Features

Something about these CMT lists just gets my juices flowing. This weekend, the cable network presented a barely publicized entry into their countdown series: 40 Greatest Albums. This one was apparently worth so little fanfare,

200 Essential 80’s Singles Part 8: #25-#1 #25 “A Little Good News” Anne Murray 1984 Peak: #1 Murray took home CMA Single of the Year with her surprisingly topical record wishing for better, more uplifting

200 Essential 80’s Singles Part 7: #50-#26 #50 “She and I” Alabama 1986 Peak: #1 Upon its release, this was one of the freshest-sounding singles on the radio. Alabama sound absolutely rejuvenated, as if finding

#75 “I Did” Patty Loveless 1987 Peak: #56 The first album by Patty Loveless was a scattered affair, as she searched for a style she could call her own. Interestingly, it was this single she

200 Essential 80’s Singles Part 5: #100-#76 #100 “Tennessee Homesick Blues” Dolly Parton 1984 Peak: #1 Parton sings in the voice of a homesick Tennessean turned off by the coldness of New York City. In

Last year, I posted the top twelve worthy inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Sadly, the CMA only took one of my three suggestions: Glen Campbell, with the other two slots going to

200 Essential 80’s Singles Part 4: #125-#101 #125 “All My Ex’s Live In Texas” George Strait 1987 Peak: #1 Classic Texas swing from the modern master. Strait almost sounds relieved to be hiding out in

200 Essential 80’s Singles Part 3: #150-#126 #150 “Love Me Like You Used To” Tanya Tucker 1987 Peak: #2 Tucker reached her commercial peak in the early nineties, but the foundation for that came with

200 Essential 80’s Singles Part 2: #175-#151 #175 “Bop” Dan Seals 1985 Peak: #1 How conservative is this song about wanting to “bop with you baby, all night long”? It goes out of its way

200 Essential 80’s Singles Part 1: #200-#176 #200 “Shakin’” Sawyer Brown 1986 Peak: #15 Fresh off their victory in the very first Star Search competition, Sawyer Brown released a string of campy singles that cemented