I Grew up on Old Country, and These Are 5 Hits Every Beginner Fan Should Know

Even if you aren’t a fan of country music, here’s a couple of major hits you probably know. Listen to these, and you’ll already feel like a longtime fan.

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“He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones

Often considered one of the greatest country songs of all time, this George Jones hit sings of a man who gets left by his lover and eventually dies from a broken heart. When Jones recorded this one, the singer had been going through a bit of a rocky patch himself. Then, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” earned Jones multiple CMAs and got him his first No. 1 in six years.

“Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard

Partially inspired by his own antics that got him arrested at just 21 years old, “Mama Tried” gives a perfect introduction to not only Haggard himself but outlaw country in general.

“I wrote ‘Mama Tried’ after I got out [of prison],” Haggard told Paul Zollo. “It wasn’t Mama’s fault that I went to prison. She did everything right. She was a wonderful mother. Didn’t drink, didn’t smoke. You could depend on her.”

“Ring Of Fire” by Johnny Cash

At first, this song was actually recorded by Anita Carter, Cash’s sister-in-law, under the name “Love’s(Ring of Fire)”. As most country fans know, the song became a massive hit for Cash and one of his most referenced songs ever.

“Amarillo By Morning” by George Strait

This George Strait song is about as country as it gets. Originally, this tune was inspired by a FedEx commercial that advertised quick package delivery. This explains the song’s title, “Amarillo by Morning”. Terry Stafford was the first to record the song, and then Strait released a cover in 1982.

This might surprise you, but “Amarillo by Morning” is actually not one of the singer’s 60 No. 1’s. This song peaked at No. 4 on the charts.

“Delta Dawn” by Tanya Tucker

Written by Alexander Harvey and Larry Collins, “Delta Dawn” is easily one of the most beautiful country songs there is. Harvey wrote this one after having a dream where he was visited by his mother, who’d had a pretty hard life.

Harvey opened up about the song with Chicken Soup for the Soul: Country Music. “I really believe that my mother didn’t come into the room that night to scare me, but to tell me, ‘It’s okay,’ and that she had made her choices in life and it had nothing to do with me,” he explained.

Photo by: David Redfern/Redferns