100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

He started off as a new traditionalist with only his raspy voice making him distinctive.  But when he embraced his California country roots, he became one of the defining male vocalists of the early 21st Century.

Gary Allan Herzberg hails from California. He grew up in a musical family, and by age thirteen, he was playing honky-tonks at night with his father.  His talent was evident even at that young age, and at age fifteen, he turned down his first opportunity at a major label record deal, opting to finish school instead.

He quickly became a big draw on the local concert scene, playing to overcrowded rooms but refusing to move up to bigger venues that wouldn’t allow him to play the traditional country covers that made up a big chunk of his set. He cut some demos in a small California studio in the early nineties, and the tape caught the interest of BNA Records in Nashville. But restructuring at the label prevented him from being signed.

So Allan continued with his day job: selling cars.  In an incredible act of fortune, he left a demo tape in a car that was then sold to a wealthy couple. They enjoyed the tape so much that they gave him $12,000, which he then used to make professional demos in Nashville. Soon, there was interest from several major labels, but Decca offered him a contract first, so he signed with them.

He was an immediate critical success, though radio would bite on only the lead singles of his first two studio albums. “Her Man” from his 1996 debut Used Heart For Sale and the title track from his 1998 follow-up It Would Be You each peaked at #7.   Both albums were heavy on the traditionalism but didn’t fully embrace the California country sound that he’d fully explore on his third album.

Smoke Rings in the Dark, released in 1999, struck a deep chord with country music listeners.  The title track, reminiscent of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”, only made it to #12, but it sold him more records than his previous two top ten hits combined.  As the album powered its way to platinum, radio finally embraced Allan, as the final single from the set, “Right Where I Need to Be”, became his first top five hit.

Thus began Allan’s hit streak at country radio, which continued unabated despite him embracing a sound that was nothing like the rest of country radio.  His next two albums, Alright Guy and See If I Care, produced three #1 hits between them, but as the final chart-topper “Nothin’ On But the Radio” was climbing the charts, tragedy struck.

On October 24, 2004, Allan’s wife Angela committed suicide.  The tragedy devastated Allan, who briefly suspended his music career in the wake of the event.  When he returned to the studio, he crafted his masterpiece to date, Tough All Over, which fully explored his anger and grief over his wife’s death.  Interestingly, the album’s lynch pin was a cover of the Vertical Horizon pop hit, “Best I Ever Had.” The lyrics of love lost took on new dimensions with Allan’s haunting performance.

Since that landmark album in 2005, Allan has continued to be a regular presence at country radio.  A subsequent hits package and the 2007 studio album Living Hard were both certified gold.  “Watching Airplanes”, from the latter set, is his most recent top ten single, but additional selections from that set and the 2010 release Get Off On the Pain, have reached the top twenty.  He is currently touring the country in support of this album.

Essential Singles:

• Smoke Rings in the Dark, 1999
• Right Where I Need to Be, 2000
• Nothin’ On But the Radio, 2004
• Best I Ever Had, 2005
• Life Ain’t Always Beautiful, 2006

Essential Albums:

• Smoke Rings in the Dark, 1999
• Tough All Over, 2005
• Greatest Hits, 2007

Next: #95. David Allan Coe

Previous: #97. Collin Raye

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

“Kiss Me When I’m Down” tries to do both, and is mostly successful.  Allan sings it so well that the focus is as much on the pain in his voice as it is on the lyrics he’s singing.  Plus, the title is used so infrequently that it can’t really diminish the song as a whole.  But it doesn’t elevate it, either.

So we’re left with what is  a fairly typical Gary Allan record these days. Decent song, sung well, arranged tastefully.  A bit of California flavor here and there.  It doesn’t have the fiery intensity of his earlier work, but it’s been clear for a while now that Allan has already peaked.  “Kiss Me When I’m Down” certainly won’t accelerate his current downward slope, but he’ll need stronger material if he hopes to reverse the slide.

Written by Andrew Dorff, Josh Kear, and Chris Tompkins

Grade: B

Listen: Kiss Me When I’m Down

400 Greatest Singles of the Nineties: #25-#1

#25
Smoke Rings in the Dark
Gary Allan
1999 | Peak: #12

Listen

A dark, atmospheric wonder, as Allan delivers the final eulogy for a love that couldn’t help burning out. – Dan Milliken

#24
Just to See You Smile
Tim McGraw
1997 | Peak: #1

Listen

Being deeply enamored of someone can make it easy – even appealing – to forfeit your own well-being. This single’s sunny tone reflects the persistent affection running through its protagonist, but its story demonstrates the heartbreak to which such unmeasured selflessness leads. – DM

#23
Small Town Saturday Night
Hal Ketchum
1991 | Peak: #2

Listen

Country music is rife with songs that elaborate on small town life, but none are as catchy or even as clever as Ketchum’s take on it: “Bobby told Lucy, ‘The world ain’t round/Drops off sharp at the edge of town/Lucy, you know the world must be flat/’Cause when people leave town, they never come back.’” Sounds like the fate of the small town that I grew up in. – Leeann Ward

#22
Choices
George Jones
1999 | Peak: #30

Listen

The hard-living George Jones did not write this reflective song about the consequences of various life choices, but you’d never know it, because it sounds as if he feels every word and emotion of it. With regret he he acknowledges, “I guess I’m payin’/For the things that I have done/If I could go back/Oh, Lord knows I’d run/But I’m still losin’/This game of life I play/Living and dying/With the choices I’ve made.” – LW

#21
For My Broken Heart
Reba McEntire
1991 | Peak: #1

Listen

In a state of shock, very little about everyday life seems significant. The body and mind become transfixed on the impossible new information they’re supposed to process, and suddenly everything else feels shallow, unnecessary, intrusive. In classic country tradition, McEntire’s shock here is from a love walking away, but the sensation the song beautifully captures can haunt any manner of broken heart. – DM

#20
Fast as You
Dwight Yoakam
1993 | Peak: #2

Listen

Hearing the opening hard driving riff of this Yoakam classic is all that any country music listener needs to hear to know just what song it is. There’s probably not a more recognizable introduction of the nineties. While the song is sonically bold, the character within isn’t so confident. He’s being emotionally run over by his lover, but hopes that the roles will reverse someday: “Maybe I’ll be fast as you/Maybe I’ll break hearts too/But I think you’ll slow down/When your turn to hurt comes around/Maybe I’ll break hearts and be as fast as you.” – LW

