There are many things to write about as far as Country Music Memories are concerned. This week, Part 2 of Desert Island Country Albums. The ones you would choose if you were marooned on a desert island to listen to, (ALA - Tom Hanks In Castaway). I'll list some of mine, and I will pick one for each article from each decade starting with 1980, up until 2019, and a Wild Card album which can be from any decade. So each installment, there will be 5 to list. I'll do four parts, so 20 should about cover it.
If your favorite doesn't make the list this week, chances are it will make future lists on this subject, so let's have some fun. (Here's Part One) if you missed it!
Desert Island Country Island Albums - Part 2
The 1980's - (1989) Clint Black - Killin' Time
This album is terrific and was pivotal in starting the huge groundswell of 1989. This multi - multi-platinum album had five big songs off of it, with four going number one. What fans really loved about this album was he and his sound reminded people of a young Merle Haggard with an absolute contemporary flair. Black was charismatic, had a big smile and fans gravitated to him and his sound right away. This album had Nashville buzzing before and after its release, and sent shock waves through the format in general that gigantic things were on the way. This amazing album to me is mandatory owning not simply because of how great it is, but how important it was leading off the class of 1989.
Singles - Better Man #1 / Killin' Time #1 / Nobody's Home #1 / Walkin' Away #1 / Nothings News #4
Walkin' Away - Fourth Single From This Incredible Album
The 1990's - (1997) Shania Twain - Come On Over
Whether you are aware of this or not, this is on the list as one of the largest selling albums of any kind of all time. This is in the 40 million range. For context, its ninth all time, and has sold more than any single Beatles album and more than the Eagles, Hotel California. Her third album - this really defied the odds and showed us all she was here to stay. I always think when you have a breakthrough album like hers, The Woman In Me (1995) which was a big, big hit, the next album decides if you hang around or not. This album in every way was way bigger. She also proved the point that you need to cut through to really get noticed. When Shania was on the radio, or in a video, there was no doubt who it was. She had a sound, a style, a way, and arrangements that were distinct and unique. This album had a ton of hits of of it, ten of the sixteen songs charted, and had three number ones. Simply incredible and the zenith of her remarkable career!
Singles - Love Gets Me Every Time #1 / Don't Be Stupid #6 / Still The One #1 / From This Moment On #6 / Honey I'm Home #1 / That Don't Impress Me Much #8 / Man, I Feel Like A Woman #4 / You've Got A Way #13 / Come On Over #6 /
Big Hit - This Video Has Been Viewed 262 MILLION Times!
The 2000's - (2001) Brooks And Dunn - Steers And Stripes
This album to me is the best Brooks And Dunn Album ever, and they have had a few great ones. I just came to WQMX when this came out, and there are great memories about that here. There were three number ones off this album, and the biggest single they ever had, (Ain't Nothin' About You). This was their seventh album and they had racked up tons of big songs and sold out shows, but this album kept a great thing going and to me, signaled a change in them that they continued to develope for the next number of years. It was a six week number one album. Only In America, the lead cut on this album to me, is the best song of their career. They were so great for so long, they may have been a bit taken for granted, but make no mistake, they were fantastic and were and are still universally loved. Terrific project.
Singles - Ain't Nothin' About You #1 / Only In America #1 / The Long Goodbye #1 / My Heart Is Lost To You #5 / Every River #1
Hard Not To Love This Gem!
The 2010's - (2016) Jon Pardi - California Sunrise
For a guy who stumbled out of the box with really no chart success with his first album, this made up for it. I always say the second album decides if you are gonna stay around for a while, and this is further proof. It is puzzling how sometimes something just clicks and it all falls into place. Pardi is a traditionalist and his fans love him for that. I love every song on this album and the singles are among the best that were on the radio for those couple of years. To me, not only is this mandatory owning, but this is a very important album too. It really spoke to and energized the traditional fans as a successful new hat act in a time when we needed one. Still today, Pardi and Luke Combs really identify with our deep country fans and listeners. In a time where there were some newer acts that were "pop country" or "sorta country" - Jon Pardi left no doubt where he stood on that subject with this project. One of the best albums of this new century.
Singles - Head Over Boots #4 / Dirt On My Boots #2 / Heartache On The Dance Floor #5 / She Ain't In It #23 / Night Shift #8
This Song Is So Good - Should Have Been A #1
Wild Card - (1994) David Ball - Thinkin' Problem
He was a bit older and somewhat different than the other big stars of that time, and this album was a country masterpiece. David Ball (my article on him) only really hit with this album, but he certainly knew his way around a country song. (Private Malone came a number of years later) . When I (or you) want to really hear some pure, deep country this is the album to go to. This is multi-platinum and is a flat out work of art. Five singles from this album, and a signature song that virtually every person that has ever listened to country knows by heart with Thinkin' Problem, which leads the album off. This album does not get enough credit for being one of the real great "rooty" country albums of its era, or any era. This album is sort of a forgotten gem of the 1990's and it's terrific!
Singles - Thinkin' Problem #2 / When The Thought Of You Catches Up With Me #7 (very underrated song) / Look What Followed Me Home #11 /
