Hit songs don't get a whole lot bigger than this.  Sure there are lots of big lovey-dovey songs, but few have this impact.  The importance of this song is, it's the definition of a song that pretty much everyone on earth liked, its popularity was - well - Amazing.  It sold millions and was #1 country for eight weeks and was on the A/C charts as well.  This song also charted very well on charts all over the world over the course of a few years.  This became the wedding anthem for a generation and was used for themes for about every major occasion there is.  This has an appeal that's very rare but has been tried a million times. This is kind of "format-less."  It's all things to all people, which in music and life almost never works.  As many times as other artists have tried to do a song like this, it seldom takes off.  It's country enough for country fans, pop enough for those non country, and the message is universal.  For some reason it's accepted wholeheartedly by all audiences, and that's darn rare. Sometimes, everything just falls into place.  I would say this is one of the most loved songs over the last 30 years, skyrocketing Lonestar to heights unimaginable. Still a loved power ballad and will be for years to come.  Hard to think this was 25 years ago, but it was.  What a hit, that brought country to many new listeners that eventually came to us and stayed.  Every artist comes to Nashville hoping for a song this big.

Last Week #36

My Full Profile On Lonestar

 Time is a very interesting thing.  It's about the only thing on earth that never stops.  It just marches on every second of every day.  Today is April 7, and it's a week I always remember.  This week in 1978, my dad passed away at 53 of lung cancer.   I was in the 10th grade, April 9, 1978.  46 years ago...

Times were very different then.  You were diagnosed, you did this, you did that, and then you died. He was very healthy his whole life.  Always in good shape, and as our family still jokes about it, he said he quit smoking during WWII while in the U.S. Army Air Corps, because "cigarettes went up to 23 cents. Damn things got too expensive"   He never smoked after 1945.

This year would have been my dad's 100th birthday, July the 20th.  Same date as the first moon landing in 1969.  He told me then, "they waited till my birthday."  He had a good sense of humor and was very popular as he coached little league for many years and taught many how to pitch.  And more importantly how to play the game the right way. That went for any sport. He was three sport All-State athlete in high school, and was given a full football scholarship to Duke. He was also signed by the Boston Red Sox. Then the War.  But post war, he was a 200+ bowler, and a scratch golfer.

Neighbors liked him and he was very good about my moms passions in theater and the arts, as that was far from his world and comfort zone.  But he went to every play or show she was ever in. And sometimes he and I would go on the spur of the moment to see the second act of her plays, or as he said, "at halftime."  No matter what your passions were in life, he supported you.

Many people have asked how he died so young.  I feel it's because of his time in occupied Japan after WWII.   The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  He was in Japan for about 18 months post war, and we have a bunch of pictures.  I feel he was exposed to much radiation, and who knows what else as were many others I'm sure, and their story is no less powerful than his. My dad had three brothers that were also in WWII. They all lived well into their 80's and 90's, and his mom and dad too. They were in Europe during the war.

Many have asked how I did with him passing so young. Truth is, it's been so long, I can't imagine my life with him. He never saw me drive, have a girlfriend, and he never heard me on the radio in this world. That stuff at one time years ago used to bother me, but not at all now.  I am sorry he never got to meet Windy, as he would love her very much.  And he would like to see how I love her. I wish he would have known my great friends I golf with and see regular.   He would love all those guys.

On this week every year I am never sad about this.  I am very happy actually and grateful I had a good dad that left an imprint on me.  I am also thankful he left such an imprint on the city he lived and its people.  And I am proud he served his country as part of his generation. He only lived till 53 but he did a lot of living in those years, we should all be so lucky.

He did what was asked of him his whole life and that is a great example for anyone.  But in the end I am only sad for him, not me.  For him there was so much more to do and see.

Thanks for reading......

Just in case you missed some of my articles this week from WQMX.com   Grab a coffee and some earbuds and let's get you caught up.  Thanks for reading and listening everyday!

My Dad's Week

Eat Of The Week!

