Tanya Tucker - TNT (1978)

“TNT” by Tanya Tucker (1978)

Release Date: November 1978
Produced by Jeff Goldstein
Genre: Country, Country Rock, Rock, Pop
Label: MCA

Chart Positions: #54 (US), #52 (Canada), #2 (US Country, Canada Country)
Certifications: Gold (US, Canada)
Awards: Nominated for the “Best Female Rock Performance” Grammy Award (Donna Summer won the award that year)

Singles and Chart Positions: “Texas (When I Die)” #3 (Canada Country), #5 (US Country), “I’m The Singer, You’re The Song #6 (Canada Country), #18 (US Country), #25 (Canada Adult Contemporary)
 Singles Certifications: N/A
Other Charting Tracks: “Not Fade Away” #70 (US)
Best Tracks: “Not Fade Away,” “Lover Goodbye,” “Angel From Montgomery,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Bown Eyed Handsome Man,” “Texas (When I Die)”

“TNT” by Tanya Tucker (Click Here)

“TNT” was Tanya Tucker’s 9th studio album and was her first to be certified Gold in both the US and Canada. The album also received a Grammy nomination in the category of "Best Female Rock Performance." This was Tanya's third of 10 Grammy nominations. She has yet to win a Grammy.

With “TNT” Tucker made a bold departure from her classic country music style to do a more rock-flavored album – but for good measure kept a slight hint of that country there for her longtime fans. The departure proved to be extremely successful for Tucker as the album is her second highest charting on the US Country chart and her highest charting on the Canadian Country chart. The album was also her highest charting on the US Billboard Top 200 albums chart reaching #54. Only 1991’s “What Do I Do With Me” and 1992’s “Can’t Run From Yourself” have charted higher reaching #48 and #51 respectively. IN Canada “TNT” is Tucker’s highest charting album on the pop charts reaching #52. It was also her first album to make it onto the Canadian Country charts.

Because of the success of “TNT” Tucker followed the album with 1979’s “Tear Me Apart,” another rock-influenced album but captured much less success and by 1980 returned to her country music roots.

Featuring a playful somewhat flirtatious exuberant attitude from Tanya, "TNT was in many ways her coming of age album. She had just turned 20 a month before it's release and was ready to prove she was more than just a cute country music sweetheart.

The album opens with Phil Everly’s synth drum rocker “Lover Goodbye” and sets the mood for the album. Her remake of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” is a beautiful southern rock ballad. Prine wrote and recorded this song for his 1971 debut album “John Prine.” Seals and Crofts helped on backing vocals on the ballad “The River and The Wind.”

The album’s first single “Texas (When I Die)” was the only true country number on the album. The song peaked at #5 on the US country chart and with time has become one of Tucker’s signature songs.

Tucker’s rendition of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” is a real scorching treat. The song was released as the b-side to “Texas (When I Die).” Receiving a fair amount of radio airplay and fan requests it ended up charting on Billboard’s Top 100 Singles chart reaching #70, making it the third highest charting pop single of her career.

Not Fade Away (1978)

Easily one of the album highlights is her rockin’ rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” why they did not release this as a single is a mystery to me. Tucker puts in a flavorful rockabilly rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man.” The song was originally released on Chuck Berry’s 1957 debut album “After School Session” and was used as the b-side to his 1956 single “Too Much Monkey Business.”

Often "TNT" sounds as if Tanya's aim was to crack the AOR radio format and would have done well alongside the queens of AOR such as Pat Benatar, Linda Ronstadt and Anne & Nancy Wilson (Heart).

Link to “TNT” (Click Here)

TANYA TUCKER (1978)

TANYA TUCKER

Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger (1975)

“Red Headed Stranger” by Willie Nelson (1975)

Release Date: May 1975
Produced by Willie Nelson
Genre: Country, Outlaw Country
Label: Columbia

Chart Positions: #28 (US), #88 (Australia), #90 (Canada), #1 (US Country), #7 (Canadian Country)
Certifications: 2xPlatinum (US), Gold (Canada)
Awards: Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance for “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”

Singles and Chart Positions: “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” #21 (US), #40 (Canada), #57 (Australia), #1 (US Country), #12 (US Adult Contemporary), #2 (Canadian Country), #9 (Canadian Adult Contemporary), “Remember Me” #67 (US), #78 (Canada), #2 (US Country), #6 (Canadian Country)
 “Singles Certifications: N/A
Other Charting Tracks: N/A
Best Tracks: “Time of the Preacher,” “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” “Red Headed Stranger,” “O’er The Waves,” “Hands On The Wheel,” “Bandera”

