Following the success of the song, Williams was invited to appear as a guest on the "Grand Ole Opry", on June 11, 1949. After the performance, Williams received a standing ovation. "Lovesick Blues" became his signature song, which he used to close his shows. It was also his first number one hit, and garnered Williams the stage nickname of "The Lovesick Blues Boy". In 1949, the singer received second billing behind Eddy Arnold on the list of the "Year's Top Selling Folk Artists". Williams' version of the song was featured in the films "The Last Picture Show" (1971), "Forrest Gump" (1994) and "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994). In 2004, "Lovesick Blues" was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.