If you watched American Song Contest you will recognize country newcomer Tyler Braden, who represented the state of Tennessee and was a semi-finalist. His debut radio single "Try Losing One" is about the universal feeling of a shattered heart and love lost. The song, which is featured on his debut project 'What Do They Know (WDTK)' was co-written by Tyler along with Brian Davis and Adam Wood.

Tyler said in a press release, “I think we did what we try to do in every write… We found a new angle on an age-old story. We wanted to keep the production simple, and Adam (Wood) and Randy Montana absolutely nailed it. The music supports the lyrics, the meaning, and the feel of the song. It builds on emotion and really hits you hard. I’m so proud of this one and so lucky to have such talent involved.”

A few months ago in addition to the Country Music Memory Lane articles I write and post on Thursdays, I also started the Mega-Star Series.  These are stars in country over the last 42 years, (since I have been in country radio), that are the most popular and gave us big gifts far beyond just the music.  I have played, or still play all these artists every day on the air.

These are the biggest stars since 1980, so this week, let's recap in case you missed them the first time around.  Get comfy, grab a coffee, get your ear buds on to listen to some of the best music of the past few decades.

Here is the list -  So Far!

There will be more and if your favorite is not on this list yet, they will be in time. There is no order or ranking.

Thanks for reading and listening!

Alabama

Hank Williams Jr.

George Strait

Reba McEntire

Shania Twain

Tim McGraw

Barbara Mandrell

Faith Hill

Vince Gill

Clint Black

Grilling is fantastic,  especially if you have a GREAT grill!  Plus, in the summer we hate heating up the kitchen making sides for the meat. So let's just blow by all that and make everything on the grill all summer long!

GRILL EVERYTHING!

You may have a secret to making the best hard boiled eggs on earth!  Many do, but just in case you don't and are tired of wondering endlessly if they will be right or not, here some of the BEST ways.  According to people that claim they know what they are doing!

The Best Way To Hard Boil Eggs!

You may have watched singer/songwriter Ian Flanigan compete on Season 19 of The Voice where he made his way to the Top 3, and now he has released a single to radio! It's called "Last Name On It" which will be included on his upcoming album 'Strong' due out on September 2nd. It's an upbeat tune where he sings about the thing that will complete his relationship, his last name!

Country newcomer Corey Kent has sent his debut single to radio. Corey said the first time he heard "Wild As Her" it reminded him of his wife, and it really embodies the free spirit. The new song ws co-written by Kelly Archer, Brett Tyler, and Morgan Wallen.

Walker Hayes has released a new song to radio, and the music video for "Y'all Life" features his family! 

In this new song, Walker celebrates life in the south. In an interview he says he pulled from his childhood memories from growing up in Mobile, Alabama, and that he wanted to give fans that small town football atmosphere when he wrote the song. Oh and he also name drops the Olive Garden in this one! 

Walker co-wrote the “Y’all Life” with Pete Good and Josh Jenkins with additional songwriting credits to “Country Grammar” writers Cornell Haynes Jr. (Nelly) and Jason Epperson. You can catch this song LIVE when Walker comes to the Covelli Center in Youngstown on Saturday, October 15th with Parmalee!

Box Office Results - Thor: Love And Thunder   #2  - Minions

New This Week - NOPE!   -   (Jordan Peele)

New Next Week - DC – Leaguge Of Superpets / Vengeance

August 5 - Bullet Train with Brad Pitt

August 5 — Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:  -  Netflix.

Peter Dinklage - Joined the cast of The Hunger Games prequel  (Story) 

The Munters Movie – September (Netflix)  will finally show the origin of Herman and how he came to be! (Story)

Who Knew? - Monty Norman, the composer of the James Bond theme, has died he was 94

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane  (Link) 

Amanda asked when I was going to get around to featuring Clint Black, and would he be in the Mega Star Series. Well, good idea, today, and yes!  Clint Black in my view, is a very important artist in our history.  CB showing up in 1989 was the next step on the ladder to country's explosion and led the charge to a popularity that we still enjoy today.  Clint along with Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and Travis Tritt that year, changed a whole lot of things for the way better.

Perfect Debut Single  - Phones LIT UP! #1

As great as Clint Black was during his run, he is another example of stars not being guaranteed a 20 plus year chart run, as they are more rare than not. But in his case it was the music that made him a star and made him a pivotal artist.  The unapologetic, fantastic, straight forward country approach that fans loved deeply and gave him incredible success in the 1990's and beyond as he heavily influenced the next wave, and next generation of stars.  From my seat, he and Garth really changed the game in country music. The format had been slowly evolving from a pop sound to a more traditional sound for about 8 years, from the result of many great stars. But Clint Blacks arrival signaled the start of something very different.