#19
Neon Moon
Brooks & Dunn
1992 | Peak: #1

Listen

Night after night, a heartbroken man drinks his sorrows away at a rundown bar. An average scenario for country music, no doubt, but Dunn spins it into a classic with his spot-on performance, dripping with wistfulness. – Tara Seetharam

#18
You’re Gone
Diamond Rio
1998 | Peak: #4

Listen

The lyric’s clarity and gratitude in the face of a great loss suggest that he’s reached the acceptance stage of grief.  The mournful vocal suggests that the grief will never go away. – Kevin Coyne

#17
Callin’ Baton Rouge
Garth Brooks
1994 | Peak: #2

Listen

This is country music on a stadium scale.  Never before or since has Garth Brooks so perfectly captured the fiery exuberance of his legendary live performances. – KC

#16
Café on the Corner
Sawyer Brown
1992 | Peak: #5

Listen

We’re truly defined by only two things in our life: our work, and our relationships.  The man in this song has lost his farm, and has to work bussing tables to support his family.  The crippling loss of dignity our protagonist feels is restored by the narrator’s sympathetic portrait and the empathy of the listener.  – KC

#15
The Dance
Garth Brooks
1990 | Peak: #1

Listen

A gorgeous moment of resolve, as love’s joys are deemed well worth its ultimate sadness. Brooks’ rich, warm performance stands among the most affecting of the era. – DM

#14
I Still Believe in You
Vince Gill
1992 | Peak: #1

Listen

Some singles are beloved because they feel technically perfect. This isn’t necessarily one of them. The keyboard production sounds dated, and the lyrics, while serviceable, are somewhat colorless. At first, it sounds dangerously close to an easy-listening snoozer. But then that chorus hits, and the melody – and Gill – launch this weathered re-declaration of commitment into the high heavens. And there’s no coming back down. – DM

#13
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart
Randy Travis
1990 | Peak: #1

Listen

This song is so brilliantly constructed that it accomplishes what should be an impossible feat: it makes us sympathize with the one who broke the marriage vows, instead of the woman who he has disgracefully betrayed. – KC

#12
He Thinks He’ll Keep Her
Mary Chapin Carpenter
1993 | Peak: #2

Listen

A sharp, melodic feminist anthem with a marked nineties sound but a timeless sentiment about the true value of capable, giving women. – DM

#11
Brand New Man
Brooks & Dunn
1991 | Peak: #1

Listen

Brooks and Dunn begin their long, successful run with the memorable strains of Ronnie Dunn’s incredible vocal pipes. As he begins, “I saw the light, I’ve been baptized”, we know that we’re hearing something special. Instead of the expected cerebral declaration of salvation, however, we’re treated to a rousing declaration of love and how it can save a person. – LW

#10
Strawberry Wine
Deana Carter
1996 | Peak: #1

Listen

Memories of lost innocence and a sweet, sighing vocal from Carter combine to create one of the crown jewels of nineties country, with an emotional core so resonant that even the specifics of the story feel like each listener’s own. – DM

#9
When I Call Your Name
Vince Gill
1990 | Peak: #2

Listen

About a man who’s drowning in loneliness, this ballad is elevated to masterpiece standards by its haunting chorus. No one can convey searing pain like Gill; pair his voice with one as sorrowful as Loveless’, and the result is nothing short of exquisite. – TS

#8
Shake the Sugar Tree
Pam Tillis
1992 | Peak: #3

Listen

If the bouncy “Shake the Sugar Tree” sounds organic, it’s because it is. Since the Homeward Looking Angel project was out of money to spend by the time Tillis found the song, Tillis and her producer took the demo recording and added her voice to it, because she had a strong feeling that the song was a hit. While it feels organic, it also sounds bright and undated, which is a testament to simplicity in recording tactics. The instructive lyrics cleverly advise on the importance of constantly tending to relationships in order to keep them alive. – LW

#7
Angry All the Time
Bruce Robison
1998 | Peak: Did Not Chart

Listen

As their marriage crumbles around him, he looks around for one last appraisal, a foot out the door and still not sure why things ever went and changed.  – DM

#6
Meet in the Middle
Diamond Rio
1991 | Peak: #1

Listen

A humble, plucky little record about the beauty of compromise in relationships. It’s so blissfully unassuming that it’s easy to take for granted the song’s sweeping truth: “Ain’t no road too long when we meet in the middle” is one of country music’s greatest slogans for humanity, intentional or not. – TS

#5
Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks
1990 | Peak: #1

Listen

“Friends in Low Places” is the party anthem of party anthems. While the lyrics don’t exactly paint the setting of a rousing party, the vibe of the song does in a big way. While it is Garth Brooks’ signature song, it is also an iconic song in general. With its sing-along chorus, the song went beyond small country music listening circles; its popularity expanded far and wide beyond that smaller community, to the general music listening world at large. Even those who may not have heard a country song before could at least sing a line from “Friends in Low Places.” What made the song so larger than life? We will probably never really know. But we do know that it remains a memorable part of pop culture, which is really a rare accomplishment for a little ol’ lightweight country ditty. – LW

#4
The Greatest Man I Never Knew
Reba McEntire
1992 | Peak: #3

Listen

It’s often said that actions speak louder than words.  That isn’t always true, especially in the eyes of a child. Everything her father did said “I love you”, but never having heard him say the words, she didn’t know how he really felt.

Now, almost a year after his death, she finally knows. The real tragedy isn’t that her father never said “I love you” when he was alive, but rather that she’ll never have the earthly opportunity to respond, “I know. I love you, too.”  – KC

#3
The Song Remembers When
Trisha Yearwood
1993 | Peak: #2

Listen

A masterpiece that reduces the soul-shaking power of music to its very essence.  Not only can a great song heighten the intensity of the moment you’re living in. It can also take you back to that moment in a heartbeat, when you least expect and aren’t quite ready for it.

For an artist like Trisha Yearwood, who collected more excellent songs than just about anyone in the past twenty years, it’s only right that one of her signature songs is itself a poignant tribute to songcraft.  “The Song Remembers When”  both makes the case for the power of music, and validates it with its flawless execution. – KC

#2
Independence Day
Martina McBride
1994 | Peak: #12

Listen

“Let freedom ring.” It’s not just a hook used to characterize a suffering mother’s actions; it’s a war cry that represents everything “Independence Day” stands for. Because in a country founded on ideals of life and liberty, a woman felt there was no way to protect her or her child except to destroy. Because even in a small town where everyone knew everyone’s business, nobody stepped out of line to salvage their neighbors’ existence. Because freedom is still compromised everyday, everywhere, and the only chance of saving it sometimes is to shout.

