Country ballads always hit the spot. And if you’re a baby boomer, I bet you still enjoy listening to these iconic 1976 country ballads from time to time. If anything, I bet you remember when they first made it to the radio back in the day.
“‘Til I Can Make It On My Own” by Tammy Wynette from ‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’
Tammy Wynette knew her way around a ballad, and “‘Til I Can Make It On My Own” is just one of many examples. This gorgeous country ballad was co-written by Wynette, George Richey, and Billy Sherrill. You might remember Kenny Rogers and Dottie West’s duet version from 1979, but honestly, there’s so much to love about the original. Listeners certainly thought so in 1976, as Wynette’s version made it to No. 1 on both the country charts in the US and Canada.
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“After All The Good Is Gone” by Conway Twitty from ‘Now And Then’
“After All The Good Is Gone” by Conway Twitty still hits the spot after all these years. This classic from Now And Then topped both the US and Canadian country charts in 1976, and it was Twitty’s 16th No. 1 hit in the US.
“Thinkin’ Of A Rendezvous” by Johnny Duncan from ‘Johnny Duncan’
Johnny Duncan dropped this pretty ballad in September 1976. Written by Bobby Braddock and Sonny Throckmorton, “Thinkin’ Of A Rendezvous” also features the talents of session singer Janie Ricke. The song as a whole is a slightly controversial piece of work about a taboo subject, namely a man who meets up with a woman he used to have an affair with. Listeners loved it, though, and “Thinkin’ Of A Rendezvous” topped the country charts in the US and Canada.
“All I Can Do” by Dolly Parton from ‘All I Can Do’
The late great Queen of Country makes it to our list of ballads from 1976 that many a baby boomer still remembers. “All I Can Do” comes from Dolly Parton’s album of the same name. The song was a hit, reaching No. 1 on the Canadian country charts. It also reached No. 3 on the Hot Country Singles chart in the US.
Photo by Andrew Putler/Redferns/Getty Images
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