner: "My good friend John Denver!" Denver, who was not present, was humbled at his award (but didn't know until later about Rich's actions).
No dates
The deaths of three country music legends — Bob Wills, George Morgan and Lefty Frizzell — leave a huge void among fans. During a CBS documentary recorded and realised this year, Doolittle Lynn, husband of Loretta Lynn tells the world he “wants his wife to come home.” Six songs that reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart also reach the top of the Hot 100 chart: "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" by B. J. Thomas; "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddy Fender; "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "I'm Sorry," both by John Denver; "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell; and "Convoy" by C. W. McCall. In addition, several other songs that reach the top on one of the charts does very well on the other, including "Have You Never Been Mellow" and "Please Mr. Please" by Olivia Newton-John; "I'm Not Lisa" by Jessi Colter; Fender's "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"; and "When Will I Be Loved" by Linda Ronstadt.
Top hits of the year
Number-one hits
United States
(as certified by Billboard)
Notes
1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard. 2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot. A^ First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist. B^ Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist. C^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
Canada
(as certified by RPM)
Notes
1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by RPM. A^ First RPM No. 1 hit for that artist. B^ Last RPM No. 1 hit for that artist. C^ Only RPM No. 1 hit for that artist.
Other major hits
Singles released by American artists
Singles released by Canadian artists
Top new album releases
Other new album releases
Births
June 15 — Rachel Proctor, singer-songwriter best known for her 2004 hit "Me and Emily" August 11 — Chris Cummings, Canadian country singer of 1990s and 2000s September 13 — Joe Don Rooney, member of Rascal Flatts November 20 — Dierks Bentley, new traditionalist-styled singer of the 2000s November 30 — Mindy McCready, popular country singer from the late 1990s (died 2013) December 18 — Randy Houser, late-2000s singer
Deaths
February 4 — Louis Jordan, 66, jazz and rhythm & blues pioneer who became the first African-American performer to have a No. 1 hit on the Billboard country charts (1944's "Ration Blues") (heart attack). February 17 — A.C. "Eck" Robertson, 88, pioneering American fiddle player, widely considered the first fiddler and country musician to record commercially. May 13 — Bob Wills, 70, leader of the Texas Playboys (complications from a stroke). July 7 — George Morgan, 51, country crooner of the late 1940s and early 1950s, Grand Ole Opry favorite and father of Lorrie Morgan (heart attack). July 19 — Lefty Frizzell, 47, honky-tonk pioneer of the 1950s (stroke). November 3 — Audrey Williams, 52, mother of Hank Williams Jr. (and ex-wife of Hank Williams Sr.)
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
Minnie Pearl (1912–1996)