This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1954.

Events January 4 — Elvis Presley records a 10-inch acetate demo at the Memphis Recording Studio; the two songs are "Casual Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand In Your Way".Rolling Stone Rock Almanac: The Chronicles of Rock & Roll," Collier Books, MacMillan Publishing Co., New York and London, 1983, p. 6. February 20 — "Slowly" by Webb Pierce becomes the first No. 1 song on Billboards country charts to feature the pedal steel guitar. June 19 — Top recording "I Don't Hurt Anymore" by Hank Snow begins 20-week run at #1 on Best Seller list. "One by One" by Red Foley and Kitty Wells begins 21-week run at #2 on same chart, spending a single week at No. 1 later in the year. For most of the summer and fall, "I Don't Hurt Anymore" holds "One By One" out of the top spot. July 17 — Ozark Jubilee debuts (on radio) as a weekly live broadcast over KWTO-AM. On August 7, ABC Radio begins carrying 25 minutes of the program nationally, hosted by Red Foley. July 6 — Elvis Presley releases his first single, "That's All Right"/"Blue Moon of Kentucky". A month later, Billboard gives the song a positive review, with the reviewer calling Presley a "strong new talent," and by September is a No. 1 hit in Memphis.Rolling Stone Rock Almanac, p. 7-8. October 2 — Elvis Presley makes his one and only appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Two weeks later, debuted on the Louisiana Hayride and is soon making regular appearances. November 13 — A Billboard disc jockey poll reports that disc jockeys are playing 11 percent country on radio stations, compared to 42 percent pop and 5 percent rhythm and blues.Rolling Stone Rock Almanac, p. 9. November 20 — Bartenders in Hammond, Indiana request that disc jockeys at WJOB radio stop playing Ferlin Husky's "The Drunken Driver", about an intoxicated driver who causes a crash that kills two children; the song "is hurting business," the union claimed.Rolling Stone Rock Almanac," p. 9.

No dates The 45 RPM vinyl record has all but taken over, both at the radio station and in stores. Few disc jockeys are still playing 78 RPM records (save for oldies). Elvis Presley makes his first Sun Records recordings in Memphis, Tennessee. His 1954 releases are only regional hits. Presley was one of several artists who make their earliest recordings for Sun Records. Late in the year, Johnny Cash records two songs he wrote, "Wide Open Road" and "You're My Baby". After a string of minor successes with singles and 10" vinyl records, RCA Victor releases Chet Atkins' first LP, A Session with Chet Atkins. George Jones and Johnny Cash make their debuts.

Top hits of the year

Number one hits

United States (as certified by Billboard)

DateSingle NameArtistWks. No.1 Notes January 19BimboJim Reeves3 February 20SlowlyWebb Pierce17 February 20Wake Up, IreneHank Thompson and His Brazo Valley Boys2 May 15I Really Don't Want to KnowEddy Arnold1 June 12(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So LonelyJohnnie & Jack2[A] June 19I Don't Hurt AnymoreHank Snow (The Singing Ranger) and His Rainbow Ranch Boys20 Snow's first Number One since 1950's "The Golden Rocket". July 3Even ThoWebb Pierce2 July 31One By OneRed Foley and Kitty Wells1 November 6More and MoreWebb Pierce10

Notes 1^ No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard. 2^ Song dropped from No. 1 and later returned to top spot. A^ Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.Note''''': Several songs were simultaneous No. 1 hits on the separate "Most Played in Juke Boxes," "Most Played by Jockeys" and "Best Sellers in Stores" charts.

Other major hits USSingleArtist8As Far as I'm ConcernedRed Foley and Betty FoleyBarry McCloud (1995) Definitive Country: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Country Music and Its Performers, p. 290, 2Back Up BuddyCarl Smith15Backward, Turn BackwardPee Wee King9Beware of "It"Johnnie & Jack9BimboPee Wee King10Breakin' the RulesHank Thompson14Call Me Up (And I'll Come Calling On You)Marty Robbins4Changing PartnersPee Wee King9Cheatin's a SinKitty Wells12Christmas Can't Be Far AwayEddy Arnold3Courtin' in the RainT. Texas Tyler4Cry, Cry, DarlingJimmy C. Newman7Dog-Gone It, Baby, I'm in LoveCarl Smith4Don't Drop ItTerry Fell9A Fooler, A FakerHank Thompson4Go, Boy, GoCarl Smith8Good Deal, LucilleAl Terry3Goodnight, Sweetheart, GoodnightJohnnie & Jack7Hep Cat BabyEddy Arnold14Hernando's HideawayHomer and Jethro15Honey, I Need YouJohnnie & Jack12Honey LoveThe Carlisles9Honky-Tonk GirlHank Thompson9Hootchy Kootchy Henry (From Hawaii)Mitchell Torok3I Love YouGinny Wright and Jim Reeves2I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)Ray Price12I'm a Stranger in My HomeKitty Wells and Red Foley3I'm Walking the DogWebb Pierce3If You Don't Somebody Else WillJimmy & Johnny8If You Don't Somebody Else WillRay Price7JiltedRed Foley4Looking Back to SeeGoldie Hill and Justin Tubb8Looking Back to SeeThe Browns13Much Too Young to DieRay Price7My EverythingEddy Arnold15NeverMarilyn Myers and Wesley Tuttle3The New Green LightHank Thompson9Out Behind the BarnLittle Jimmy Dickens8Place for Girls Like YouFaron Young12Pretty WordsMarty Robbins5Release MeJimmy Heap and Perk Williams6Release MeRay Price8Release MeKitty Wells9River of No ReturnTennessee Ernie Ford4Rose-MarieSlim Whitman8Run 'Em OffLefty Frizzell2Secret LoveSlim Whitman15Shake-a-LegThe Carlisles14She Done Give Her Heart to MeSonny James4Singing HillsSlim Whitman4Sparking Brown EyesWebb Pierce and The Wilburn Brothers5Tain't Nice (To Talk Like That)The Carlisles8Thank You for CallingBilly Walker10That Crazy Mambo ThingHank Snow15Then I'll Stop Loving YouJim Reeves3This Is the Thanks I Get (For Loving You)Eddy Arnold2This Ole HouseStuart Hamblen14Thou Shalt Not StealKitty Wells11Two Glasses, JoeErnest Tubb10We've Gone Too FarHank Thompson4Whatcha Gonna Do NowTommy Collins7You All ComeArlie Duff2You Better Not Do ThatTommy Collins8You Can't Have My LoveWanda Jackson with Billy Gray4You're Not Mine AnymoreWebb Pierce

Births April 29 — Karen Brooks, female vocalist best known for her No. 1 duet with T.G. Sheppard, "Fakin' Love." July 13 -- Louise Mandrell, female vocalist/musician. Was part of the Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell sisters TV show on NBC 80-82. Had a series of country albums and hits 70's and 80's. Starred in her own theater for 8 years in Pigeon Forge TN. July 18 — Ricky Skaggs, artist who fused bluegrass and contemporary country sounds in the 1980s. October 30 — T. Graham Brown, blues-styled country artist of the 1980s. October 30 — Jeannie Kendall, daughter half of The Kendalls. December 13 — John Anderson, honky tonk-styled singer since the early 1980s. December 25 — Steve Wariner, singer-songwriter and guitarist since the early 1980s.

Deaths December 1 — Fred Rose, 56, songwriter and founder of Acuff-Rose Music. One of the first three inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

References

Further reading Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947–1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 () Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 () Whitburn, Joel. "Top Country Songs 1944–2005 – 6th Edition." 2005.