Jackie asked me about an artist I haven't thought about in a very long time. She asked about Charly McClain and what happened to her.  Actually, her name is Charlotte Denise McClain, but we all knew her as Charly. In the 1980's she had a nice run of hits, had a following, in addition to an enviable, beautiful, soft, angelic voice that was her absolute calling card. That voice made her as popular as any woman of her era.  Then she did something not many do, one day she just walked away.  I played all her songs for many years on great stations all across the country.

Breakthrough Song! (#1)

She was in the same era of Janie Fricke, Crystal Gayle, Sylvia, Tanya, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly, Shelly West, Rosanne Cash, a young Reba and others. She had a very unique voice that in some ways was not as powerful or as loud as the others, but there was an incredible, and alluring vulnerability in it, and the more "country" the song, the better she sounded. I always loved to hear Charly McClain sing a slow, gentle love song, she was really good at it. In fact, she would be my pick to sing such a song, top of the list. Funny, that we got to know her from her first number one hit, Who's Cheatin' Who in 1981 that was a real punchy number, Alan Jackson took that same song to number one a few years later, but McClain had it first.

Great Song As I First Got Into Country Radio

That era of country has been a bit forgotten. Time has not been very kind to the early and mid 1980's and I think that's too bad. No doubt country was struggling after the Urban Cowboy  phase and the the Neo-Traditionalists had not shown up yet. Things were just rudderless for a while.  I was playing these songs on the radio, but the trouble was, we just were not deep enough. Sure we had some stars, but the core style of music being recorded was a bit off center. McClain though was country, and I always respected that when many other were still recording songs with more of a pop audience still in mind first.  She went on to score three number one songs, but she had a ton of hits, and was a staple on the radio.

Listeners Loved This Song  (#7)

Very Much Loved Song At The Time  (#5)

She started very young and had a few albums in the mid 70's to no avail. But in 1981 she hit, and went on about a six year run of big songs. She was beautiful, and did some acting on 1980's TV as well, then married soap opera star Wayne Massey in 1984 and they recorded some songs together on the country charts. But no matter what she was doing in life, TV or on the charts, her songs were radio popular.  The song, With You was a real wedding favorite at the time for those lucky enough to have discovered us.

Great Hurtin' Song  (Very Underrated Song)  (#3) 

She had a way with the right song that made you listen.  She was not this soaring vocalist, she sang eloquently and directly from her heart and you could feel it. She recorded with many people, including Mickey Gilley and they had a couple of hits including, Paradise Tonight, which was a number one, but I never felt that was what she did best.  Her best songs were the vulnerable, love songs that came from deep within. In fact, not many have done it better in that regard.  I always felt that in some ways, her delivery was the predecessor to Alison Krause with her soft style, even though the music was quite different. 

Big Number ONE!

McClain didn't really care for the lonely life on the road and there was even a special made for TV about it on HBO.  And after a few years of really nice success, about 1990 she just stopped.  She went home and made a new life for herself and her family.  The format, and music had changed dramatically and she just decided that part of her life was behind her.

Top Five Song  (#3)

There have been some compilation albums where her music is available and that's great. If you have never really heard her sing, you should. You should get to know the amazing Charly McClain.

Check out some other 80's Ladies I have written about