3 Country Artists From the 60s and 70s Who Unfairly Received the One-Hit Wonder Title

The exact criteria a musician needs to meet to be a “true” one-hit wonder are very specific and often overlooked. When it comes to the broader use of the word, it seems the masses believe that if an artist has a singular hit on the Billboard Hot 100, then they are a one-hit wonder. What about the country charts, the rock charts, and the myriad of other charts out there? Does having a hit on those not count? Well, we think they do, and as a result, we believe these three country artists from the 1960s and 1970s have unfairly received the one-hit wonder title.

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Jennie C. Riley

Jennie C. Riley is often remembered as a one-hit wonder due to her 1968 single, “Harper Valley PTA”. Following its release, the single did, in fact, become Riley’s most successful all-time single, as it peaked at No. 1 on both the Hot 100 and country charts. Unbeknownst to many, Riley did pretty well on the charts following this single.

Following the success of “Harper Valley PTA”, Riley scored several other top 10 hits on the country charts, including “The Girl Most Likely”, “Country Girl”, and “Good Morning, Country Rain”. While Riley never made it back to the Top 40 on the Hot 100, she was a massive player in country music; hence, we believe she isn’t worthy of the one-hit wonder title.

 Roy Drusky

Roy Drusky never became a cross-genre sensation, but in the 1960s country music scene, he left quite an impact. Drusky’s impact on the decade’s country music most notably came with the 1965 release of his duet with Priscilla Mitchell, “Yes, Mr. Peters”. The song was a No. 1 hit on the country charts, but it was far from Drusky’s only hit on the country charts.

Through the 1960s, Drusky consistently reached the Top 10s and 20s on the country charts. As a matter of fact, Drusky scored a No. 2 and No. 3 hit before “Yes, Mr. Peters” with “Another” and “Anymore”. Needless to say, the man dished out more than just one good song.

Tommy Cash

First and foremost, and for those of you who don’t know, yes, Tommy Cash is the brother of Johnny Cash, and, no, he was not a one-hit wonder. In 1970, Tommy Cash released the biggest hit of his career, “Six White Horses”, which peaked at No. 4 on the country charts and at No. 79 on the Hot 100. However, like everyone else on this list, this was not it for Tommy Cash.

In addition to the success of “Six White Horses”, Cash scored hits with his singles “Rise And Shine”, “I Recall A Gypsy Woman”, and “One Song Away”. Being the brother of Johnny Cash, Tommy certainly had a mission to make a name for himself, and he did so, not as a one-hit wonder.

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