98 Country Classic Bonus – 5 Country Classic Hits from 1964 [VIDEOS]

Good morning and welcome to the 98 Country Classic Show on air at 98.1 FM, online and on your mobile device.

Today we feature five bonus tracks online from the year 1964.

In 1964:

• Congress authorized war against North Vietnam,
• LBJ signed the civil Rights Act into law,
• Gasoline cost 30 cents a gallon, a loaf of bread was 21 cents and a postage stamp was only a nickel.
• The top ten country hits were from George Jones, Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Lefty Frizzell and Jim Reeves.

George Jones – “The Race is On”

“The Race is On” is a song written by George Jones and Don Rollins.  It was the first single released from his 1965 album of the same name.  “The Race is On” peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart.

I feel tears wellin’ up cold and deep inside.

Buck Owens – “My Heart Skips a Beat”

Many folks remember Buck Owens from the very popular “Hee Haw” TV show that he co-hosted with Roy Clark.  “My Heart Skips a Beat" was a 1964 single by Owens.  The song spent seven non-consecutive weeks at the top of the country chart.

Oh my heart skips a beat when we walk down the street.  

Johnny Cash – “Understand Your Man”

“Understand Your Man” is a 1964 single by Johnny Cash. The single went to number one on the country charts for six weeks.  The song also crossed over to the pop chart peaking at number 35. In this performance, he sang with Glen Campbell.

Don’t call my name out your window,

I’m leavin’ I won’t even turn my head.

Lefty Frizzell – “Saginaw, Michigan”

“Saginaw, Michigan” was written by Bill Anderson and Don Wayne. The single was Lefty Frizzell’s sixth and final number one charted country hit.  The song earned Frizzell a Grammy nomination.

I was born in Saginaw, Michigan;

I grew up in a house on Saginaw Bay.

Jim Reeves – “Welcome to my World”

‘Welcome to my World” is a popular standard record, re-recorded by many artists, most notably by Jim Reeves.  Reeves' version was included on his 1962 album, “A Touch of Velvet.”  Reeves version was released as a single in 1964 and went to number two on the Billboard Hot Singles Chart in the spring of 1964.  In fact it would become one of Reeves last major hit in his lifetime as he was killed in a private plane crash on July 31, 1964.

Welcome to my world, won’t you come on in?