“Red Headed Stranger” by Willie Nelson (Click Here)

“Red Headed Stranger” is Willie Nelson’s 18th studio album and his first for Columbia Records. A concept album, Red Headed Stranger is about a fugitive on the run from the law after killing his wife and her lover. The content consists of songs with brief poetic lyrics and arrangements of older material such as Fred Rose's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain", Wolfe Gilbert's "Down Yonder" and Juventino Rosas' "O'er the Waves". Despite Columbia's doubts and the limited instrumentation, Red Headed Stranger was a blockbuster among country music and mainstream audiences. It was certified multi-platinum, and made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. The cover of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," released as a single, previous to the album’s full release became Nelson's first number one country music hit. The title of the album would become a lasting nickname for Nelson. The song also won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. Also nominated that year were; "Country Boy (You've Got Your Feet In L.A.) by Glen Campbell, "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" by John Denver, "Before The Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddy Fender, "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" by Waylon Jennings and Misty" by Ronnie Milsap.

The concept for the album was inspired by the "Tale of the Red Headed Stranger", a song that Nelson used to play as a disk jockey on his program in Fort Worth, Texas.

In 1973 Nelson signed a contract for $25,000 per year with Atlantic Records, the first country artist signed by the label. His first album with Atlantic was the critically acclaimed Shotgun Willie, which was followed by one of the first concept albums in country music, Phases and Stages. Due to the success of these recordings, Nelson signed with Columbia Records, and was given complete creative control.

During his return to Austin, after a ski trip in Colorado, Nelson was inspired by his then-wife, Connie Koepke, to write a western concept album. Koepke suggested the inclusion of Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith's "Tale of the Red Headed Stranger", which Nelson sang during his radio shows on KCNC in Fort Worth and previously, to his children at bedtime. Nelson decided to write a complete story that included details of events prior to the ones described in the song. As he spontaneously composed the songs, Koepke wrote down the lyrics. With his original writings, Nelson included on the story, Fred Rose's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain", Wolfe Gilbert's "Down Yonder", Juventino Rosas' "O'er the Waves", Hank Cochran's "Can I Sleep in Your Arms?", Eddy Arnold's "I Couldn't Believe it Was True", and Billy Callery's "Hands on the Wheel". When he arrived in Austin, Nelson recorded a demo of the songs on a tape recorder accompanied with his guitar at his ranch in Fitzhugh Road.

"Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" (1975)

Red Headed Stranger's critical success cemented Nelson's outlaw image, and made him one of the most recognized artists in country music. Rolling Stone writer Paul Nelson wrote: "Red Headed Stranger is extraordinarily ambitious, cool, tightly controlled.... Hemingway, who perfected an art of sharp outlines and clipped phrases, used to say that the full power of his composition was accessible only between the lines; and Nelson, on this LP, ties precise, evocative lyrics to not quite remembered, never really forgotten folk melodies to create a similar effect, haunting yet utterly unsentimental. Meanwhile, music critic Chet Flippo wrote in a Texas Monthly article entitled "Mathew, Mark, Luke and Willie: Willie Nelson's latest album is more than a good country music; it's almost Gospel": "The difference between Nelson's Red Headed Stranger and any current C&W album, and especially what passes for a soundtrack for Nashville, is astounding. What Nelson has done is simply unclassifiable; it is the only record I have heard that strikes me as otherworldly. Red Headed Stranger conjures up such strange emotions and works on so many levels that listening to it becomes totally obsessing".

Prior to the success of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," Nelson had enjoyed widespread success primarily as a songwriter, with such songs as "Crazy" (Patsy Cline) and "Hello Walls" (Faron Young). As a performer, meanwhile, Nelson had hit the Top 10 of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart just twice; it had happened in 1962, once as a solo artist ("Touch Me") and again as part of a duet with Shirley Collie ("Willingly"). Thereafter, Nelson had approached the Top 20 on occasion, but went 13 years without a Top 10 hit.

