Classic Rewind – KT Oslin – ‘Hold Me’
Posted by Jonathan Pappalardo on February 15, 2012
Oslin’s third number one single, “Hold Me” won two Grammy Awards in 1989 – Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. It would mark the second to last number one single of her career. Here she is performing it at an award show:
Michael A. said
I don’t really have any substantial comment. Sometimes I just wish I could click “Like”. Thanks for posting this one today.
Michael A. said
Ok, ok… I thought of a real comment. I love this song and her look just cracks me up. It looks like she just got out of a (obscure dated reference alert!) Denver Carrington board meeting.
Razor X said
I hate this song. I could never stand K.T. Oslin and never understood what all the fuss was about.
J.R. Journey said
This is not my favorite single by Oslin but it’s a great song nonetheless. It’s a damn shame intelligent, mature songwriting like hers is ignored today. She wouldn’t stand a chance in today’s market.
Ben Foster said
Love me some K.T.! I adore this song, and think it’s one of her best. I love her story, how she beat the odds and broke through in her mid-40s, but it was her deftly smart songwriting that really made her special. Plus she had such a unique vocal style, which I think sounds very cool. I sadly have to agree with J.R.’s above comment though – Country radio wouldn’t touch an artist like Oslin these days. They’ll hardly touch any female artist over forty these days, but especially not one who performed song material that was actually befitting of a woman over forty.
Anyway, thanks for sharing this! I enjoyed hearing it again.
Razor X said
“I sadly have to agree with J.R.’s above comment though – Country radio wouldn’t touch an artist like Oslin these days. They’ll hardly touch any female artist over forty these days, but especially not one who performed song material that was actually befitting of a woman over forty.”
That is true, but in the case of K.T. Oslin, I have to say, it isn’t much of a loss.
Ken Johnson said
Age and appearance aside I never thought that her music was country by ANY stretch of the imagination. What made her success even more odd was that it occured in the midst of country music’s “new traditionalist” movement when artists like Dwight Yoakam & Randy Travis were red hot. For some reason the suits at RCA (her record label) really LOVED her and applied substantial promotional muscle to radio to play her singles. Her music seemed to primarily appeal to older women that weren’t really fans of traditional country music to begin with and were attracted to the format during the Kenny/Dolly Urban Cowboy era.
You might say that Shania Twain was a younger, hipper version of K.,T. Oslin. Shania also wrote very pop sounding songs that primarily appealed to women but she had a much sexier package to deliver it.
Razor X said
Ken, I always felt exactly the same way. I never thought her music was particularly country — I even recall an interview she gave to the late and lamented Country Music magazine where she was quoted as saying that she didn’t like the sound of fiddles and steel guitar. Anybody who feels that way has no business being involved in country music, IMO.
I also thought the time seemed really wrong for an artist like her. It was strange how she reached the peak of her popularity at the height of the New Traditionalist movement.
luckyoldsun said
It’s funny that people are so negative about KT. That was about the time I first listened to country radio, and theystill played older artists like her, the Judds, Moe Bandy’s “Americana,” John Conlee singing about being a “Common Man”, Vern Gosdin, Ronnie Milsap, Kenny Rogers and some Charley Pride. Oh, and of course David Frizzell and the “Wino” song.
I’m not saying I bought her albums, but she didn’t seem out of place on the radio.
Ben Foster said
Razor, I understand why Oslin’s music doesn’t appeal to you, as it didn’t include overt country sounds such as fiddle and steel. Likewise, her vocal style is not to everyone’s taste. But I think to pass on an artist with her perspective and undeniable songwriting talent is indeed a great loss.
luckyoldsun said
I knew that she was a radio regular for a span in the ’80s, but I never would have guessed that she actually had four #1 hits–(even if there used to be 40-to-50 #1 hits per year then.)
Jonathan Pappalardo said
Thanks, everyone! I had no idea the amount of comments this would receive. Nice to see we have a discussion going. The time that she was popular, short as it was, marked a healthy period for country music. I was not yet born/way too young to even understand her impact but I get it now. She was different but she had a wonderful voice.
I love the way she growls on “Come Next Monday.” But I love this song as well!
Leeann Ward said
Like Razor X, I just can’t get into her, particularly her voice.
G. LaFoe said
Hmm,…. Interesting comments. I think K T Oslin is one of those artists that comes along time to time that simply falls in a in between place thus resulting in multi classifications. Personally I don’t put much weight into labeling. She’s someone that you either get or don’t get and no in between messing around about it… In my case I completely get it ! and in my humble opinion she’s great ! more then great ! A true talent across the board
Being a performing male musician and writer myself of over 40 yrs. I can only imagine the tough road she’s traveled. A thumbs up from me does not come easy and she gets a double up dose from me. To this aging sex pot from this dirty ole man I say Hey K T baby you got it !,… gimme gimme gimme some any ole time ! Luv Ya Baby !