On This Day in 1950, Hank Snow Was at No. 1 on the Country Chart With the Record-Tying Song That Put Him on the Path to Stardom

On this day (October 30) in 1950, Hank Snow was atop all three Billboard country charts with “I’m Moving On,” his first No. 1 single. The song stayed at the top for 21 weeks, tying Eddie Arnold’s “I’ll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)” for the longest-running chart-topper. More importantly, the single’s massive success opened multiple industry doors for Snow, paving his path to country stardom.

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Snow found early success when his second single, “Marriage Vow,” peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard country charts in 1949. He followed that with “I’m Moving On,” which kicked off a string of three consecutive No. 1 songs. The rest of the decade saw Snow’s songs landing solidly in the top 10. Every single he released between 1949 and 1974 was a top 40 hit, making him one of the most successful country artists of his era.

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Hank Snow and the Defense of Traditional Country Music

Hank Snow drew inspiration for much of his early work from the Father of Country Music, Jimmie Rodgers. While he experimented with other styles throughout his career, including Latin, jazz, and Hawaiian music, he never fully stepped away from the roots of country music.

He made his Grand Ole Opry debut in January 1950. Later that year, Ernest Tubb invited him to become a member, and he happily accepted. Snow performed on and traveled with the Opry for decades.

Snow didn’t just love country music. He defended the art form. When pop and rock music started to bleed into the genre in the 1960s and ’70s, he refused to follow the trend. Instead, he stuck to what he believed country music should be.

However, Snow was not against progress. In fact, he helped push the genre forward. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, he was one of the first artists to see the value of crafting full-length albums. Initially, LPs were collections of hits and B-sides with a few added songs. Snow, however, was an early adopter of the concept album, creating collections of songs that fit together like a musical puzzle.

It’s safe to say that none of this would have happened without the success of “I’m Moving On,” a truly career-making hit.

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