In October 1975, the song became Nelson's first #1 country music hit as a singer, and at year's end was the third-biggest song of 1975 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. In addition, the song gained modest airplay on Top 40 radio, reaching #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" #302 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Billboard Magazine Review (June 14, 1975):
One of country's all-time great writers and performers and a man whose material is equally well known to the pop world ("Funny How Time Slips Away," "Night Life," "Crazy," "Hello Walls") comes up with a concept LP that is already receiving strong pop FM play. Lots of instrumental work and particularly fine piano from Bobbie Nelson and the usual distinct highly stylized Willie Nelson vocals. Best Cuts: "Red Headed Stranger," "Can I Sleep In Your Arms," "Remember Me," "time of the Preacher."

Willie Nelson (1975)

Link: to "Red Headed Stranger" (Click Here)

Elvis Presley - Moody Blue (1977)

“Moody Blue” by Elvis Presley (1977)

Release Date: July 1977
Produced by Felton Jarvis
Genre: Pop, Country, Soft-Rock
Label: RCA

Chart Positions: #1 (New Zealand), #2 (Spain, Sweden, Canada), #3 (US, UK, Netherlands, Norway, Australia), #4 (France), #7 (Italy), #19 (Germany), #20 (Austria), #1 (US Country Albums Chart)
Certifications: 2xPlatinum (US, Canada), Gold (France)

Singles and Chart Positions: 
“Moody Blue” #4 (Belgium), #5 (New Zealand), #6 (UK, Norway), #9 (South Africa), #10 (Netherlands), #17 (Australia) #31 (US), #57 (Canada), #1 (US Country Songs), #2 (US Adult Contemporary, Canadian Adult Contemporary), #3 (Canadian Country Songs)
“Way Down” #1 (Ireland, UK), #5 (France), #7 (New Zealand), #9 (Netherlands), #11 (Norway), #12 (Sweden, Spain), #13 (South Africa), #14 (Belgium), #15 (Canada, Germany), #18 (US), #94 (Switzerland), #1 (US Country Songs, Canadian Country Songs), #15 (US Adult Contemporary), #23 (Canadian Adult Contemporary)
Singles Certifications: “Moody Blue” Gold (US), “Way Down” Gold (UK), Platinum (US)
Other Charting Tracks: “She Thinks I Still Care” (#1 US Country Songs), “Pledging My Love” (#1 US Country Songs)
Best Tracks: “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)”, “Let Me Be There,” “Way Down,” “Pledging My Love,” “Moody Blue,” “She Thinks I Still Care”

“Moody Blue” by Elvis Presley (Click Here) 

“Moody Blue” is a historical album. It has the distinction of being Elvis’ last completed and released album during his lifetime.

Moody Blue is the 43rd and final studio album by Elvis Presley (this is including his soundtrack albums), released by RCA Records the month before his death in August 1977. The album was a mixture of live and studio work, and included the four tracks from Presley's final studio recording sessions in October 1976 and two tracks left over from the previous Graceland session in February 1976. "Moody Blue" was a previously published hit song recorded at the earlier Graceland session and held over for this album. Also recorded at the February session was "She Thinks I Still Care". "Way Down" became a hit after Presley's death less than one month after this album's publication. The album was certified Gold and Platinum on September 12, 1977 and 2x Platinum on March 27, 1992 by the RIAA.

The album was originally released on blue vinyl. During this time period colored vinyl was very rare and it was assumed that the blue vinyl edition of this album would be a collectors item. However it is the first pressings of the black vinyl that have become collectible as these were pressed for a short time immediately before Presley's death. After his death RCA shifted back to the blue vinyl.

The album made it into the Top 40 before his passing and then made it to US #3 after his untimely death in August 1977.

The recording also featured J.D. Sumner singing the words "way on down" at the end of each chorus down to the note low C (C2). According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is the lowest recorded note ever produced by the human voice, first accomplished by Sumner in a 1966 recording of the hymn "Blessed Assurance."

"Moody Blue" was written by Mark James who also penned Elvis' "Suspicious Minds". "Moody Blue" was Presley's last No. 1 hit in his lifetime, topping the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in February 1977. “Way Down” also topped the Country chart but didn’t reach #1 until after Presley’s death.

RCA issued a very limited quantity of blue vinyl pressings of the 7" single "Moody Blue." I have seen mint copies of this issue going for as much as $400 US currency.

The guitar heavy “Way Down” was released as a single in June 1977 and initially reached #31 on the US chart just ten days before Elvis’ death (the same peak position of the single “Moody Blue” a few months earlier). After his passing the song immediately rose to #18 and stayed there for two weeks. The song was released Platinum and was his biggest selling hit since 1972’s “Burning Love.”