50 Most Important Country Songs 1980-Today #36

Forgotten Jukebox LW-94

The Mega Star Series - Vince Gill (B-Day Revisit)

Wynn At The Movies And More!

Box Office Results - Godzilla/Kong   -   (31 million)

#2 – Monkey Man (10 million)

#3 - Ghostbusters (9 million)

New This Week – Civil War / The Long Game / Don't Tell Mom The Babysitters Dead

It's Happening - Universal Pictures and Working Title have finally put in place the talent for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy  - #4 in the series

OUT - The Game of Thrones spin off centered on Jon Snow is “off the table” and no longer in development at HBO.

Margo Robbie – Is going to produce a movie based on Monopoly the game

CBS - Has renewed FBI, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International, Variety reports. All three returning

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

Also - 50 Most Important Country Songs 1980 – Today #36 (Link)

In the 1980's the wonderful Charly McClain had a nice run of big songs. Her time was before the huge country boom of the late 80's and into the 90's, but she recorded some really great songs, and fans liked her. Then one day, she just - left the biz.  She had a birthday recently and it's fun to look back and remember.  If you've not familiar with her, check my profile on her out.

Revisiting Charly McClain

Laredo - Chris Cagle  - 2001 - (Album - Play It Loud)

  It's hard not to like this song.  In 2001, Chris Cagle burst on the scene and this was one of his early hits.  Early on Cagle rattled off a number of pretty popular songs. The Play It Loud album was a commercial success even though there was a change in record companies it was certified gold.  There were albums after this and there was some very good success. But again, we would like to think that all stars get that long run of hit songs, like Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, or Miranda Lambert, but it doesn't always go that way.  But in the early 2000's Chris Cagle had a nice run, that included this great song, plus a number of top 5's and a #1 with I Breathe In, I Breathe Out.   This song peaked at #8 on the charts, and really helped get him noticed.

Last Weeks Selection

Box Office Results - Godzilla/Kong  -   (80 million)

#2 – Ghostbusters (15 million)

#3 - King Fu Panda 4 (10 million)

New This Week – The First Omen / Monkey Man

The Joker 2 - Hard R rating for full nudity and strong violence

A Fifth Matrix - Movie is in development

ABC - Has renewed Grey’s Anatomy for its 21st season

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

Also - 50 Most Important Country Songs 1980 – Today #37 (Link)

 A few songs on this list are also on my 50 Favorites list, and this is one of them. This song checked in as my #2 Favorite Country song from my year-long list in 2023.  I've noticed the songs for the most part are very different, but there are a few that are on both lists.  This song is very important for a few reasons.  First, the written song by Sonny Curtis and Ron Hellard is simply incredible.  This song ended up in the right hands of Keith Whitley, and as time would show, there was a certain biographic element to this song.  But also from a musical standpoint, this song needed his easy, calm, big baritone voice to bring reason to this, along with a terrific musical arrangement.  This outstanding #1 would be the CMA Song Of The Year 1989, and was the last single released during Whitley's lifetime.  Also what this song did very well, was give voice to so many who had battled, or were battling demons of every kind.  And it also gave comfort to those who were simply going through a tough time, or had recently done so.  This is a very relatable song that's delivered believably by Whitley that took on a far larger meaning after his death.  This song from a country perspective in every way, is about the perfect country song.  If you don't know much about Whitley, read my profile on him below.  He's very important in our legacy, and we owe him much.

Last Week #37

My Full Profile On Keith Whitley

In case you missed any of my articles this week from WQMX.com here is a recap! Grab a coffee and earbuds and let's get you caught up!  Thanks for reading and listening everyday.

BROWNS - It's Gonna Happen

March Recap Of 50 Most Important Songs 1980-Today

50 Most Important Country Songs 1980-Today #37

Forgotten Jukebox FH-01

CMML - Charly McClain B-Day Revisit

Wynn At The Movies And More

Vince Gill is having a birthday early this new month, and it's always a good idea to look back at his remarkable career and to check out my Mega Star Series.  He truly is and was a Mega Star!

Check out my profile on him -

Read About Vince Gill