Chart Rewind: In 1976, Ronnie Milsap Took a ‘Stand’ at No. 1
The signature piano lick in “(I’m a) Stand by My Woman Man” generated a legal issue.
In 1976, Ronnie Milsap's "(I'm a) Stand by My Woman Man" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. This public victory obscured a private dispute. Ronnie Milsap's country soul continued to captivate audiences even in 2016, when Jon Pardi's "Boots" claimed the top spot on the Country Airplay chart. The songwriting process for Milsap's hit involved producer Tom Collins asking pianist Hargus "Pig" Robbins to play a specific lick reminiscent of songs by George Jones and Tammy Wynette.
The title of Milsap's song mirrored that of Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man," leading to a copyright infringement lawsuit from publisher Al Gallico against Collins. As a result, Kent Robbins, who co-wrote the song with Wynette and producer Billy Sherrill, received additional writing credit. Milsap received a Grammy for best country vocal performance by a male in 1977, while Kent Robbins received a Country Music Association nomination for best country song.
Interestingly, the August 28 date of Milsap's No. 1 aligns with the date Tammy Wynette wrote and recorded her famous "Stand by Your Man" in 1968.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
