COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Wednesday December 19th , 2012
FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE – OUR BEST WISHES FOR A MERRY CHRISTMAS - AND MAY WE ALL REMEMBER THE TRUE REASON FOR THE SEASON
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Ideas and inspiration for a lot of hit songs started in church and according to songwriter Archie Jordan, the inspiration for Ronnie Milsap's 1978 number one, "What A Difference You've Made
In My Life" was one of those tunes!
Archie commented "At the end of a Bible study, a guy got up and gave his testimony. When he finished, he commented about "I finally found the Lord and what a difference he's made in my life." His testimony just hit me and I started wondering just how many other people feel that way?
And not necessarily about The Lord - but about a child or their wife or their husband? The idea was still on my mind when I woke up the next morning and I stated working on it and it all just fell into place."
When Milsap was given the song - he had Jordan change a few lines before he recorded it. And although it is not mentioned in the credits, both Milsap and Jordan played keyboards on the record.
Milsap's RCA Victor single "What A Difference You've Made In My Life" came on the country charts November 19th, 1977 and was at the top of the charts on January 21st, 1978.
It was his 17th charted song and his 9th number one.
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A T T E N T I O N: R A D I O S T A T I O N S:
Our short form daily radio feature, "Story Behind The Song" is now available to radio stations. (NOT AVAILABLE TO INTERNET STATIONS)
The feature is available at no charge.
For information, email me at classics@countrymusicclassics.com
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Have you heard of a singer named Sunshine Ruby? My mom says she was popular back in the 50's.
A: Sunshine Ruby was born Ruby Bateman in 1940. As a teenager - she became known as "The Sweetheart Of The Big D Jamboree" in Dallas, Texas and was signed to record for RCA Victor. Her only charted song was "Too Young To Tango," which peaked at number 4 in 1953 and featured Sonny James on fiddle.
Q: Do you remember a song about "A Violet And A Rose?" I don't remember who sang it but thought it was a good song.
A: " A Violet And A Rose" was written by Mel Tillis, Bud Auge, and John Reinfield and was an album track for a couple of dozen artists. The only charted versions were by Mel Tillis (number 24 in 1958,) Little Jimmy Dickens (number 10 in 1962), and Wanda Jackson (number 36 in 1964).
Q: I have heard that Charlie Daniels was seriously ill. Do you have any information?
A: Charlie Daniels is at home recovering from surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.
Q: Once in awhile - the radio guys play a song about "Colorado Kool-Aid" by Johnny Paycheck. I had never heard the song before. Was it a hit?
A: "Colorado Kool-Aid" scored a number 50 for Paycheck in 1978 and was the flip-side of
"Take This Job And Shove It."
Q: I still have the Gail Davies record of "No Love Have I" that I bought in 1978. My dad says the song was a big hit for someone else years before. Is that true?
A: "No Love Have I" (written by Mel Tillis) was a 1960 number four hit for Webb Pierce, before scoring a number 26 for Gail Davies in 1978. The song was also a number 67 hit for Holly Dunn in 1992.
Q: My mom used to talk about a singer named Bonnie Guitar and said she was quite popular back in the 60's. Do you have any information?
A: Bonnie Guitar was born Bonnie Buckingham in 1923 in Seattle, Washington. She placed 18 songs on the country music charts from 1957 thru 1989.
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RALPH IS BACK - - -
Ralph Emery is back on television on the new Nashville Network (TNN). Ralph was the host of the "Nashville Now" variety show on TNN from 1983 to 1993, and will now be hosting the new
TNN, *"Nashville Now." The show can be seen on Comcast Ch. 230, Monday through Friday from 4PM to 5:30PM-CST. Nashville Now is an encore of those great shows that made country music so predominant in the early 80's and 90's. Ralph introduces the Nashville Now reruns each day.
*These shows (Nashville Now) are used by permission of the Country Music Hall of Fame who has ownership.
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Your comments, suggestions, gripes, etc. concerning this newsletter---are welcome. Email to: Classics@countrymusicclassics.com
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NUMBER ONE ON THIS DATE:
1948
One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart) - Jimmy Wakely
1956
Singing the Blues - Marty Robbins
1964
Once a Day - Connie Smith
1972
Got the All Overs for You (All Over Me) - Freddie Hart & The Heartbeats
1980
Why Lady Why - Alabama
1988
A Tender Lie - Restless Heart
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SYBIL'S CAVE.
