Every Baby Boomer Alive Remembers These 4 Classic Country Jams From 1960

As the 60s began, the oldest baby boomers were in their mid-teens. Many of them were just starting to pay close attention to the music populating the airwaves and shelves of their local record stores. Decades later, there’s a good chance that most of them have forgotten the songs they thought were their favorites of all time in high school. However, these classic country songs from 1960 stuck with everyone who heard them.

Only four new songs topped the country chart in 1960. So, not all of these songs were No. 1 hits. They are, however, all stone-cold classics that have been loved by multiple generations of fans. Baby boomers were fortunate enough to be some of the first to hear them.

“Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got a Heartache)” – Buck Owens

The 1960s marked the rise of two distinct camps of country musicians. The Bakersfield Sound rose out of the honky tonks and dance halls of the West Coast and was championed by artists like Buck Owens. “Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got a Heartache)” was one of two hit country songs he released in 1960. Three years later, he kicked off a historic string of No. 1 singles with the classic “Act Naturally.”

“Please Help Me I’m Falling” – Hank Locklin

Hank Locklin’s “Please Help Me I’m Falling” is a solid example of the Nashville Sound. The style, marked by backing vocal groups and string arrangements, was created in Music City’s studios. It helped country music gain mainstream popularity. This was one of only four new songs to reach the top of the country chart in 1960. It was also a top 10 hit on the Hot 100, making it Locklin’s most successful single.

“Big Iron” – Marty Robbins

While Bakersfield and Nashville battled for country music supremacy, Marty Robbins was scoring hits with cowboy songs. In 1959, he released “El Paso.” Then, in February 1960, he released another legendary country song. “Big Iron” was a crossover hit for Robbins upon release. Then, more than 50 years later, it appeared on the soundtrack of the wildly popular 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas, which helped introduce Robbins’ music to new generations of fans.

“Family Bible” – Claude Gray

“Family Bible” isn’t just a memorable hit. It is also an incredibly important part of history. Claude Gray had a top 10 hit with this song in 1960, and it kickstarted a country legend’s career. Willie Nelson wrote and sold the song to Gray. Its success gave Nelson the momentum he needed to move to Nashville. Over the next few years, Nelson wrote classics like “Hello Walls” and “Crazy.”

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