The writers…
Filed Under…
- Album Reviews
- Awards Discussions
- Blockbuster Albums
- Blurbs
- Book Reviews
- Charts
- Classic Rewind
- Country Heritage
- Decade In Review
- Discussions
- Editorials
- Everything Else
- Fellow Travelers
- Giveaways
- Interviews
- Live Reviews
- News
- Opry Legends
- Playlist
- Retro Reviews
- Single Reviews
- Spotlight Artist
- Wish lists
- Year In Review
Popular artists…
Alabama
Alan Jackson
Alison Krauss
Barbara Mandrell
Bill Anderson
Blake Shelton
Bobby Bare
Brad Paisley
Brooks & Dunn
Buck Owens
Carl Smith
Carrie Underwood
Charley Pride
Chris Stapleton
Chris Young
Clint Black
Connie Smith
Conway Twitty
Crystal Gayle
Dean Dillon
Dierks Bentley
Dixie Chicks
Dolly Parton
Don Williams
Dwight Yoakam
Earl Thomas Conley
Eddy Arnold
Elvis Presley
Emmylou Harris
Ernest Tubb
Faith Hill
Faron Young
Florida Georgia Line
Garth Brooks
Gene Watson
George Jones
George Strait
Glen Campbell
Hank Cochran
Hank Snow
Hank Williams
Hank Williams Jr
Harlan Howard
Jamey Johnson
Janie Fricke
Jason Aldean
Jim Lauderdale
Jim Reeves
Joey + Rory
John Anderson
John Conlee
Johnny Cash
Johnny Paycheck
Kathy Mattea
Keith Urban
Keith Whitley
Kenny Chesney
Kenny Rogers
Kitty Wells
Kris Kristofferson
Lady Antebellum
LeAnn Rimes
Lee Ann Womack
Lefty Frizzell
Linda Ronstadt
Little Big Town
Loretta Lynn
Lorrie Morgan
Luke Bryan
Mark Chesnutt
Martina McBride
Marty Robbins
Marty Stuart
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Matraca Berg
Mel Tillis
Merle Haggard
Miranda Lambert
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Pam Tillis
Patsy Cline
Patty Loveless
Porter Wagoner
Randy Travis
Rascal Flatts
Ray Price
Reba McEntire
Rhonda Vincent
Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Van Shelton
Rodney Crowell
Roger Miller
Ronnie Milsap
Rosanne Cash
Sam Hunt
Sara Evans
Shania Twain
Sonny James
Steve Wariner
Sugarland
Suzy Bogguss
Tammy Wynette
Tanya Tucker
Taylor Swift
The Judds
Tim McGraw
Toby Keith
Tom T Hall
Tony Brown
Trace Adkins
Tracy Lawrence
Travis Tritt
Trisha Yearwood
Vern Gosdin
Vince Gill
Waylon Jennings
Webb Pierce
Willie Nelson
Wynonna
Zac Brown Band
Ricky Van Shelton scored his first #1 hit in December 1987 with “Somebody Lied.” His next single was a Harlan Howard song that had charted for Mel Tillis two decades earlier. At that time it was Mel’s biggest single to date peaking at #11 in May 1967. Ricky was just fifteen that year and not a big country music fan so he was unfamiliar with Mel’s recording. He first heard Mel’s version when his producer played it for him. The song became Ricky’s second #1 hit thirty years ago this week.
I remember Mel’s version but I first heard the song during the summer of 1965 – disc jockeys at WCMS (Norfolk) and WWVA (Wheeling) played Jimmy Dickens version of the song as an extra (I don’t think it was ever released as a single). I really liked Jimmy’s version
Although “Life Turned Her That Way” was officially designated as the “A” side of the Columbia single, the flip side “He Stands Real Tall” became the chart hit. It peaked at #21 in Billboard during June 1965. Jimmy’s next single became his career hit – “May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.”
Jimmy was an excellent ballad singer but mostly gained significant traction with his novelty songs. Waylon Jennings famously expressed his affection for Dickens’ ballads. I agree that Jimmy turned in an excellent performance on “Life Turned Her That Way.”