One Of The Most Loved Country Songs Of The Last 30 Years #1

Think of today, with Luke Combs and his incredible and meteoric rise to the very top.  That's what Clint Black did along with Garth at the same time, and Alan Jackson was not far behind, if at all.  Black was the combination of a young Merle Haggard, along with George Strait image and looks, a traditional approach with a new thump, and a treasure chest of songs ready to go. Yes, it was traditional, but there was NOTHING old sounding about it. The door had been opening on a real country boom since about 1986, and in 1989, Black, Brooks, Jackson, and Tritt kicked it down.  Clint Black charted some 30 plus songs in his run and 22 of them (or so depending on which chart) went number one. 

Another #1 Off His Debut Album

He came to Nashville and had to wait for success, he was a construction worker and had other jobs.  But in 1987 he got a break, and in 1989, he hit the charts.  He did things a bit differently as well, insisting that HIS own band play on his albums, which is not the way it generally works, but it worked for him.  Early on there were some legal issues with his music delaying albums and releases that eventually were worked out, and in short order he was offered some acting roles as his popularity was blossoming. Clint Black was becoming a major star.  In those days the only real tools the artists had was the radio and videos, so the music had better be good. No YouTube, no internet, no social media to drive things.

Another Huge #1 Song

His debut album Killin' Time, is a work of art, as the first 4 songs went number one setting records at the time and sold millions. It's one of the best country albums ever recorded.  In fact, his first 6 studio albums all sold multi-millions and through the 1990's Clint Black dominated the charts and radio.  Every single he released in his first 10 years was a top ten hit with some that didn't make it to #1, but made it to #2.  What CB did very successfully was restore many people's complete musical faith that country had indeed returned to "country"  in every way, and they loved him for it. In addition to the music, that was his absolute gift to us. I feel there are plenty of fans that miss his kind of pure sound even today.

Great Summer Song

He looked the part, he wore a hat, (he led the Hat Act charge) he sounded it, and his music was pure.  He also reminded people of how they felt when they first heard and saw George Strait, a decade earlier, or Haggard a couple decades earlier. But this time the climate was different than Straits arrival time, and Black joined Strait, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Holly Dunn, Patty Loveless and other traditionalists right away.  His sound was a little fuller, edgier, a bit more determined, and louder than some of the others of the time, say John Michael Montgomery, Jackson, Tim McGraw and even Garth's.

Very Cool Song

As time went on of course, Garth became the absolute face of country music with his soaring record sales, massive country and crossover appeal, incredible live shows, and gigantic national TV exposure, and we are better for it.  But in the 1990's Black and Brooks were undeniably running parallel and were the top acts of this huge decade that featured so many big stars.  They were the country stars of 1989, that led directly to the deluge of country stars that cascaded onto the charts over the next few years, and being honest, Clint Black was the first.  Many of the stars to come emulated Black, and Brooks with their look, the style, the hat, and the traditional sound that fans could not get enough of then.  Clint Black was in my view, and with every and all due respect to many others, musically, the best of the new traditionalists.

Classic Black #1

CB married Hollywood actor Lisa Hartman and had a number one song together.  Black has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, only the 4th country star to do that at the time.  He is a prolific songwriter and in fact would only record songs that he had written or co-written for many years.  He eventually started his own record label and in the last few years of this new century has recorded various albums of his own choosing. He still performs and tours and was here in Akron a few months back. He's won a ton of awards from the CMA, and the ACM and the AMA.  He's been nominated for many, and has won a Grammy.  He has also sold many millions of albums

With His Wife - Big Song!  #1

His music is sensational and it was right on time.  He and a few others elevated country to a place it had never been.  Sure, Urban Cowboy made us a temporary hero for a short while with the crossover audience. But as the traditional movement was starting to take hold from about 1986, in 1989, he was the real hero to those who loved their country - COUNTRY.  

Another #1

He really helped many people fall in love again with real country, and that is no small feat.  He spearheaded that remarkable class of 1989, that led off and then stampeded through the 1990's.   We needed Clint Black and he was sensational.

Great Song #1

He Was AT WQMX A Few Years Ago For An Interview!

Clint Black is a Mega Star by every measure.

On Sunday, the Dewsweepers played Fox Den Golf Course in Stow, and we were all raving about it, what a nice track to play.

You better like trees, because all holes are tree lined and beautiful. This is the very definition of a Northern course. Green, lush, trees, some sand, a little water that is in the proper place and some really nice terrain that gives this place some real character.  I love this course and I can't wait to go back and do it again.

They have also made some really nice improvements to the entire complex, and is very nice.  Greens fast and true that held, fairways perfect, and the design is very well done.  They have also "fixed" a problem they had on holes 5 and 6, that have been redesigned and it's a far better course now, making the par 5 6th way better and adding a newer par 3 now as hole #5.   At one time it was an awkward (being kind) par 5 5th and then a par 4 6th.  This is way better, gving you back-to-back par 5's on 6 and 7. 

Fox Den is in Stow, on Call road and if you like good golf, you should check it out.  PLUS, it's the only golf course I have ever played anywhere that had a barber shop!

GREAT place!