The first singer/songwriter to top the charts
The singer/songwriter has been a fixture in popular music for a long time, but it wasn't always that way.
Before rock and roll came along, singing and performing were generally considered separate professions.
The first singer/songwriter in the rock era to have a number one hit was Buddy Knox. The song was "Party Doll," which Knox says he wrote behind a haystack on his family's farm in Happy, Texas.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.