"Way Down" (1977)

Elvis Presley (1977)

Link to “Moody Blue” (Click Here)

ELVIS PRESLEY

Anne Murray - Love Song (1974)

“Love Song” by Anne Murray (1974)

Release Date: February 1974
Produced by Brian Ahern
Genre: Country, Pop
Label: Capitol

Chart Positions: #5 (Canada), #24 (US)
Certifications: N/A

Singles: “Send A Little Love My Way” #25 (Canada), #72 (US), #10 (Canada Country), #6 (Canada Adult Contemporary), #79 (US Country), #10 (US Adult Contemporary), “A Love Song” #1 (Canada), #12 (US), #88 (Australia), #1 (Canada Country), #1 (Canada Adult Contemporary), #5 (US Country), #1 (US Adult Contemporary), “You Won’t See Me” #5 (Canada), #8 (US), #49 (Australia), #4 (Canada Adult Contemporary), #1 (US Adult Contemporary), “Just One Look” #11 (Canada), #86 (US), #50 (US Adult Contemporary)
Singles Certifications: N/A
Other Charting Tracks: “Son Of A Rotten Gambler” #1 (Canada Adult
Contemporary), #3 (Canada Country), #5 (US Country)

Best Tracks: “A Love Song,” “Just One Look,” “Real Emotion,” “You Won’t See Me,” “Son of a Rotten Gambler”

“Love Song” by Anne Murray (Click Here)

"Love Song" is the ninth studio album by Anne Murray issued in 1974 on Capitol Records. It peaked at #24 on the US Billboard Pop Albums chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and was nominated in the "Best Selling Album" category in the 1975 Juno Awards. Anne Murray’s rendition of the song "Send a Little Love My Way" was featured in the Stanley Cramer film, “Oklahoma Crude,” and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1973.

A highlight from the album is the Lennon-McCartney Beatles tune “You Won’t See Me,” which went on to be a big hit for Murray reching #8 in the US and #5 in Canada. Lennon is said to have told Murray that her version of "You Won't See Me" was his favorite Beatles cover ever. Murray herself is a confessed Beatles fanatic and has covered several other Beatles songs, including "Day Tripper" and "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You".

“A Love Song” was written specifically by Kenny Loggins (and Donna Lyn George) for Anne Murray. The song was a major crossover hit for Murray. In her native Canada, it topped all three singles charts: the overall Top Singles chart, the Country Tracks chart and the Adult Contemporary chart. In the United States, the song peaked at No. 5 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart and just missed the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 12. The song fared even better there in the adult contemporary market — it became Murray's third chart-topper on Billboard's American Hot Adult Contemporary Singles chart. This was the second time Anne charted with a Loggins & Messina song, having reached the Top 10 with her version of "Danny's Song" in 1973.

"A Love Song" (1974)

Anne was obviously a Kenny Loggins fan as she included a cover of the Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina penned "Watching The River Run" on this album. Murray's rendition is very similar to Loggins and Messina's with a homegrown feel to it.

Both "A Love Song" and "Watching The River Run" appeared on the Loggins and Messina album "Full Sail" which was released in October 1973.

The album's fourth single "Just One Look," a cover of Doris Troy's 1963 Top Ten was fairly popular in Canada but barely made a mark in the US. Though it's b-side "Son of a Rotten Gambler" gained quite a bit of traction on the country music charts in both the US and Canada. "Son of a Rotten Gambler" was written by Chip Taylor who is known for having written the mega-hit "Angel In The Morning" and the Troggs' 1966 classic "Wild Thing."

Murray gives us a great bluesy cover of Alan O’Day’s “Real Emotion.” We know Alan O’Day from his 1977 million selling chart topping hit “Undercover Angel” and Helen Reddy’s #1 hit in 1974 “Angie Baby,” which O’Day wrote. Anne Murray covered Alan O’Day’s “Caress Me Pretty Music” for her 1976 album “Keeping In Touch.”

In their review of this album Rolling Stone magazine commented, "if 1974 is to be the year for female pop, Anne Murray may prove to be it's most talented proponent.