“Independence Day” is certainly such a shout, combining a bold, stinging Gretchen Peters lyric with a thunderstorm vocal by McBride. The record is fearless in conveying the dark truth of domestic violence, and wise enough not to cast any more judgment on the scenario than necessary, knowing that the situation speaks for itself.

Ultimately, the record has done much to shed light on its subject matter, as well as expand the boundaries of what can be discussed in a mainstream country song. Today’s acts may not often choose to use those expanded boundaries, because even in fields of artistic expression, it’s often easier to take the safe route and look the other way when confronted with humanity’s more troubling truths. But “Independence Day” stands as an example to all brave enough to follow in its path: a shout of truth, well-considered and well-timed, can ring on. – DM

#1
Maybe it Was Memphis
Pam Tillis
1991 | Peak: #3

Listen

It’s only fitting that this nostalgic list should end with a song about longing for the past.  Those of us who discovered country music in the nineties embraced it with an evangelical zeal, imploring their family and friends to listen to this amazing song, to that incredible artist. But what felt like the beginning of something that would keep getting better turned out to be a magical moment in time.

“Maybe it Was Memphis” is the perfect embodiment of that moment.  The song is poetry set to music, effortlessly evoking Faulkner and Tennessee Williams in its romanticism of the south.  The arrangement is stunning, with hallmarks of rock in steadfast service of its country core. The Tillis vocal is raw and emotional without being overwrought.  All of the disparate elements are brought together in perfect harmony. With relentless energy, it demands to be heard.

It’s a record that could’ve only existed in the nineties, when country music was broad enough to allow outside influences, but self-confident enough to incorporate them without sacrificing its own identity and integrity.  “Maybe it Was Memphis” defines an era of country music that approached meritocracy, an era where genuine talent paired with a worthy song was regularly rewarded.  An era where an a young artist’s debut single could become a classic as easily as the latest from a veteran superstar.

That era is over.  Long over.  But we still hold out hope that the magic will return, so we hang around.  We cling to a “Stay” here, a “House That Built Me” there, but the glimmers of hope are few, and they always seem to fade away.  Just like that Memphis summer night,  the magic has come and gone.  But we’ll keep looking back, ’cause it sure felt right.    – KC

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Jump Around

#400 – #376
#375 – #351
#350 – #326
#325 – #301
#300 – #276
#275 – #251
#250 – #226
#225 – #201
#200 – #176
#175 – #151
#150 – #126
#125 – #101
#100 – #76
#75 – #51
#50 – #26
#25 – #1

Now, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw were regularly invited to the party in the first half of the last decade, with four and three nominations, respectively. But the race has essentially been dominated by the same five men: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, George Strait, and Keith Urban, who combine for forty nominations in just one decade.

The recent history has been pretty boring. After two consecutive wins by Alan Jackson, we’ve had three consecutive wins each by Keith Urban and reigning champ Brad Paisley.

Will there be a new winner this year, or even a new nominee? Should there be?

Let’s take a look at last year’s race:

2009

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Darius Rucker was the new face to enter the race last year. No brand new nominee has been nominated again in this category since Keith Urban earned his first nomination in 2004. He’s been in the race ever since.  I’d say Rucker’s close to a lock, along with Paisley. But just like in the Entertainer race, a case could be made for a decent shake-up, especially some of this category’s veteran acts have dipped at radio and retail.

Here’s who I would nominate this year. Share your picks in the comments:

Jason Aldean

Anybody else notice that this guy’s outselling the rest of the male solo artists? All the while, he’s been completely ignored at the country awards shows for his last two projects.  He’s not overdue just yet, but he’s due.

Dierks Bentley

He went out of his comfort zone to release a bluegrass-flavored album that was pretty darn good.

Brad Paisley

He just missed my list for preferred Entertainer nominees, but he’s at the head of the pack in this category. With his domination at radio, not to mention a stronger studio album than his previous two, I wouldn’t be shocked for him to become the third artist in history to win four of these.

Blake Shelton

His hit-making has certainly been kicked up a notch as of late.  He may be destined to toil just under the radar of this category like Trace Adkins and Gary Allan before him, but it would be nice to see him get a nod.

Josh Turner

A decent comeback at radio and retail, coupled with him being a great singer who’s been overlooked, makes me hope he finishes out this category.

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I left off previous nominees Keith Urban, George Strait, and Darius Rucker because they haven’t put out new albums during the eligibility period, so it seems like a good time to let some new folks get a chance. I left off Kenny Chesney because he’s been doing nothing but stopgap releases for the past year, none of which sold to  his normal standards.  I left off Tim McGraw, even though he’s made some music I really like lately, because he hasn’t been doing as well as usual at radio and retail.

Gary Allan, “Nothing On but the Radio”

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James Otto, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”

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Chris Young, “Gettin’ You Home”

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Josh Turner, “Your Man”

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Steel Magnolia, “Keep On Lovin’ You”

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(Quality drop-off)

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This Song

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Billy Currington, “Don’t”

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Pat Green, “Let Me“

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Grade: C+

Listen: Hold that Thought

Buy:

Written by

Connecticut born songwriter Gary Burr got his first break when he broke his leg in a high school soccer game. With time on his hands, he taught himself to play the guitar and began writing songs. His second break came in 1982 when, without a co-writer, he penned Juice Newton’s “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me”. That same year, he became the lead singer for Pure Prairie League after Vince Gill left the group to pursue a solo career. Gary remained with PPL until 1985 and headed to Nashville in the late 1980′s. He has since been awarded ‘Songwriter of the Year’ on three separate occasions by three different organizations: Billboard, Nashville Songwriter’s Association International, and ASCAP. He has also received over twenty of ASCAP’s recognition awards for radio play activity, and cds featuring his songs have sold more than 50 million units world-wide. He’s currently affiliated with SESAC. Most recently, he was Carole King’s guitarist on her “Living Room Tour”, performing some of his own songs as well.

If you go to Gary’s website and click on Discography you’ll see a Short List of 35 of his best known songs, in alphabetical order by recording artist. If you click on Full List, you see the names of about 170 songs. You’ll find hits and albums track (“hidden treasures” to some) by country artists such as Hal Ketchum, Patty Loveless, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Tanya Tucker, Ty Herndon, Faith Hill, Leann Rimes, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Gary Allan, Andy Griggs, Kathy Mattea, Lorrie Morgan, Terri Clark, Collin Raye, Doug Stone, Ricky Van Shelton, Diamond Rio, Conway Twitty, Chely Wright and many others plus pop artists Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, etc . The website list does not include the current Sarah Buxton hit “Outside My Window”.

Gary appears quite frequently at Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe, appearing in the round with singer/songwriters like Mike Reid, Georgia Middleman, J.D. Souther and others. In addition, he performs as part of the group MelDiBurPho which is composed of songwriters Vince Melamed, Bob DiPiero, Gary and Jim Photoglo.These shows are performed on the Bluebird’s small stage and, unlike the shows in the round, includes a drummer in addition to the usual guitars and a keyboard. Gary and the Guys have been doing these great shows for about 12 years. They call themselves the oldest boy band in America and the best band you can see for $12. They really seem to be having a great time together and they can be very funny, much of the humor either self-deprecating or at the expense of one of the other guys. For the February show, the guys performed in their pj’s, an annual event closely coinciding with three of their birthdays. Supposedly Faith Hill once showed up in pj’s and bunny slippers. She was discovered while singing back-up for Gary at the Bluebird.

After seeing Mr. Burr perform twice at the Bluebird, I purchased his two cd’s from the Bluebird on-line store. Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before …, released in 1997, includes 18 of his best songs performed and recorded live at the Bluebird. Mariane’s includes 11 songs and was released in 2004. The list of my favorite Gary Burr written songs that follows indicates the artist and cd it appeared on and his co-writer. Many of these favorites are from his Stop Me … cd and a few from Marianne’s. (Songs that can also be found on Gary’s cds have an asterisk next to the title.)

Should you already have or decide to purchase these cds, you may find, as I did, that you prefer Gary’s version for quite a few of them. A lot of his songs are about lost love, some because the guy was clueless, others about love that just didn’t work out and the difficulty in leaving memories behind. At his shows, Gary refers to himself as the “sensitive one” when he sings one of his ballads. Check out the songs listed on Gary’s website and let us know your favorites. Obviously, differing tastes will result in a very different list by many readers.

#25
“I Wear Your Love” – Kathy Mattea
Time Passes By, 1991
co-writer – None

An album track for Kathy Mattea from a cd chock full of great songs in addition to the three chosen for release as singles. The chorus concludes, “on the chillest night though I travel light, it is always enough for I wear your love”. Mattea is still one of the best female vocalists in country music.

#24
“A Man Ain’t Made of Stone” – Randy Travis
A Man Ain’t Made of Stone,  1999
co-writers – Frannie Golde and Robin Lerner

About this song, Leeann wrote, “I love Travis’ vulnerable, yet passionate, vocal delivery in this song. This man thought it was important to seem strong and unflappable, but realizes that she needed to see the softer side of him at times. Unfortunately, he reached this conclusion too late. Her leaving unearths his emotions and he abruptly learns that ‘a man ain’t made of stone/A man ain’t made of steel.’” The song peaked at #16.

#23
“What’s In It For Me” – John Berry
John Berry, 1993
co-writer – John Jarrard

This up tempo song is about a guy asking a girl who dumped him but has changed her mind and wants him back, ” What’s in it for me?” He’s glad she’s back and wants her but are things going to be different this time? “If it’s only more tears, then I’ll have to pass.” The song reached #5 on the charts for John Berry.

#22
“Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard On Me” – Juice Newton
Quiet Lies, 1982
co-writer – None

The young lady is a bit skittish about love after being burned in this up tempo tune. Calls to her inner romantic self can’t convince her to try again yet. “I’ll be back when I calm my fears … See you around in a thousand years.” This did better on the pop charts (# 7) than country (#30).

#21
“A Thousand Times a Day” – Patty Loveless (1995); George Jones (1993)
The Trouble With The Truth, 1995;  High Tech Redneck, 1993
co-writer – Gary Nicholson

Another song about trying to forget someone. Giving up booze and smokes was difficult but “Forgetting you is not that hard to do, I’ve done it a thousand times a day”. The song reached #13 for Patty and was an album track for George. I prefer Patty’s version.

#20
“In a Week or Two” – Diamond Rio
Close To The Edge, 1992
co-writer – James House

A song of warning for procrastinators from a group known for their great harmony. “These words in my heart never had a chance to be heard”. The guy waited too long to tell her he loved her so he came out second. The song nearly reached the top of the charts but, as Trent Summar once reminded us, “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”

#19
“I Try to Think About Elvis” – Patty Loveless
When Fallen Angels Fly, 1994
co-writer – None
I recall seeing Patty sing this in a concert about 10 years ago. I would think that “list songs” like this would present a challenge remembering all the lyrics but she nailed it. A fun song that made it to #3.

#18
“Heart Half Empty” – Ty Herndon with Stephanie Bentley
What Mattered Most, 1995
co-writer – Desmond Child
“Is my heart half full of the love you gave me, or my heart half empty ’cause your love is gone?” While the half full, half empty metaphor is obviously not new and the song is a bit schmaltzy, I still love it. I add a star for true duets – equal contributions by the duet partners. Although Ty’s recent comeback attempt appears to have come up short, he still has a great voice and was well complemented here by Stephanie Bentley.

#17
“Blue Sky” – Emily West
Emily West, 2007 (EP)
co-writer – Emily West

The original version was from her EP. The current single includes background vocals by Keith Urban and online reviews have been very favorable but it hasn’t cracked the top 40 yet. The girl is saddened by her lover’s behavior but resolved not to be hurt by him again. “So you made a list of shoulders that you’d be needing, well mine aren’t yours anymore, come on show me your temper, be the man I remember, so I won’t forget what you’ve done.”

#16
“Out of My Bones” – Randy Travis
You and You Alone 1998
co-writers – Sharon Vaughn and Robin Lerner

Randy sings “I’m in need of a remedy, to cure me from loving you”. His remedy is walking in the first verse and talking in the second til she’s “out of my bones”. While his 1986 song “Diggin’ Up Bones” made it to the top, “Out of My Bones” stalled at #2. The album also included the late Patrick Swayze singing background on one of the tracks.

#15
“Rockin’ the Rock” – Larry Stewart (Restless Heart)
Heart Like a Hurricane, 1994
co-writer – None

A rollicking song about a girl who rocks his world but didn’t rock the charts peaking at #56. “I had a wonderful sense of balance, everything under control, til the day she came along and started rockin’ the rock that I’m standing on.” If you have a multiple tissues tune on your playlist, play this next. Larry Stewart’s solo career after leaving Restless Heart was not a huge success. He’s been back with them since 2004.

#14
“That’s My Job” – Conway Twitty
Borderline, 1987
co-writer – None

The relationship between a son and his father is portrayed in three vignettes. In the first, the father comforts his young son, calming his fears. Conflict and doubts occur in the second while the final scene finds the son, who makes his living with words and rhyme, trying to deal with the death of his father, asking himself how can I come up with a song to say I love you. The song made it to #6. (I remember liking “It’s Only Make Believe” as a kid but shortly after Conway disappeared from the pop charts. I didn’t know til much later that he had become a country star.)

#13
“The One You Love” – Terri Clark with Vince Gill
The Long Way Home, 2009; Pain to Kill, 2003
co-writer – Terri Clark

While Terri’s new cd did not include lyrics, they can be found with comments for each song on her website. She said that she hesitated to re-cut this song but her mother’s recent bout with cancer inspired her because it put the lyrics in a whole different light. “when someone’s slippin’ away, right before your eyes, how useless we are is a painful surprise”. Although Vince Gill singing harmony is always a plus, the original version on Pain to Kill was still excellent.

#12
“West of Crazy” – Lisa Brokop
Lisa Brokop, 1996
co-writer – Vince Melamed

An up tempo tune which reflects a woman’s state of mind after a breakup. “Just a few miles west of crazy, a stone’s throw away from tears, oh, so close to normal, but I can’t get there from here”. Love the song although it didn’t even chart in Canada. Lisa Brokop has become one of my favorite country music singers.

#11
“One Night a Day” – Garth Brooks
In Pieces, 1993
co-writer – Pete Wasner

The piano is the star in this song about a guy trying to leave a girl’s memory behind. He tells of the things he’s doing to get through the breakup, including “calling every friend I had, wake ‘em up, make ‘em mad, to let them know I’m okay”. Garth’s version, which reached #7 on the charts, also features a sax while in Gary’s, a steel guitar complements the piano.

#10
“Time Machine” – Collin Raye
I Think About You, 1995
co-writer – None

Although it was never a single, it’s one of my favorite Collin Raye songs. The songs tells of a lonely man who knows things won’t be any better tomorrow so he wants to go back in time. “To the casual eye it’s a barstool, but it’s really much more than it seems, a few drinks and then, she’ll be with him again, as he sits on the time machine”.

#9
“Up and Flying” – Reba McEntire
If You See Him, 1998
co-writer – Patty Griffin

Her ex-love is doing fine but she’s still doing time. “You make it look so easy, it doesn’t seem quite fair, baby I’m still tryin’, to get up and flying”. An album track for Reba. Should this song have been a single? Love Gary’s take on it.

#8
“You Tell Me” – Terri Clark with Johnnie Reed
The Long Way Home, 2009
co-writer – Terri Clark

As noted above, I love duets and on this album track, Terri is joined by Scotland born, Canadian country music artist, Johnny Reid. On her website, she describes it as a grown up song about a relationship in trouble that she wrote with Gary about 10 years ago. The conversational quality of the lyrics made it feel as a natural duet.

#7
“Sure Love” – Hal Ketchum
Sure Love, 1992
co-writer – Hal Ketchum

Hal sings of what he would do to find “Sure Love”. “I would chase all ghosts and watch them scatter, drop old dreams and watch them shatter, lose myself and all I own, to find sure love.” This up tempo song reached #3.

#6
“Silence Is King” – Tanya Tucker
Soon, 1993
co-writer – Jim Photoglo

This sad tune is about a couple who have reached the point where they don’t communicate any more. The chorus begins “We live in a land where silence is king, whispers have all disappeared”. In the last verse, there’s no let-up, “desperate measures come from desperate times, I don’t regret what I’ve done, if my actions made you speak your mind, angry words are better than none”. An album track for Tanya. On the live “Stop Me …” cd you hear Gary saying “so depressing” after he finishes singing. Probably too serious for country radio.

#5
“I Will Not Be a Mistake” – Cliff Richard
Something’s Goin’ On, 2004
co-writers – Helen Darling and Will Robinson

While Cliff is not a country singer, I could easily see someone like Collin Raye covering this song. It’s about a guy who assures the girl he’s about to get together with that while it may not come to anything it won’t be something she’ll regret. “I’ll be a chance you had to take, a heart you had to break, but I will not be a mistake”.

#4
“Can’t Be Really Gone” – Tim McGraw
All I Want, 1995
co-writer – None

A man tries to convince himself that his girl must be coming back when he mends his ways because “so much of her remains”. “The shoes she bought on Christmas day, she laughed and said they called her name”. “Her book is lying on the bed, the two of hearts to mark the page, now who would ever walk away at chapter twenty-one.” Just missed the top peaking at #2.

#3
“Station on the Line”
Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before …
co-writer – None

A haunting melody about a guy who falls for a girl who can’t commit. The chorus goes “and her type never does linger, she leaves all could and might-have-beens behind, she rode from New York to California, and I was just a station on that line”. As far as I can tell, no one else has covered this song.

#2
“What Mattered Most” – Ty Herndon
What Mattered Most, 1995
co-writer – Vince Melamed

A lament by a clueless guy who knew all the trivial stuff but missed what mattered most. “I never asked…she never said,and when she cried I turned my head, she dreamed her dreams behind closed doors, and that made them easy to ignore”. A #1 song for Ty in his successful stretch during the 90′s.

#1
“In Front of the Alamo” – Hal Ketchum with LeAnn Rimes
One More Midnight (no U.S. release)
co-writer – None

Allusions to one of the most famous battles in American history are combined with the story of a woman’s love gone bad because of her husband’s infidelity. The couple met as tourists in front of the Alamo. The second verse ends “she wanted trust, she wanted truth, the two things he found hard to do. So forever was shorter than she planned”. (The lives of the defenders of the Alamo were shorter than they planned.) She returns to the Alamo so that she can move on. The bridge begins “she didn’t come for inspiration or to breathe the mighty dust of heroes lost” and concludes “She just felt the time was right, at this random traffic light, to say ‘enough is enough’ and move on”. The third verse ends “maybe something in the air makes the timid braver there, to cross the line that they’ve drawn in the sand”. The tag chorus completes the analogy “they held on she lets go” (they were brave by holding on she by letting go) and concludes “in front of the Alamo, that’s a pretty good place to make a stand”.

While I do recall hearing the song on the radio, it failed to crack the top 40.

Kevin Coyne wrote here in 2007, “… a beautifully sympathetic portrait of a woman leaving a bad relationship behind. After all, what better a place to make a stand than in front of the Alamo? Before you worry that this is one of those over-the-top country numbers with a tortured metaphor, it’s actually wonderfully understated. The character is so believable that it seems just a happy accident that she makes a tough choice in front of a historical landmark.”

