WYNN - Country Music Memory Lane - Deana Carter!
Lisa asked about Deana Carter, and if I could talk about her from the late 1990's. Her chart success was short, but what an album, what memories we all have of her monster song, Strawberry Wine. I proudly played all her songs for years!
Deana Carter of course, was from the famous Carter family and you would think an easier path to recording greatness would be a given. But that's not the way it went. She started young, and had a few small albums at a very young age, but she stopped and went to college for a degree and performed for fun rather than a job while there. She eventually made a demo tape that Willie Nelson somehow heard and gave her an invitation to Farm Aid in 1994.
Strawberry Wine - HUGE!
But the big Deana Deal was 1996, and what a year for her. The album, Did I Shave My Legs For This, hit the charts and exploded with insane success. It topped the charts and sold over 5 million copies. That's huge for any album, for anyone, at anytime. And the lead single, Strawberry Wine, (Official Video worth a watch) became an anthem for every generation, and is permanently solidified in the memory banks of now grown adults, parents, and younger grandparents everywhere. The success of that single is hard to explain unless you lived through it.
This Song Was So Great, Loved IT!
Strawberry Wine to me is a powerful, gritty, honest, 100% immersible song that chronicles a pivotal moment, or a specific time in everyone's life. We all put ourselves inside the song and felt the same things Deana did when she recorded it. It is about as good of a written song as there is. Her stylistic approach on that gem was perfect, as she was born to sing it. It was nominated for about everything, and did win the 1997 CMA Single and Song Of The Year. I remember it so well, it was the same year I won my CMA Award and I was in the front row at the CMA's in Nashville when she jumped into Ricky Skagg's arms in her bare feet to accept the award. It was a moment of sheer joy!
Strawberry Wine was nominated in 1998 for the ACM Song and Single but didn't win. The album had a bunch of nominations, as did she personally, but only the two wins from the CMA. I was always stunned by that. That song which was written by one of Nashville's very best songwriters, Matraca Berg, the absolute right person recorded it, and it is a classic. Fans will remember the words to that song their whole lives, as it perfectly spoke to them. (BTW that song still sells a ton of digital downloads every year)
Yet, Another Number One!
As great as Strawberry Wine is and was, I also loved the other two BIG songs on that album, We Danced Anyway, (Official Video worth a watch) and How Do I Get There. (Both went number one). Deana Carter with her unique sound and voice, and her huge success seemed poised to really take off and go on a long run. But that is harder sometimes than we think.
I always loved her music, and I always loved who she was. Her incredible, but non-intimidating beauty and image, her fun and free spirit on stage with a big perfect smile performing in bare feet, complete with lots of energy. And I always thought she sang songs perfect for her. But the huge charting success that was Strawberry Wine, was never quite recaptured. Although the next album, Everything's Gonna Be Alright was really good, it failed to live up to the first success. But how could it, as album #1 was such a gigantic hit. AND it should be pointed out, it did go "gold" which is 500,000 sold, and that's no small feat either. Keep in mind, only 37 albums in Country Music History have sold more than her first album!
Second Album - I Always Loved This Song!
Sometimes big success real quick in the long run is really tough. I have always maintained that the first album is "easy." (Meaning sometimes they have good success) - as a lifetime of work, writing, dreaming and waiting goes into the debut album, and a much shorter time frame into the second album. The second album is the hard one, because you have to do it all over again, and it can decide how long you are around - and there is enormous pressure. Shows you how tough it is to do it many times over.
But NO one can deny that for a time, Deana Carter was way on top. She still records, plays and had Grammy nominations as recently as 2011 and 2012. There is also a LOT to learn from Deana Carter. She sang GOOD songs, that made you feel good, that said something, and took you someplace. Her presence, image, and videos were inviting and made you want to know her. She was also a part of the decade where the women in our format were having incredible success, and I feel really great song choices were at the heart of that. I always think there is room for a Deana Carter. Someone who is just flat out good.
We all will remember 1997 and 1998 - Strawberry Wine.
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Check Out Other Recent Memory Lane Artists I've Written About
Brett Eldredge Sings With Kelly Clarkson
Brett Eldredge joined Kelly Clarkson for a Christmastime duet on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. They sang "Under The Mistletoe"...
