▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁ ▁He ▁cut ▁his ▁first ▁single , ▁" L ay ▁Some ▁H app iness ▁On ▁Me " ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁May ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁ 3 ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁It ▁made ▁# 6 1 ▁on ▁the ▁Billboard ▁Hot ▁Country ▁Singles ▁( his ▁best ▁so ▁far ). ▁He ▁wrote ▁a ▁few ▁more ▁hon ky - ton k ▁style ▁songs , ▁including ▁" Your ▁S qu aw ▁Is ▁On ▁The ▁War path " ▁which ▁became ▁a ▁famous ▁song ▁for ▁sister ▁Lor etta ▁Lyn n . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁he ▁recorded ▁two ▁songs : ▁" R ib bon ▁of ▁Dark ness " ▁( which ▁sister ▁Cry stal ▁Gay le ▁later ▁s ung ) ▁and ▁" G otta ▁Sw im ▁The ▁Mississippi ". ▁It ▁became ▁a ▁sm ash ▁hit ▁for ▁him , ▁" G otta ▁Sw im ▁The ▁Mississippi " ▁chart ed ▁at ▁# 3 2 ▁on ▁the ▁Billboard ▁Hot ▁Country ▁Singles . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁more ▁in - dem and ▁act , ▁and ▁began ▁performing ▁minimum ▁ 1 0 ▁concert s ▁every ▁ 2 ▁weeks . ▁Br enda ▁Lee ▁approached ▁him ▁with ▁a ▁song , ▁" To o ▁Little ▁Time ", ▁that ▁she ▁had ▁recorded ▁but ▁wasn ' t ▁a ▁success ▁( it ▁made ▁# 1 2 3 ). ▁He ▁accepted ▁it , ▁and ▁recorded ▁it ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁along ▁with