“How to Be a Country Star” is a song recorded by American country music group The Statler Brothers, written by group members Harold Reid and Don Reid. The song – a humorous, tongue-in-cheek advice song that names many of the top country music recording artists of the time, along with a number of classic country artists – was released in March 1979 as the first single from the album The Originals. The song eventually climbed to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart that May, and also No. 18 on the Canadian RPM country singles chart.
From the album The Originals
B-side “A Little Farther Down the Road”
Released March 1979
Recorded September 28, 1978
Genre Country
Length 3:30
Label Mercury 55057
Songwriter(s) Don Reid and Harold Reid
Producer(s) Jerry Kennedy
The Statler Brothers – How To Be A Country Star Lyrics
There’s questions we’re always hearing every where we go
Like how do I cut a record or get on a country show
Well, it takes more than just ambition and three chords on an old guitar
There’s a few more things you ought to learn to be a country star
You got to learn to sing like Waylon or pick like Jerry Reed
Yodel like Jeannie Shepard, write songs like Tom T
Put a cry in your voice like Haggard, learn Spanish like Johnny R
Whisper like Bill Anderson and you’ll be a country star
Play piano like Ronnie Mil sap or Gilly or Jerry Lee
Yo-yo like Roy Acuff or talk plain like Ralph Emery
Growl like Conway Twitty, get a red, white and blue guitar
Build a swimming pool like Webb did and you’ll be a country star
Be tall like Sonny James is, tell jokes like Minnie Pearl
Or be short like Jimmy Dickens or play five-string like Earl
Get a hip band like Willie, learn to stutter like M-Mel
Get a cap like Roy Clark wore or a voice like Barbara Mandrel
Be rich like Eddy Arnold, say you’re makin’ more than you are
Get a gimmick like Charley Pride got and you’ll be a country star
But if you have no talent and you’re not a male
If you’re built somewhat like Dolly or have a face like Crystal Gayle
Come back stage and ask for Harold, Phil, Don or Lou
And we’ll see you get auditioned for the Statler Brothers Review
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://whentcowboysings.com/the-statler-brothers-how-to-be-a-country-star/&media=https://whentcowboysings.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/When-The-Cowboy-Sings-YouTube-Channel-17.jpg&description="How to Be a Country Star" is a song recorded by American country music group The Statler Brothers, written by group members Harold Reid and Don Reid. The song – a humorous, tongue-in-cheek advice song that names many of the top country music recording artists of the time, along with a number of classic country artists – was released in March 1979 as the first single from the album The Originals. The song eventually climbed to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart that May, and also No. 18 on the Canadian RPM country singles chart.From the album The OriginalsB-side "A Little Farther Down the Road"Released March 1979Recorded September 28, 1978Genre CountryLength 3:30Label Mercury 55057Songwriter(s) Don Reid and Harold ReidProducer(s) Jerry Kennedy){kind=link}