WYNN - The Sad Passing Of Charley Pride
I'm sure you heard this weekend country legend, Charley Pride passed away at 86. Legend is not too strong of a word to use here. In fact, it may not be big enough. He simply was. And he was one of the most gentlemanly people the entertainment industry has ever had. I proudly played his songs on many Country stations around the country for many years.
Classic Pride - 1971 - Million Seller
Charley Pride wanted to be a baseball player. And even though his run through various levels of professional ball was way before any of us can remember, by all accounts he was a darn good one, pitching for a number of years. But many times in all of our lives, one dream supplants another, and when injury and time ended baseball, he chose differently. About as different as you could then. He became a country singer. He was actually singing before some of his minor league games for a small price. Interesting stuff.
One Of Pride's Best -1981
I interviewed Charley Pride a few times over the years, and he was a truly nice man. You would never have known he has about 30-40 number one songs on the Country Chart. He was in the same breath as Conway Twitty in chart success in the 1970's, and he was the second biggest seller for RCA behind Elvis. Between about 1970 and the mid 1980's he charted 44 singles and all but about 7 went to the top 5. He outsold everyone for a good while in the 1970's. And that means EVERYONE in country. BY A LOT! The size of his popularity was incredible. Name a name and he was outselling them.
Incredible Pride Song - 1981
He had many gifts. First, you absolutely KNEW it was him singing (Best gift a singer can have). He knew how to sing the song the way it was written. He knew what the fans wanted. He knew where the notes were and found them with great ease and power. He NEVER over sang a song. He knew how to put everyone in the audience at ease. He chose songs perfect for him. And he knew he was going down a road not really traveled before, and made everyone comfortable. He was the right man, in the right place, at the right time for every reason there is!
Many Fans Today - Discovered Pride With This Song
After his incredible run through the 70's, Pride gently reinvented himself for the 1980's and did it perfectly as his booming baritone voice got even better. His style and song choices modified slightly, as was the Country music sound and landscape. Many not familiar with the 1970's Pride, more than likely remember the 1980's Pride. The music was different, but still great.
A Month Ago At The CMA's With Jimmy Allen
Charley Pride would sound good singing a Google page. He sang everywhere. He sang the Anthem at a Superbowl, the World Series, he won ACM'S, CMA'S ,Grammy's, AMA'S, and is in the Country Music Hall Of Fame. He also gave sage advice to a young and unknown Ronnie Milsap after seeing him perform one night in a Nashville Bar. Told him sing ONLY Country Music. He took it, and Milsap had about 30 #1 country songs himself.
Fans were glad to see Charley Pride honored by the CMA for Lifetime Achievement a month or so ago, and it was good to see him sing with Jimmy Allen in front of many of today's stars! It was well overdue, but with that said. We should all be so lucky to stand on our own stage at 86, sing our own song with a strong voice, and leave a multi-faceted legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.
Charley Pride - Incredible talent, incredible career, incredible life
WYNN - Know Your Dog Better!
This time of year I always seem to have a memory or two about a couple of dogs I have had, and have. I adopted the late Kona when she was 3 about this time of the year many years ago. And 9 years ago this week, I adopted, Juneau from a shelter when she was 1.
Kona And Juneau Years Ago!
Windy brought Midnight the Pug home two years ago this week, and he's turned out to be a really nice dog too. We love our dogs, and I'm sure you do do! I found this article and thought it was apt, about how we can understand our pooches better and they can do the same!
Midnight Loves The Kitchen Heat Vent!
Ingrid Andress Performs 'More Hearts Than Mine'
Ingrid Andress was the musical guest last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live and sang her Grammy nominated single, "More Hearts Than Mine"...
WYNN - Wynn At The Movies And Info!
Wynn's Weekend Watch - 2005 - Number One movie ON THIS DATE was Peter Jackson's - King Kong!
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Cobra Kai 3 - They released the Cobra Kai season 3 trailer yesterday.
