The Statler Brothers – How To Be A Country Star

“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