The 'List: Cal's Country Classics

Hello, one and all.

This 'list is all my buddy Calvin (Barley with Oates) Cherry's. Take it away!

Cal's Country Classics - Calvin Houston Cherry

My love for country music began when I was learning to walk. I lived with my grandparents until I was four years old; and they were followers of many country and southern gospel pioneers: Johnny Cash, The Chuckwagon Gang, Buck Owens, The Blackwoods, George Jones, The Statesmen Quartet and The Gatlin Brothers.

My first job was at a country music radio station my junior year of high school. I also worked as a DJ at several of the base clubs in Sigonella, Sicily while I was in the Navy, including an occasional ‘country/western night.’ This list of twenty-two songs encompasses many of my favorites during my disk jockey years.

Country music has evolved tremendously since its genesis - radically toward a mainstream pop (and even slightly electronica sound) in the past decade, further blurring the lines of musical genres. However, few could argue that this list is anything but ‘pure country’ at its best. Enjoy this nostalgic walk back to the late 80s and early 90s when budding artists such as Dwight Yoakam and Clint Black were at their prime!

This track by the multi-talented American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist became a number-one hit in the United States and Canada alike, spending twenty-three weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

One of the newest songs in this play list. This gem was Keith’s first single off his debut album which shot to number one on the country charts and became one of the most played tracks of the 90s and theme song for the Cowboys of Oklahoma State University.

This song was written by K. T. Oslin and released as the second single from her album This Woman, earning Oslin her third number one. The single spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart, winning Grammy awards for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal.

Penned by Ronnie Dunn, this was the duo’s third single from their debut album Brand New Man which also became their third consecutive Number One single on the country charts.

This haunting gem is Mattea at her best, earning her a number one record on both the US and Canadian Country charts and Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year.

What can I say about the great Ronnie Milsap that has not already been said? One might wonder why I picked this particular track when it was not one of his forty number one singles. The answer is simple, really….my middle name is Houston. Though this track did manage to peak at number four on the US Billboard Hot Country Chart, my connection with it is that it literally became my theme song - picked and sung by many of my Navy buddies when I entered a room.

Released as the lead single and title track from the album by the same name, Alibis became Lawrence's second number one country hit in 1993 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

This track was the third and last single from Black’s album The Hard Way which reached number one in both the United States and Canada. Written by Black and Hayden Nicholas, the song was special to me because it spoke to the last few years I was on active duty in the Navy stationed aboard the USS Thorn.

I used to get many requests to play this song while I worked at WEEN Radio in Lafayette, TN. It was also sung at one of the high school musicals I participated in. Originally recorded by Johnny Cash two years earlier, this single continued the success of her preceding comeback album Girls Like Me. Love Me Like You Used To produced three Billboard Top Ten Country singles: "If It Don't Come Easy" and the collaboration with Paul Davis and Paul Overstreet, "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love" both peaking at number one, and the title track "Love Me Like You Used To," written by Paul Davis and Bobby Emmons, rising to number two.

This jewel was the band’s “Mr. Bojangles” of the 1980s, thus resurrecting a comeback in popularity as a country group. The song was released as the second single from their album Hold On, reaching number one on the U.S. and Canadian country charts. Once it became available for download, it has sold over a million digital copies and was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2014.

A moving song written by Troy Seals and Max D. Barnes recorded for Jones’ 1985 album by the same name. The song was released as the first single and reached number three on the Hot Country Singles chart. Striking a strong chord of empathy with old-time country music lovers, Jones sings of the irreplaceability of country music legends: Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, Roy Acuff, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich, Hank Williams, Marty Robbins, and Lefty Frizzell. After singing about these legends’ impacts on country music, Jones ponders who will replace them when they're gone—hence the titular line—and thus become heroes. Eugene Chadbourne of Allmusic describes the song as "the kind of mystical, self-serving necrophilia that country music is all about."

The oldest song in this list and a million-selling gold-certified 45, thus making it is one of Rogers' greatest hits. The track is about a man's nephew who is an alleged coward, but finally takes a stand for his girlfriend. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and also on the Cash Box singles chart. As a cross over hit it simultaneously reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked number one on the UK Singles chart. Wikipedia notes that it was the most recent traditional country music song to hit number one in the UK, in February 1980 where it remained in the top spot in Ireland for six weeks consecutively.

Released as the second single from his album If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin', it reached number-one in the United States and peaked at number three in Canada.

A beautifully touching song about an elder’s perspective on change. The track became The Judds' sixth number one song on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart, and the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top One Hundred Western songs of all time. The song speaks about the rapid decline in traditional values – i.e. broken promises, lack of integrity and humility and rise of dysfunctional families. “We call it progress, but I just don't know…”

Peaking at number one in both the United States and Canada Country charts, this third single from the Storms of Life proved to us all that pining over a love that’s ‘dead and gone’ yields unhealthy, lonely consequences.

This gem from country’s power group happens to be their most edited single in their catalog. The full-length album version from their Just Us record clocked in at 7:31, finishing with an instrumental jam that lasts over three minutes. The single version released for radio was heavily edited down to 3:33, where the greatest hits compilation albums contains a version lasting 3:58. However, no matter what version you are familiar with, they were all popular enough to rocket the song to number one in both the U.S. and Canada.

The second song in this list about blue eyes. This track was written by Tim DuBois, Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson, which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country songs. It peaked at number one on RPM Country Tracks chart. It was the lead single from Restless Heart's album Big Dreams in a Small Town while a cover version was used for the 1999 film "Boys Don't Cry".

This popular sing-a-long song helped rocket new comer Garth Brooks to stardom, earning him four weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs. The song also hit number one in Canada and went on to win both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards for 1990 Single of the Year. According to Wikipedia, the writers of the song was at a Nashville eatery where one of them forgot his wallet. When asked how he was going to pay for the food he responded, “Don’t worry, I have friends in low places…I know the cook…”

Originally a number one hit for Elvis Presley in 1969, Yoakam rerecorded it for the soundtrack to the film "Honeymoon in Vegas". It is perhaps one of the most popular songs of Elvis’ catalog for it helped relaunch his career following the 1968 Comeback Special and has been covered no less than twenty times by various artists across many musical genres and languages.

Known for their quartet harmonies that was introduced to the world decades earlier, this track was one of the groups last highest charting singles. Penned by Don Reid, the song was the first single from the group’s album Maple Street Memories. The song peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

The second oldest song in this list by another popular quartet group praised for their remarkable harmony. Written by Rodney Crowell and Donivan Cowart, the track was initially covered by Emmylou Harris who included it on her Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town album a year earlier. The Oak Ridge Boys released the song as the third single from their album The Oak Ridge Boys Have Arrived. It became the band’s second number one U.S. Country single, also reaching number one in Canada. The song was performed by the group on the 1981 "The Dukes of Hazzard" episode "State of the County".

Finally...

After a decline in music sales, this hit returned Newton to the C&W Top Ten with a number eight peak. Thought it is not one of her most talked about songs, I played it often at WEEN Radio as she had been a long-time favorite artist of mine. Sadly, it was Newton’s final appearance in the C&W Top Thirty.

And at last, but not least...

BONUS: Carlos G's Pick

Number one on the Country Charts. Number five on the Pop Charts. This cheeky video features a famous personality with said name!

Enjoy and keep on honkin' n' tonkin'!

Next 'List Pending.