This week, "It Happened in July"
FRIDAY 7/30: It was during this week in 2004 when he topped the overall album chart for the first time in more than 30 years. The big hit from the album was a duet with a country superstar. This Mobile, Alabama native began his career in Nashville and recorded his first album called “Down to Earth” there in 1970. Today’s Lost oldie is the first single from his breakthrough 1973 album that only made it to number 58 on the country charts. It didn’t make the pop charts at all. Here’s a line: “We were sitting at the Krystal about as drunk as we could be…”. Name the artist. A: Jimmy Buffett (“Great Filling Station Holdup”)
THURSDAY 7/29: Today’s lost oldie artist celebrated his 66th birthday last week. The biggest part of his career was from the summer of ’79 until fall of ’83. During that time he released 13 songs and 11 went to #1. The biggest of those songs was from the summer of 1979. It has a three word title, minus the word “the”, name T.G. Sheppard’s biggest hit. A: “Last Cheater’s Waltz”
WEDNESDAY 7/28: Out of all of the members of this super group, he has had the most successful solo career. This Gilmer, Texas native turned 63 last week. He and another member of the group, a Detroit native by the way, wrote most of their biggest hits, including today’s lost oldie. The song first appeared on one of their albums in 1973 and amazing enough even though it’s one of the group’s signature songs it was never actually released as a single. Clint Black was one of the many who also recorded the record for a 1994 tribute album. The group is in the top five of the all time best selling groups in America. Name today’s lost oldie artist. A: Don Henley (“Desperado”)
TUESDAY 7/27: It was during July of 1956 when he earned his very first #1 hit. It stayed there for six weeks. It was also a top 20 pop hit. Name this song from this native of Dyass, Arkansas. A: “I Walk the Line” (Johnny Cash)
MONDAY 7/26: A TV sitcom that aired from 1996 to 2001 on NBC. The show is about a group of extraterrestrials on an expedition of what they consider to be the least important planet, Earth, while posing as a human family of four, to observe human beings. The series starred John Lithgow. Two years before the series premiered, an album by the same name was released during this week in July by today’s lost oldie artist. The title song made it to number one. Name the song and TV series. A: “Third Rock from the Sun” (Joe Diffie)
This week, “Ag Week”
FRIDAY 7/23: Today’s Lost Oldie was a big country and pop hit in 1977, it sent a couple weeks at number one on the country charts and was a top five pop hit. It’s a sad story in which the songs title character is being accused being out drinking while she left behind four kids and crops that need to be harvested. Name the song. A: “Lucille”
THURSDAY 7/22: Today’s lost oldie was a #2 song for Hank Williams, Jr. in 1982. He also rereleased what he called the “Y2K” version of the song with George Jones. Some of the song’s lyrics include “…my grandpa taught me how to live off the land...” and “…I can plow a field all day long…”. Name it. A: “A Country Boy Can Survive”
WEDNESDAY 7/21: Today’s lost oldie was released in late-1993 and peaked at #5 on the country charts. It describes a boy named Billy Bob, who is in love with a girl named Charlene, both of whom "met in high school in the '60s". Name the song. A: “John Deere Green” (Joe Diffie)
TUESDAY 7/20: “Raisin' me a family and workin' on a farm”, name the song. A: “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”
MONDAY 7/19: Today’s Lost Oldie artists were one of the country-rock bands to benefit from the modern country boom of the early '90s. Although based in Tulsa, all of the members were well-known Nashville session musicians before they came to prominence in the early '90s. The group landed a contract with Arista Records and released their self-titled debut album in the summer of 1994. Their biggest hit included the phrase “boogy woogie cho cho train, name the group. A: The Tractors (“Baby Like to Rock It”)
This week: “ A Decade a Day”
FRIDAY 7/16: Today’s decade is the 90’s and Garth Brooks was on a roll. The first number one single of 1991 was his third straight and second straight from his “No Fences” album. It was also included in Garth’s albums “The Hits” “The Limited series” and “Double Live” The song helped the “No Fences” album spend over 30 weeks as the number one album. Name the Garth song that has a two word title. A: “Unanswered Prayers”
THURSDAY 7/15: We move into the 80’s today. The biggest hit of the year 1988 was released in December of that year from this Kentucky native. Five months later he would be dead of alcohol poisoning. He is Keith Whitley; to win today name today’s lost oldie. A: “When You Say Nothing at All”
WEDNESDAY 7/14: From 1976 to 1978, all three biggest songs of the year had either Waylon or Waylon and Willie as the artist. In ’76 it way the duo with “Good Hearted Woman”, in 1978 they were back with “Mama’s Don’t Let Your babies grow Up to be Cowboys” and sandwiched in-between was a song that was credited to Waylon even though Willie appeared towards the end, what was that song? A: “Lukenbach, Texas”
TUESDAY 7/13: We look at the 60’s today and an incredible Billboard Country chart fact. In 1963, there were just nine #1’s to cover 52 weeks. That’s because there were, among other things, two songs that were at #1 for four weeks, two at #1 for seven weeks and today’s lost oldie that was at #1 for 16 weeks, that’s the better part of four months! Here’s a line from that song: “I hear bees a hummin’ and I know the day is comin’…”. A: “Loves Gonna Live Here Again (Buck Owens)
MONDAY 7/12: We start in the decade of the 50’s and today’s lost oldie artist had 1959’s biggest song. Although he is better-remembered for his historical songs, he was one of the best and most popular honky tonk singers of the late '50s. His career may have been cut short by a fatal car crash in 1960, but his music reverberated throughout the next three decades. Name him. A: Johnny Horton (“Battle of New Orleans”)
This week: “HOT as the Fourth of July”
FRIDAY 7/9: “The taste of love is sweet when hearts like ours meet” A: “Ring of Fire” (Johnny Cash)
THURSDAY 7/8: “I cup my hands and touch your face and once again I feel the fire” A: “Something burning” (Kenny Rogers and the First Edition)
WEDNESDAY 7/7: “We fell asleep in the damp tangled sheets so soon” A: “Love in the Hot Afternoon” (Gene Watson)
TUESDAY 7/6: “It’s coming closer; the flames are now licking my body” A: “Burning Love” (Elvis)