It Has Been Found – That - No. 1 was Wisconsin, followed by Utah and Oregon miss going to the movies the most! (Map)
Wonder Woman – Writer and Director Patty Jenkins rips Justice League movies (Story)
In Theaters NOW - Croods / Freaky / The Outpost, Honest Thief, The War With Grandpa
DVD This Week - Tenet
Christmas Day Movies - Wonder Woman 1984, News Of The World / Promising Young Woman / Pinocchio
WOW – Big News here about Disney! (Story)
More Indiana Jones - Harry Ford is ready to go! (Story)
Mario Lopez – Will star as a sexy Colonel Sanders in a Lifetime KFC mini-movie called A Recipe For Seduction. (Story)
Dr. Strange 2 - Is in production – Rachel McAdams coming back (Story)
Black Widow – Will NOT stream the same day it's released to theaters (Story)
Recap Of My Articles This Week - Real Christmas Trees - Useless And Useful - This is Interesting -
This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane (link)
Sam Hunt on Late Night with Seth Meyers!
Sam Hunt was the musical guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday (December 7) and performed his song "2016" from his latest album 'Southside'...
Chris Stapleton on The Late Show!
Chris Stapleton stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert virtually to perform his song "Devil Always Made Me Think Twice" from his new album 'Starting Over'...
WYNN - Now This Is Interesting!
Things are surely different than they were a year ago, and we hope that all will return to "normal" sometime soon. But until then, there are ideas that are taking off for the long and short term good.
But I am not sure about this!
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WYNN - Country Music Memory Lane - Hal Ketchum
Many have asked if I could look back on 1990's artist Hal Ketchum, who just passed away at 67 from dementia last month. So young for that, and we are all very sad about it. Here's a guy that performed his entire life starting about 15 years old. I proudly played all of his songs on the radio for many years.
Hal Ketchum was a very interesting person and artist who burst upon the scene in 1991. And even though his big run was short, he found a following, and had tons of fans. Looking back, I'm not so sure he was totally "country", as his roots were very diversified, but he found success on the charts, going up to #2 a few times. He showed up at a good time, and added a real different color to the country music rainbow. He was blessed with an interesting look, and a wonderful mainstream voice that would sound good singing about anything.
Small Town Saturday Night - Still A Favorite Of Many - Mine Too!
Country was exploding when Ketchum showed up, and the time was right to have success. I always felt Ketchum was like only few others of the era, as to where they were kind of pop, and even folk inspired at times, mixed in with the current tide of country. Ketchum during his run, reminded me of Colin Raye and others in the the fact that they were blazing a new trail and expanding our borders beyond the monstrous hat acts of the decade, but all the while still very cognizant of what was going on in mainstream country. They were not Alan, Garth, or George sounding, but they were not light years away musically, even if their outward image was. The whole bunch were not traditionalists, but they found a place where they were comfortable, and fans were too.
Hal's Fantastic Signature Song
Hal Ketchum's run on the charts was short, but with great success. He had two very big albums what had a lot of popular songs on them. 1991's Past The Point Of Rescue was a terrific project that catapulted him into the spotlight. Seems everyone loved Small Town Saturday Night as it went to #2 on the charts. Three more hits followed from it, I Know Where Love Lives, Five O'clock World (remake of a 60's hit by The Vogues.) And of course what would become his signature song, Past The Point Of Rescue, which is terrific - and SHOULD have been a #1 (#2)
I'm Not Big On Remakes But This Is One Of My Favorites- Perfect Artist To Do It!
The Sure Love album was next, and it was also great, and it seemed Hal Ketchum was here to stay. Hearts Are Gonna Roll raced up to #2 on the charts and two more singles followed. But for some reason, after this album commercial success was tough, and Ketchum's best chart days were behind him. He started acting, and had some roles in movies including Maverick, and Heartbreak Hotel. He was also a painter. He was a very interesting guy, multi-talented too.
Great Song!
In 1998 he was stricken with a spinal chord disorder where he lost the use of the entire left side of his body. He had to relearn how to sing and play guitar. He did, and performed for many years after. But in 2019, is was announced he had dementia and in November, he died at 67. So young. His passing hit a lot of people hard as our emotions and memories were driven back to the early 1990's where many of today's fans discovered country for the first time. Those are great memories for many, and Hal Ketchum was there to welcome them.
But for his short run, he racked up some very loyal fans who still love his music. Past The Point Of Rescue and Small Town Saturday Night still sound great, and fans still hit the dance floor when played. Hal Ketchum made some great music in country's biggest decade, where he was part of it.
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