Chad asked me this week about his favorite growing up, Mark Chesnutt.  He was a favorite of mine too.  It has long been debated about the 1990's, the decade of Garth, Clint, Alan Jackson, George Strait, McGraw, Faith, Patty Loveless, Toby Keith, Shania and other mega stars, what about artists like Chesnutt, Doug Stone, Tracy Byrd, Tracy Lawrence, Joe Diffie and others?  Were they the product of the others gigantic success? OR would they have led the charge in a different time?  That is up for discussion and goes unanswered.  What is not up for discussion, is that Mark Chesnutt is a Honky Tonk Legend.

Lots Of Classics From Chesnutt - A Real Club Favorite

Mark Chesnutt to me, would have been a star in any era, as there is always room for a pure country singer, (ala Jon Pardi).  His music was timeless and simply great. His song choices and delivery were not "flavor of the month."  His music would sound great in any decade, in a Cadillac or a Combine.  He was a real traditionalist deeply rooted in the Texas honky tonks. His incredible gift to us was this. His barroom style songs invoked ultra vivid snapshots in our own minds of people, places and situations within our own lives.  He skillfully painted masterpieces with his music. His warm voice enveloped the country songs he sang, and I don't know if anyone's music ever sounded better out of a jukebox than his.  He was the quintessential "hat act"

Too Cold At Home - One Of My Very Favorite Country Songs

The first time I played his first big song on the radio, Too Cold At Home, I had no idea who he was.  But I knew this. I wanted to hear more, and that song was a major hit, delivered by someone that was going to be around for a while. Sometimes you just know.  During the 1990's Chesnutt went on to chart 29 singles with 17 going to the top five, virtually all to the top 10, and 8 going #1.  I would put his music up against any artist of the decade.  He wasn't flashy he was just good.  He was also blessed with a voice that was unique enough to cut through and you knew that was him.  I believed every word he sang, that is the real musical barometer.  To me, there is very little, if any question he is one of the most underrated country singers ever.

Fantastic Song

And This Absolute Gem  - What A Song! 

Too Cold At Home sold me on him right away, but Brother Jukebox, Bubba Shot The Jukebox, I'll Think Of Something, It Sure Is Monday, I Just Wanted You To Know, all huge hits.  And there were tons more.  He was a CMA winner, and recorded some of the best pure country music of the decade. His albums also featured remade tributes from classic artists like Hank Jr., John Anderson, Conway Twitty, Don Gibson, and even Aerosmith.  He was also the first to record the Garth classic, Friends In Low Places on the Too Cold At Home album in 1990.  His first 6 albums are as good as any artist at any time.

Brother Jukebox - Classic Country

Gabby Barrett was the musical guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today (November 16) and sang her hits "I Hope" and "The Good Ones"! 

So this is a different kind of year in every regard, so the holidays will be as well.  So it got me wondering this question.

"What rule does your family have for putting up the Christmas tree? Day after Thanksgiving? Day of the first snowfall?"

Do you have a rule?  When I was living alone, there were many years I did not put up a tree, I just enjoyed other people's trees.  They were better than mine anyways.  My friends Don and Terri always had a GREAT tree, and I loved seeing it. (They still do BTW)  My Christmas decorating lasted about 5 minutes, I would go to the basement, grab the beautiful wreathe I had and the spotlight, toss the wreathe on the front door, and hit it with the spotlight.  Being fair, it looked GREAT on my old house. Sometimes I went all out and strung some garland on the sign and porch I had.

This is NOT Our Official Tree, But If Windy Could.......

But, when the beautiful, Windy showed up, things changed, and for the better.  She helped me do a tree in my last year in my old vintage home before I sold it and she made it beautiful.  She makes everything beautiful and loves doing it. Our home now feels very Christmassy, and I have to admit, I do like it better than before.

Last Tree In My Old Home -

So the answer to the question at our house is generally Thanksgiving weekend. But, the actual answer is when Windy wants to do it, and I'm OK with that.

So, When do you do yours??

Don't know how or where to get your turkey?  Click here to check on price and availability!

TURKEY TIME!!!

Chris Stapleton released his new album 'Starting Over' today, and went on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night (November 12) to talk about it. He also talked to Jimmy about his beautiful hair, his lifechanging performance with Justin Timberlake, and his cameo on "Game of Thrones"... 

