4 Country Music Anthems From 1970 That Baby Boomers Will Never Forget

Country anthems were getting dished out left and right back in 1970, and baby boomers with a love for the genre couldn’t get enough of them. If you were listening to country radio daily back in 1970, you probably still listen to these four tracks on a regular basis today. They’re just that good.

“Coal Miner’s Daughter” by Loretta Lynn from ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’

This song is Loretta Lynn’s most iconic hit. It’s one that would come to define the early 1970s era of country classics. “Coal Miner’s Daughter”, written by Lynn, is an autobiographical ode to her hard-working family and her experience as a child during the Great Depression. So many listeners resonated with Lynn’s tale of poverty and difficulties through the lens of pride for her family. Unsurprisingly, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” became a smash hit. It peaked at No. 1 on the Canadian and US country charts. The catchy tune also crossed over to No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Hello Darlin’” by Conway Twitty from ‘Hello Darlin’’

Conway Twitty released so many gorgeous country tunes in the early 70s. But this wouldn’t be a proper list of classics without mentioning “Hello Darlin’”. This track was one of countless No. 1 hits for Twitty, but it remains one of his most well-known songs, particularly among non-country fans. “Hello Darlin’” peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and No. 60 on the Hot 100 chart.

“Tennessee Bird Walk” by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan from ‘Birds Of A Feather’

Whether you loved this song or not, you definitely couldn’t forget it after hearing it once. “Tennessee Bird Walk” by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan is one of the weirdest songs to come out of 70s country, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. In a way, I miss when country music was okay with getting on the oddball side. Listeners in 1970 would definitely agree with me there. This novelty country tune was a No. 1 hit on the Hot Country Singles chart and a crossover hit at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“All For The Love Of Sunshine” by Hank Williams Jr. and The Mike Curb Congregation from ‘All For The Love Of Sunshine’

Hank Williams Jr. and The Mike Curb Congregation had a smash hit on their hands with this entry on our list of country anthems from 1970 that baby boomers still love. It was a No. 1 hit on both the US and Canadian country charts. And if you’re a Clint Eastwood fan, you might remember this song from its prominent use in the 1970 war comedy drama Kelly’s Heroes.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns