Monica asked about Ricky Van Shelton, and it really stirred up memories I hadn't thought of in quite a while. There was a time when he was a very big star. He was absolutely essential in the switch to traditional from pop-country in the mid 1980's. He was a big player at the time, and listeners loved him from the first moment they heard his first song and I played all of them for many years!
His First Big Hit!
When Urban Cowboy was slowly phasing itself out in the mid 80's, we were really struggling to find a new foothold and direction. The music being recorded late in the UC run was certainly good music, it just didn't have a real focus, it was a bit rudderless. It was too pop for hungry country fans, and many new UC joins were moving on to something else. The wave created in the early 80's was fading all too slowly, and we were kind of recording the same songs over and over, and we needed a new direction. We had Alabama still, and a vision of what was to come with a young George Strait, Reba McEntire and Ricky Skaggs. But overall we had a problem, as we had not cultivated many new and young stars in our format.
Great Traditional Country Song #1
Then came Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam, who I feel helped save the format and gave us a new way to go with massive popularity of their songs, right from the get go. Traditional, and unapologetic about it. And right there with them, was Keith Whitley, and Ricky Van Shelton. The hunger for the new sound was instant, and we couldn't play the new stuff fast, or often enough. Garth, Clint and Alan were still a few years away, this was about 1985-86. The class of 1989 was still in waiting.
Another Number One!
Ricky Van Shelton was a hat act and darn good singer with a really great approach and some fresh songs. He broke through in 1986 with his album Wild Eyed Dream. It was a very important album as the new traditionalists were now here, and the new approach was being tested. His first big song was, Crime Of Passion which went top 10, and the follow-up, Somebody Lied went number one. It was the first of 12 number ones he would have during his run. Life Turned Her That Way and Don't We All Have the Right also went number one off that album and he was on his way. The album went number one and he was one of the biggest stars of the year. And there was no question, he was "country."
This Was A Big Song...
The next album, Loving Proof was another huge success with a bunch of big songs. RVS was one of the biggest stars of the format and fans loved him. He was young and had a great look, he sang songs that we could relate to. He recorded and released a couple of classic country remake singles too, to tie himself to the deep country crowd. RVS had a great run for a number of years, and for a time had the stage essentially to himself. He was right there when the class of 1988-89 showed up and held his own into the 1990's. The 1990's were great - but fierce.
A Big Hit Remake Of Classic Country
Garth, George, Clint, Alan, Shania, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Joe Diffie, Mark Chesnutt, Tracy Byrd, countless new bands, Holly Dunn, Pam Tillis, Terri Clark, Reba, Randy, Dwight, showed up and the spotlight was now being shared. Would there be enough light to go around? RVS was on the charts pretty much till about 1994, with various other projects on assorted record labels for a number of years after that. But an eventual publicized alcohol problem made things tough.
This Duet With Dolly Was a Big, Big Song!
Ricky Van Shelton retired completely from music in 2006 to spend time with his family. But his success should not ever be forgotten. He had a ton of hit songs and fans. He really helped pave the way for a new kind of country sound and star, and without question influenced those who came soon after. He and Travis, Yoakam, and Whitley, really help define the next generation of country stars, and I'm not sure they get the credit they deserve sometimes. He won CMA's and ACM's, he was on top.
He helped shape the switch from pop to real country and helped center and shape a format that needed new heroes at that moment.