By: Jack Blanchard
A week before Christmas,
and we were almost broke and a thousand miles from home,
An agent who was just a voice on the telephone,
booked us on a four week verbal contract
into a place called Sybil's Cave,
in the northern Minnesota twilight zone,
We took the job because we had nothing else.
Another voice on the phone was a drummer in Philadelphia.
He had gotten our names from a musicians' directory,
and he begged us to hire him for the job.
Even though we warned him that the gig was shaky
and that bad things could happen,
he wouldn't take no for an answer,
With his terminally ill wife in the old car,
he headed for the cold dark north.
When we arrived at the rusty old mining town,
Misty and I rented two rooms for a week in a cheap motel...
one for us and the other for the drummer and his wife.
Gas for our motorhome and the motel rent
took most of the few dollars we had left.
Sybil's Cave had all the atmosphere of an abandoned subway tunnel.
Sybil looked like a prison guard, her husband was a police lieutenant,
and they were not at all friendly.
Naturally there was no piano,
so the cop and I trudged a long mile through the icy streets
to rent one at a music store he knew.
We pushed the big upright all the way back
over cracked sidewalks, curbs, and across slushy streets.
Sybil fired us after the first night.
She said her customers were animals,
and that we were too high class,
and she didn't pay us for our night's work.
While the owners folded their arms
and watched us wrestle out our ton of equipment,
somebody stole what we'd left on the stage.
Sybil and the cop said they saw nothing.
Misty and I called some friends who lived about sixty miles away,
and we stayed with them over the Holidays.
We invited the drummer and his wife, but they blamed Misty and me,
and they preferred to stay at the old motel.
That was the last we heard of them.
They were nice people in a tragic situation,
and we hope they got a miracle.
Our friends helped us through the hard time,
acting as though we were just there on vacation.
We felt warm and welcome,
and had a pretty nice Christmas after all.
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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
compiled by Bill Morrison
Bill Carlisle, born Wakefield, KY 1908. Grand Ole Opry member. Inducted CMHF 2002.
Little Jimmy Dickens, born James Cecil Dickens, Bolt, WV 1920. Member Grand Ole Opry. Inducted CMHF 1983.
Uncle Dave Macon debuted on WSM in 1925.
John McEuen "Nitty Gritty Dirt Band," born in California 1945.
Janie Fricke born "Jane Frickie," near South Whitney, IN 1947.
Hank Williams played the last show of his career at Austin's "Skyline Club" 1952. Hank worked the show as a single (without his band.) University of Texas student, Justin Tubb was in the audience, and met Hank backstage after the show. Hank died a few days later.
Hank Locklin's "Let Me Be The One," topped the charts 1953.
Marty Robbins released "Tennessee Toddy/Mean Mama Blues" 1955.
Sammi Smith's "Help Me Make It Through The Night," charted 1970.
Lynn Anderson's #1 single "Rose Garden" debuted on Billboard's Top 40 Chart 1970.
Dolly Parton's movie "9 to 5" premiered in 1980.
Johnny Paycheck shot a man in Hillsboro, OH 1985. He served two years in an Ohio prison, prior to being pardoned by the Governor of Ohio.
David Cobb, WSM deejay and Grand Ole Opry announcer, died 1988.
Johnny Cash was hospitalized, and heart bypass surgery was performed at Baptist Hospital in Nashville 1988.
Terri Clark's #1 hit "You're Easy On The Eyes" charted on Billboard's Top 40 in 1998.
Marion Worth, age 64, died Nashville, TN 1999. Member Grand Ole Opry.
Roebuck "Pops" Staples, age 84, member of the gospel group "The Staples Singers," died in 2000, as the result of a fall.
Waylon Jennings' left foot was amputated in Phoenix, AZ 2001.
Areta McReynolds, wife of Grand Ole Opry star Jim McReynolds, died from a heart attack in 2002.
Courtesy Bill Morrison: http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html
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