Also in 2007, Jim Malec of the 9513 wrote about the Ketchum song, “if you ask me, his latest, “In Front Of The Alamo,” is the best single I’ve heard so far this year. Featuring a brilliant support vocal from LeAnn Rimes, this song does everything right. Lyrically, it is a lesson in excellence, accomplishing in just over three minutes what most songs never do. On the production side it’s damn near perfect, even down to the mix (the short but fitting instrumental parts are well-played and perfectly placed).
It just doesn’t get much better than this.”

I agree.

As always, we start with a look at this year’s nominees and work our way back to 1968.

2010

• Zac Brown Band, “Toes”
• Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
• David Nail, “Red Light”

There’s usually a “Huh?” nominee among the ACM list in recent years.  This year, it’s David Nail.  Good for him!  Currington hasn’t won yet for this hit, even though he got himself a Grammy nomination for it.  With Lady Antebellum reaching the upper ranks of the country and pop charts with “Need You Now”, my guess is that they’re the presumptive favorites. Then again, Miranda Lambert is a nominee for the third straight year, and she’s up for her biggest radio hit.

2009

• Trace Adkins, “You’re Gonna Miss This”
• Jamey Johnson, “In Color”
• Miranda Lambert, “Gunpowder & Lead”
• Heidi Newfield, “Johnny and June”
• Brad Paisley, “Waitin’ On a Woman”

Adkins has been a fairly regular fixture on country radio since 1996, but this was his first major industry award.  He also won the ACM for Top New Male Vocalist in 1997.

2008

• Gary Allan, “Watching Airplanes”
• Big & Rich, “Lost in This Moment”
• Kenny Chesney, “Don’t Blink”
• Miranda Lambert, “Famous in a Small Town”
• Sugarland, “Stay”

“Stay” swept the Song of the Year categories at all three industry shows, along with winning the ACM for Single Record.  Allan’s presence here shows that being a little West Coast can still help a guy at the ACMs.

2007

• Heartland, “I Loved Her First”
• Rascal Flatts, “What Hurts the Most”
• George Strait, “Give it Away”
• Josh Turner, “Would You Go With Me”
• Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”

George Strait earned his second ACM Single Record award a decade after his first (“Check Yes or No”) and two and a half decades after having his first radio hit.  Underwood won at the CMAs later that year.  “Give it Away” is one of a small group of ACM winners to not receive a nomination at the CMA ceremony.

2006

• Gary Allan, “Best I Ever Had”
• Brooks & Dunn, “Believe”
• Brad Paisley, “Alcohol”
• Sugarland, “Baby Girl”
• Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”

In the battle of biblical hits, the CMA picked Brooks & Dunn but the ACM picked Carrie Underwood.  Much like George Strait would later win a CMA trophy for a different single (“I Saw God Today”), Underwood later triumphed at the CMA with “Before He Cheats.”

2005

• Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”
• Brad Paisley with Alison Krauss, “Whiskey Lullaby”
• Rascal Flatts, “Bless the Broken Road”
• Keith Urban, “Days Go By”
• Gretchen Wilson, “Redneck Woman”
• Lee Ann Womack, “I May Hate Myself in the Morning”

Because McGraw picked up the trophy at the CMAs in 2004, the field was cleared for Womack to win the CMA later in 2005.  McGraw had won the ACM before for “It’s Your Love.”

2004

• Brooks & Dunn, “Red Dirt Road”
• Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere”
• Alan Jackson, “Remember When”
• Toby Keith, “American Soldier”
• Randy Travis, “Three Wooden Crosses”

Among all the lead nominees, only Toby Keith wasn’t a previous winner. Still, the award went to the new alcoholic’s creed, winning over a more pensive Jackson track and a big comeback hit for Randy Travis.

2003

• Kenny Chesney, “The Good Stuff”
• Toby Keith, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)”
• Trick Pony, “Just What I Do”
• Keith Urban, “Somebody Like You”
• Mark Wills, “19 Somethin’”

Chesney spent nearly two months at #1 with this hit, perhaps giving him the edge over the other mega-hits at radio from Keith, Urban, and Wills. As for the Trick Pony nomination, somebody really should find out what Heidi Newfield has on those ACM voters.

2002

• Brooks & Dunn, “Ain’t Nothin’ ‘Bout You”
• Diamond Rio, “One More Day”
• Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
• Toby Keith, “I Wanna Talk About Me”
• Travis Tritt, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”

Jackson’s powerful 9/11 reflection stands out as the only ballad among his four ACM Single Record victories.

2001

• Toby Keith, “How Do You Like Me Now?!”
• John Michael Montgomery, “The Little Girl”
• Jamie O’Neal, “There is No Arizona”
• Aaron Tippin, “Kiss This”
• Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert, “I Hope You Dance”

Toby Keith’s run of four consecutive nominations began this year. His album of the same name proved victorious that evening.  Womack’s massive hit became an instant standard, and is incidentally the most recent winner to also be a genuine crossover hit.

2000

• Dixie Chicks, “Ready to Run”
• Lonestar, “Amazed”
• Tim McGraw, “Please Remember Me”
• Brad Paisley, “He Didn’t Have to Be”
• George Strait, “Write This Down”

As pop hits go, this one was a monster. “Amazed” even topped the Hot 100, the first country single to do so since “Islands in the Stream.”

1999

• Faith Hill, “This Kiss”
• Martina McBride, “A Broken Wing”
• Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One”
• Steve Wariner, “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
• The Wilkinsons, “26 Cents”

Hill and hubby Tim McGraw each have two ACM trophies in this category, one solo and one shared.

1998

• Diamond Rio, “How Your Love Makes Me Feel”
• Tim McGraw with Faith Hill, “It’s Your Love”
• LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
• George Strait, “Carrying Your Love With Me”
• Trisha Yearwood, “How Do I Live (from “Con Air”)”

While Yearwood had won over Rimes at the Grammys a few weeks earlier, the ACM sidestepped the big controversy of the year and gave the trophy to the biggest hit in the bunch.

1997

• Brooks & Dunn, “My Maria”
• Deana Carter, “Strawberry Wine”
• Tracy Lawrence, “Time Marches On”
• LeAnn Rimes, “Blue”
• George Strait, “Carried Away”

It’s rare that the ACM goes with the song that was least successful at radio, but don’t let that #10 peak of “Blue” fool you.  That hit was responsible for millions of record sales.