Maren Morris had a big night at the CMA's last night winning Song and Single of the Year for "The Bones" and Female Vocalist of the Year. Later that evening she was the musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live performing her latest hit single. "To Hell & Back"...

Wynn's Weekend Watch -  #1 This Date Last Year!  Worth a watch! 

Midway 2019

Cinema Safe – Great site for movie theater procedures (Site)

In Theaters NOW - Freaky  /   The Outpost  /   Honest Thief  /   The War With Grandpa  /   Tenet, American Sniper  /  Toy Story  /   Daddys Home 2   (Schedule Example)

Box Office - Let Him Go  - 4.5 Million  -  last weekend  (Story)

NEW DVD  (list) - Mulan 

Matthew McConaughey - Is open to making a   How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days   Sequel It's been 17 years! (Story)

Jason Momoa – Says he was in huge debt after Game Of Thrones  (Story)

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

Carly Pearce made a virtual appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show and sang her latest single "Next Girl"... 

Luke Combs was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night (November 9). He talked to the host about getting married, Garth Brooks, his CMA nominations and more... 

Sharla asked about her favorite, and I couldn't wait to write this.  When I put these together, I always look for intangibles that the artist bought us outside of just great music as I saw it.  She brought us a very different image for women in country at the time, playing an electric guitar, her jeans, dusters, big belt buckles, boots, t-shirts, cowboy hat, and her very, very country sound.  I loved Terri Clark. I thought she really had the right idea.

Her First Hit Song!

Her image was refreshing at the time, as it was bold yet authentic.  Her music was slick, but simple and sung by a very powerful voice that commanded the airwaves. (There were those stories of her being hard to mic in the studio because of her vocal power)  Clark, from Canada, found her way to Nashville after saving money working at a small restaurant.  When she arrived in Music City, the roadblocks began.  She was a "traditional" country act and there was little belief she could pull it off.  She became a staple playing Tootsies on the Nashville strip. How would this young "country" woman fit in with the format?  Finally, a great producer named Keith Stegall got her a record deal. 

Her First Number One....

The 1990's was a GREAT time for women in country, as for a whole lot of it they really led the way. Shania, Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, Faith, Jo Dee Messina, Martina, Patty Loveless, Holly Dunn, and Reba was still a factor.  There was LeAnn Rimes, Suzy Bogguss, The Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack, Sara Evans, and the huge but quick success of Deana Carter. Their music was great. These artists all had long runs of big songs, and were dominating our format.  Terri Clark hit the charts in 1995, and she was unlike all the others, in her image, and certainly her sound.  There were no women "Hat Acts,"  singing deep country, and she was, and did.  I thought this really helped her cut through.

This Is An Incredible Country Song!

Better Things To Do hit the radio in 1995 (hard to think that was 25 years ago) and I knew the second I heard it, there was something very different here.  It was a flat out "country" song, that spoke equally to women and men and was embraced by everyone with its traditional arrangement.  And like most songs to follow from her it was non-alienating. - Great choice!  Her first album, Terri Clark, was terrific and big songs on it.  When Boy Meets Girl, If I Were You, and Suddenly Single all performed very well.  We all were instantly a fan.  Most of the women of her era were not as traditional as Clark.  She was unquestionably traditional, but unlike say the traditional Holly Dunn before her, she brought a real thump and an attitude to it, in addition to a ton of energy.

Terrific Song

Over the next number of years there were more albums, and the level of success fluctuated.  But I thought she always put out great hits.  Poor, Poor Pitiful Me, Emotional Girl, Now That I Found You,  A Little Gasoline, and Easy On The Eyes, Girls Lie Too all great songs.  She also charted I Just Wanna Be Mad  -  a fantastic number one song.  All of these songs are easy enough to list and talk about, but my appreciation for her is the fact that her music was all together different than every other woman on the country charts at that time. She was real, rootsy country. There were some others that were similar to a degree, but Clark's music was distinct, and so was she.

Remade This Classic, Perfect Artist For It

Her run was great, albeit a bit too short, but Terri Clark proved many people wrong. She is a favorite of many still today, and I wish others would follow her lead.  I feel that there is always room for a female "hat act".   I feel if the right person came out today, there could be success there too.  But she did it, and I always respect any artist  - that goes somewhere -  and does something  - that is thought to be unattainable

Terri Clark, great songs, great singer, great career, and much respect!

Other Recent Memory Lane Articles

The Bellamy Brothers

Ronnie Milsap

Olivia Newton-John

Steve Wariner