Anne Murray (1974)

Link to “Love Song” (Click Here)

ANNE MURRAY

Bonnie Tyler - It's A Heartache (aka Natural Force)(1978)

“It’s A Heartache” (“Natural Force”) by The Bonnie Tyler (1978)

Release Date: May 1978
Produced by Ronnie Scott, Steve Wolfe
Genre: Rock, Pop, Country
Label: RCA

Chart Positions: #2 (Sweden), #3 (Norway), #16 (US), #23 (France), #60 (Australia), #2 (US Country)
Certifications: Platinum (Canada), Gold (US, Finland)

Singles: “Heaven” #24 (Germany), “It’s A Heartache” #1 (Sweden, Norway, Canada, Australia, France, Brazil), #2 (Germany, Belgium, South Africa), #3 (US, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland), #4 (New Zealand, UK), #5 (Netherlands), #10 (US Adult Contemporary Chart, US Country), “Here Am I” #4 (Norway), #18 (Germany), #99 (Australia), “Hey Love (It’s A Feelin’”) N/A, “If I Sing You A Love Song” #8 (France,) #24 (Canada), #103 (US)
Singles Certifications: “It’s A Heartache” Platinum (France), Gold (US, UK, Canada)
Other Charting Tracks: N/A
Best Tracks: “It’s A Heartache,” “If I Sing You A Love Song,” “Living for The City”

“It’s A Heartache” (aka “Natural Force”)” by Bonnie Tyler (Click Here)

Trivia: “Natural Force” is the second studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, released in May 1978 by RCA Records. In the United States, the album was titled “It's a Heartache.” As with her debut her producers, Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe wrote most of the tracks on the album. Other songs include covers of American artists Stevie Wonder (Living For The City) and Carole King (You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman). Five singles were released from Natural Force. The second single, "It's a Heartache", is among the best-selling singles of all time, with sales of over 6 million copies worldwide. It became Tyler's first charting single in the United States, where it was certified gold by the RIAA. The album was a huge commercial success for Tyler. In the United States, it reached #2 on the Top Country Albums chart, and #16 on the Billboard 200. The album includes a sizzling hot recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Living For The City” which was strong enough to have been released as the album's fifth single.

"It's A Heartache" (1978)

Bonnie Tyler (1978)

Link to “It’s A Heartache” (aka “Natural Force”)” (Click Here) 

BONNIE TYLER

Crystal Gayle - When I Dream (1978)

“When I Dream” by Crystal Gayle (1978)

Release Date: June 2, 1978

Produced by Allen Reynolds

Genre: Country, pop, blues, jazz

Label: United Artists

Chart Positions: #52 (US), #25 (UK), #50 (Canada)

Album Certifications: Platinum (US), Gold (Canada), Silver (UK)

Singles: “Talking In Your Sleep” #11 (UK, Canada), #18 (US), #1 (US Country, Canada Country), #3 (US Adult Contemporary, Canada Adult Contemporary), “Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For” #1 (US Country, Canada Country), #16 (Canada Adult Contemporary), #22 (US Adult Contemporary), “When I Dream” #84 (US), #3 (US Country), #20 (US Adult Contemporary), “Heart Mender” #58 (US Country), “Hello I Love You” #4 (South Africa)

Singles Certification: “Talking In Your Sleep” (UK Silver)

Best Tracks: ALL TRACKS – Solid from start to finish

When I Dream is the fifth studio album by American country and pop music singer Crystal Gayle. It was released on June 2, 1978, at the height of her career. It was her second consecutive album to reach #2 on the US Billboard Country Music charts. Two singles from the album reached #1 on the Country Singles chart: "Talking in Your Sleep" (also a Top 20 Pop hit) and "Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For".  

By now it was evident that Crystal Gayle was a powerhouse all of her own. She did not need to ride on the coattails of her sister, the legendary Loretta Lynn. Crystal had the talent and the style to make even if she did not come from country music royalty.

“When I Dream” by Crystal Gayle (Click Here) 

See more on Crystal Gayle @ The Crystal Gayle Resource Center: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1449577508682080/

The album achieved a gold disc the year it was released but was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1982. It was also Gayle's second album to chart in the UK, where it reached #25, and was awarded a silver disc by the BPI. In Canada, the album was a huge hit being certified Gold and made it to #1 on Canada’s country music album chart. The album was #2 on the US country music chart.

As a result of the album’s success Crystal Gayle in January 1979 Crystal was given an American Music Award for Favorite Country Female Artist and the Top Female Vocalist Award by the Academy of Country Music. She also received two Grammy Award nominations for the song “Talking in Your Sleep” in the Best Country and Western Vocal Performance by a Female. As well she received two Country Music Association (CMA) Awards nominations for Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year and the song “Talking In Your Sleep” received a nomination for Song of the Year by the CMA.