1996

• Brooks & Dunn, “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”
• Faith Hill, “It Matters to Me”
• Tim McGraw, “I Like It, I Love It”
• George Strait, “Check Yes or No”
• Shania Twain, “Any Man of Mine”

It was a stroke of marketing brilliance: add two singles to a box set of a genre superstar. When the first single became one of his biggest hits, the box set quickly became the top selling in country music history.

1995

• Joe Diffie, “Third Rock From the Sun”
• Vince Gill, “Tryin’ to Get Over You”
• Alan Jackson, “Livin’ On Love”
• Tim McGraw, “Don’t Take the Girl”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”

There have been a few wedding standards to win this award, though Montgomery’s hit didn’t cross over in its original form.

1994

• Clint Black with Wynonna, “A Bad Goodbye”
• Garth Brooks, “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up)”
• Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
• Reba McEntire with Linda Davis, “Does He Love You”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”

Jackson won the ACM with his massive hit, but the McEntire/Davis duet and the Yoakam track were Grammy winners.

1993

• John Anderson, “Straight Tequila Night”
• Brooks & Dunn, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
• Billy Ray Cyrus, “Achy Breaky Heart”
• Collin Raye, “Love, Me”
• Tanya Tucker, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane”

Brooks & Dunn are among the most nominated artists in this category’s history, but this is their only victory.

1992

• Clint Black, “Where Are You Now”
• Garth Brooks, “Shameless”
• Alan Jackson, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”
• Travis Tritt, “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”
• Trisha Yearwood, “She’s in Love With the Boy”

This was Jackson’s first major industry award.

1991

• Alabama, “Jukebox in My Mind”
• Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
• Vince Gill, “When I Call Your Name”
• Alan Jackson, “Here in the Real World”
• Shenandoah, “Next to You, Next to Me”

Garth-mania was beginning to peak in 1991. He swept the ACMs that  year.

1990

• Clint Black, “Better Man”
• Garth Brooks, “If Tomorrow Never Comes”
• Patty Loveless, “Timber I’m Falling in Love”
• Keith Whitley, “I’m No Stranger to the Rain”
• Hank Williams & Hank Williams Jr., “There’s a Tear in My Beer”

Clint Black is one of only three artists in the last twenty years to win for their first proper single, with Carrie Underwood and LeAnn Rimes being the other two.

1989

• Kathy Mattea, “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
• K.T. Oslin, “I’ll Always Come Back”
• Ricky Van Shelton, “I’ll Leave This World Loving You”
• Randy Travis, “I Told You So”
• Keith Whitley, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”

Mattea’s award-winning hit had such a high profile that it was even referenced in the dialog of the hit movie Rain Man.

1988

• Restless Heart, “I’ll Still Be Loving You”
• Ricky Van Shelton, “Somebody Lied”
• George Strait, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”
• Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen”
• Hank Williams Jr., “Born to Boogie”

Travis won for the second year in a row with what would become his signature hit.

1987

• Alabama, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing”
• Janie Fricke, “Always Have, Always Will”
• The Judds, “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain”
• Reba McEntire, “Whoever’s in New England”
• Randy Travis, “On the Other Hand”

This was technically his first single, but when released under the name Randy Traywick, it bombed. Warner Bros. then released “1982″ under Randy Travis, and it went top ten. They then re-released this song, and it became his first #1 hit.

1986

• Lee Greenwood, “Dixie Road”
• Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, “Highwayman”
• The Judds, “Love is Alive”
• Mel McDaniel, “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On”
• Hank Williams Jr., “I’m For Love”

So successful was this winning single that the four legends would go on to release future collaborations as the Highwaymen.

1985

• Alabama, “When We Make Love”
• Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson, “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”
• The Judds, “Why Not Me”
• John Schneider, “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know”
• Conway Twitty, “I Don’t Know a Thing About Love (The Moon Song)”

Say what you want about this winner, but it was popular enough to sell two million 45s.

1984

• John Anderson, “Swingin’”
• Anne Murray, “A Little Good News”
• Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, “Pancho  and Lefty”
• Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream”
• Shelly West, “José Cuervo”

Another pop smash that moved two million 45s. Is there anybody over 30 who can’t sing along to the chorus?

1983

• David Frizzell, “I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home”
• Willie Nelson, “Always on My Mind”
• Kenny Rogers, “Love Will Turn You Around”
• Ricky Skaggs, “Crying My Heart Out Over You”
• Sylvia, “Nobody”

Nelson’s had quite a few signature hits, but none bigger than this one.

1982

• Rosanne Cash, “Seven Year Ache”
• David Frizzell & Shelly West, “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma”
• Barbara Mandrell, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”
• Ronnie Milsap, “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me”
• Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”

This might be the most pop-flavored lineup in category’s history. Even the Mandrell hit doth protest too much.

1981

• George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
• Johnny Lee, “Lookin’ For Love”
• Dolly Parton, “9 to 5″
• Eddie Rabbitt, “Drivin’ My Life Away”
• Don Williams, “I Believe in You”

Jones capped his biggest comeback in a career defined by them with several awards for this classic hit.

1980

• Charlie Daniels Band, “Devil Went Down to Georgia”
• Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Band, “All the Gold in California”
• Crystal Gayle, “Half the Way”
• Waylon Jennings, “Amanda”
• Kenny Rogers, “Coward of the County”

West Coast represent!

1979

• Crystal Gayle, “Talking in Your Sleep”
• Loretta Lynn, “Out of My Head and Back in My Bed”
• Willie Nelson, “Georgia On My Mind”
• Waylon & Willie, “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”
• Don Williams, “Tulsa Time”

In a category of superstars, the Gentle Giant of Country Music was the victor.

1978

• Debby Boone, “You Light Up My Life”
• Crystal Gayle, “Don’t it Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
• Waylon Jennings, “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)”
• Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
• Linda Ronstadt, “Blue Bayou”

All of these records made a big impact on both the country and the pop chart.

1977

• Mickey Gilley, “Bring it On Home to Me”
• Loretta Lynn, “Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missin’ Tonight)”
• Marty Robbins, “El Paso City”
• Red Sovine, “Teddy Bear”
• Waylon & Willie, “Good Hearted Woman”

A surprising win, perhaps fueled by the momentum of Gilley’s previous single, “Don’t the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time.”

1976

• Glen Campbell, “Rhinestone Cowboy”
• Freddie Fender, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
• Mickey Gilley, “Overnight Sensation”
• Willie Nelson, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”
• Kenny Starr, “The Blind Man in the Bleachers”

Campbell made quite the comeback with this one, and it later inspired the Dolly Parton film vehicle Rhinestone, which earned an ACM nomination of its own for the Tex Ritter Award.