The lead single “Talking In Your Sleep” was written by Bobby Woods and British songwriter Roger Cook. Roger Cook had been well known in the UK as one of the lead vocalists with the group Blue Mink who achieved four Top Ten hits in the UK. Cook also co-wrote “Hello I Love You,” “Let Your Feelings Flow,” “Hollywood,” “Livin’ In These Troubled Times” and “Tennessee” all of which were recorded by Crystal Gayle. Roger Cook was a renowned songwriter that co-wrote the million-selling hits “You Got Your Troubles” (The Fortunes), “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” (The Hillside Singers, The New Seekers) and “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress (The Hollies). Songwriter Bobby Woods co-wrote hits for country music artists Billy “Crash” Craddock and Billie Jo Spears. One of his best-known compositions is “What’s Your Name, What's Your Number” which was a 1977 hit for the Andrea True Connection. Cook also co-wrote the songs “Half The Way” and “He Is Beautiful To Me” both recorded by Crystal. The teams of Bobby Woods and Roger Cook wrote the song “Keepin’ Power” which showed up on Crystal’s 1981 album “Hollywood Tennessee.”

The song “Talking In Your Sleep” was a huge hit shortly after “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” It was a sophisticated pop ballad sung beautifully by Crystal. It made it to #18 in the US and #11 in both the UK and Canada. On the country music charts, it was #1 in both the US and Canada and reached #3 on the Adult Contemporary charts in both the US and Canada. It was awarded a Silver certification in the UK for sales of more than 200,000 copies.

"Talking In Your Sleep" (1978)

The handclapping “Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For” was the album’s second single. The song did not make it to the pop charts but continued Crystal Gayle’s run of #1 hits on the country music charts reaching the top in the UK and Canada. The upbeat song adorned with a great session of handclaps and electric guitar chords received a fair amount of play in country and western bars across the US throughout the later 70s and 80s.

The third single “When I Dream” brought Crystal back to the lower reaches of the pop charts peaking at #84 on the US Billboard chart. It also made it to #3 on both the US and Canadian country music charts. This song is considered a classic amongst Crystal Gayle fans.

The fourth and last single “Heart Mender” made it to #58 on the US country music chart.

Crystal’s rendition of the classic torch song “Cry Me A River” (a hit in 1955 for Julie London) is an album highlight and was used as the b-side for the single “Why Have You Left The One You Left me For.” Many fans have felt the song could have been a great a-side single for Crystal.

“The Wayward Wind” a hit in 1956 for Gogi Grant (in the US) and Tex Ritter (in the UK). Crystal took the song and gave it her own twist an album highlight popular with fans.

“Paintin’ This Old Town Blue” a blues jazz-influenced tune stands out on the album.

The album closes with Crystal’s intimate recording of Johnny Cash’s “I Still Miss Someone.” Johnny first recorded this song back in 1958 with his nephew Roy Cash, Jr.  Crystal Gayle’s tender rendition features a glistening doubled tracking of her lead vocals.

Crystal Gayle (When I Dream open album gatefold cover) 1978

Crystal Gayle July 1978 Billboard Magazine Article

Link to “When I Dream” (Click Here) 

CRYSTAL GAYLE

Dolly Parton - All I Can Do (1976)

“All I Can Do” by Dolly Parton (1976)

Release Date: August 6, 1976
Produced by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
Chart Positions: #3 (US Country Chart)
Certifications: N/A
Singles: “All I Can Do” (US Country Charts #3, Canada Country Charts #1), “Hey Lucky Lady” (US Country Charts #19, Canada Country Charts #11)

“All I Can Do” is the album released just before Dolly made her mark as a worldwide music superstar. It is her 17th solo album and her 29th album overall (including collaboration albums with Porter Wagoner).

“All I Can Do” by Dolly Parton (Click Here)

The album includes eight songs written by Parton and two covers; Emmylou Harris' "Boulder to Birmingham" and Merle Haggard's "Life's Like Poetry". The album was released around the time Parton began appearing regularly in the supermarket tabloids, and "Shattered Image", which advised to "stay out of my closet if your own's full of trash" was said to be a reaction to that. Parton re-recorded "Shattered Image" for her 2002 Halos & Horns album. "The Fire That Keeps You Warm" was originally recorded by Parton and Porter Wagoner on the 1974 album Porter 'n' Dolly. This was the last Parton album on which Porter Wagoner would get producing credit.

Dolly received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal.

The upbeat “All I Can Do” was released as the album’s lead single and made it to #3 on the US Country Charts and #1 on the Canadian Country Music Charts. “Hey Lucky Lady” was the second single and reached #19 on the US Country Charts and #11 on the Canadian Country Music Charts.

"All I Can Do"

Link to “All I Can Do” (Click Here) 

DOLLY PARTON

Freddy Fender - Before The Next Teardrop Falls (1974)

“Before The Next Teardrop Falls” by Freddy Fender (1974)

Release Date: 1974
Produced by Huey P. Meaux
Chart Positions: #20 (US), #1 (New Zealand), #9 (Netherlands), #10 (Canada), #1 (US Country Music Chart)
Certifications: Gold (US, Canada)
Singles: “Before The Next Teradrop Falls” (US #1, New Zealand #2, Canada #6, Netherlands #6, Belgium #12), “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” (US #8, New Zealand #1, Canada #6, Belgium #7, Netherlands #14)

Freddy Fender, who was born Baldemar Garza Huerta first made it to the music scene in 1957 using the name El Bebop Kid and released two singles: Spanish versions of Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel” (No Seas Cruel) and Harry Belafonte’s “Jamaica Farewell.” Both songs were hits in Mexico and parts of South America. In 1959 Fender wrote and recorded “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” the song was a hit but shortly after he was arrested for possession of marijuana and served 3 years times in jail. He was released from jail, in 1963, with the condition that he stay away from music and alcohol for the duration of his probation. Freddy recorded four singles between 1964-1969 but nothing came of them

In 1971 Freddy met producer Huey P. Meaux. Meaux had Fender focus more on country music while maintaining his Hispanic roots and by 1973 he was releasing music again on a regular basis.

“Before The Next Teardrop Falls” by Freddy Fender (Click Here) 

1974 was Freddy Fender’s banner year. It is the year he broke into the Top Ten. In the later part of ’74 Fender released his first album “Before The Next Teardrop Falls,” but nothing happened with it until January 1975 when he released the single of the same name. The song took off immediately with airplay across the US on AM pop radio.

“Before The Next Teardrop Falls” was written in the late 1960s and had been recorded more than two dozen times. The song had achieved modest success with recordings by various performers; the original version by Duane Dee reached #44 on the Billboard country chart in early 1968, and Linda Martell sent her version to #33 in early 1970. Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a version of the song on his 1969 album, Another Place Another Time.

In 1974, record producer Huey P. Meaux approached Fender about overdubbing vocals for an instrumental track. Fender agreed, performing the song bilingual style — singing the first verse in English, then repeating the verse in Spanish.
"The recording only took a few minutes," Fender once told an interviewer. "I was glad to get it over with and I thought that would be the last of it."

However, "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" immediately took off in popularity when released to country radio in January 1975. The song ascended to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in March, spending two weeks atop the chart. Thereafter, the song caught on just as strongly at Top 40 radio stations and it was not long before Fender had a #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit as well. Billboard ranked it as the No. 4 song for 1975.

Riding on the success of “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” Fender released “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” as the next single. Fender wrote and recorded "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights", a blues ballad, for Duncan Records in 1959, during the early stages of his career. He was in the process of perfecting his mesh of rockabilly and Tejano, and the song showcased his new style. But he was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana, and in May 1960, he was convicted. The popularity of the song, along with his own popularity, plummeted.

Then, in 1975, "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" became a major hit, and Fender's career was rejuvenated. With the help of record producer Huey P. Meaux, Fender re-recorded "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights." This time, the song became a major pop and country hit, topping the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in August 1975. On other charts, "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" went to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, and number nine on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.

"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"

"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" was certified gold for sales of 1 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song was a major hit in New Zealand. In 1975, it spent a total of 12 weeks in the number one position in the New Zealand singles charts, making it the longest running number-one single at the time and the third-longest running number-one single of all time.

Other highlights include a recording of “Roses Are Red (My Love)” a song made famous by Bobby Vinton and the Freddy Fender penned, mariachi influenced, “I Love My Rancho Grande.”

Freddy Fender (1975)

Link to “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” (Click Here)

FREDDY FENDER