1975

• John Denver, “Back Home Again”
• Merle Haggard, “Things Aren’t Funny Anymore”
• Ronnie Milsap, “(I’d Be) A Legend in My Time”
• Cal Smith, “Country Bumpkin”
• Billy Swan, “I Can Help”

Smith may not have gotten all the recognition that his talent warranted, but he made two undeniable classics: “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking”, and his winner here.

1974

• Merle Haggard, “If We Make it Through December”
• Byron MacGregor, “The Americans”
• Jeanne Pruett, “Satin Sheets”
• Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
• Charlie Rich, “The Most Beautiful Girl”

Rich’s two hits were so big that even with vote-splitting, he still emerged the winner.

1973

• Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
• Merle Haggard, “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)”
• Johnny Rodriguez, “Pass Me By (If You’re Only Passing Through)”
• Jerry Wallace, “If You Leave Me Tonight I’ll Cry”
• Faron Young, “Four in the Morning”

Fargo was a local star on the West Coast before she broke through nationwide with this hit, dominating the 1973 ACM Awards as a result.

1972

• Merle Haggard, “Carolyn”
• Freddie Hart, “Easy Loving”
• Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, “Lead Me On”
• Loretta Lynn, “One’s On the Way”
• Charley Pride, “Kiss an Angel Good Morning”

This gold-selling classic helped Hart triumph over the superstars of his day.

1971

• Lynn Anderson, “Rose Garden”
• Merle Haggard, “The Fightin’ Side of Me”
• Anne Murray, “Snowbird”
• Ray Price, “For the Good Times”
• Sammi Smith, “Help Me Make it Through the Night”

Each one of these is a classic in its own right. In a battle of Kristofferson-penned hits, Price emerged victorious, though Smith won the CMA later that year.

1970

• Glen Campbell, “Try a Little Kindness”
• Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue”
• Merle Haggard, “Okie From Muskogee”
• Billy Mize, “Make it Rain”
• Elvis Presley, “Don’t Cry Daddy”
• Freddy Weller, “Games People Play”
• Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man”

Haggard’s only victory in this category came on a night where he also won Album of the Year for the only time in several nominations.

1969

• Glen Campbell, “Wichita Lineman”
• Merle Haggard, “I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am”
• Merle Haggard, “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde”
• Merle Haggard, “Mama Tried”
• Roger Miller, “Little Green Apples”

Miller’s known for his legendary songwriting, but his winning hit here was penned by Bobby Russell.

1968

• Glen Campbell, “Burning Bridges”
• Glen Campbell, “Gentle on My Mind”
• The Gosdin Bros., “Hangin’ On”
• Bobbie Gentry, “Ode to Billy Joe”
• Merle Haggard, “Branded Man”
• Merle Haggard, “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive”

A young Vern Gosdin made up half of the nominated Gosdin Bros., a nice historical footnote to the first year of this category. Glen Campbell’s victory was appropriately West Coast for the ACMs first attempt at honoring the national country music scene.

Facts & Feats:

Most Wins

• (4) – Alan Jackson
• (3) – Willie Nelson
• (2) – Glen Campbell, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, George Strait, Randy Travis

Most Nominations

• (12) – Merle Haggard
• (8) – Willie Nelson
• (6) – Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, George Strait
• (5) – Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw
• (4) – Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis

Most Nominations Without a Win

• (4) – Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley
• (3) – Alabama, Crystal Gayle, The Judds, Miranda Lambert, Hank Williams Jr.

Singles that Won Both the ACM and CMA Award:

• Merle Haggard, “Okie From Muskogee”
• Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
• Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
• Cal Smith, ‘Country Bumpkin”
• Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
• George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
• Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”
• Willie Nelson, “Always On My Mind”
• Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen”
• Kathy Mattea, “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
• Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
• Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”
• George Strait, “Check Yes or No”
• Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert, “I Hope You Dance”
• Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
• Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”

Still, the ACM category has bragging rights of its own. Critically-acclaimed albums like Storms of Life, Trio, Killin’ Time and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend won at the ACMs but were overlooked by the CMAs.  Additionally, women have also been far more successful at this ceremony. Only five women have ever won the CMA Album trophy, and one of them was Sissy Spacek!  At the ACMs, women have dominated the category for the past three years, and the category has honored everyone from Loretta Lynn and Donna Fargo to K.T. Oslin and Shania Twain.

A special note about ACM flashbacks. Like the Grammys, the ACMs issue their award for a given year the following year, so the awards for 2009, for example, are given out in 2010.  For the purposes of the flashbacks, Country Universe notes the year the award is presented. While the ACM first presented awards in 1966, the Album category wasn’t introduced until 1968.

As with other flashbacks, we begin with a look at this year’s nominees:

2010

• Lady Antebellum, Lady Antebellum
• Miranda Lambert, Revolution
• Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night
• Carrie Underwood, Play On
• Zac Brown Band, The Foundation

Three previous winners – Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, and Carrie Underwood – compete against the debut albums of two hot bands.  Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band each picked up a Grammy this year and are well represented on the rest of the ACM ballot.  This is a very competitive race. Even the sales-friendly nature of the ACMs doesn’t help much here, as four of these albums are platinum and Lambert’s just went gold.

2009

• Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Song
• Montgomery Gentry, Back When I Knew It All
• George Strait, Troubadour
• Taylor Swift, Fearless
• Carrie Underwood, Carnival Ride

Taylor Swift became the third consecutive female artist to win in this category, a feat that would’ve seemed unthinkable earlier in the middle part of the decade, when country radio all but exiled women from radio.

2008

• Rodney Atkins, If You’re Going Through Hell
• Kenny Chesney, Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates
• Miranda Lambert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
• Brad Paisley, 5th Gear
• Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift

A visibly shocked Lambert accepted the trophy for her critically acclaimed sophomore set.  While it did go gold, it remains an anomaly among ACM album winners. You have to go all the way back to 1979 (Oak Ridge Boys) to find another ACM album winner that didn’t sell platinum or higher.

2007

• Brooks & Dunn, Hillbilly Deluxe
• Vince Gill, These Days
• Rascal Flatts, Me and My Gang
• George Strait, It Just Comes Natural
• Carrie Underwood, Some Hearts

Carrie Underwood became the first solo female artist to win this award in eleven years with her 7 million-selling Some Hearts.

2006

• Gary Allan, Tough All Over
• Brad Paisley, Time Well Wasted
• Rascal Flatts, Feels Like Today
• Sugarland, Twice the Speed of Life
• Lee Ann Womack, There’s More Where That Came From

A strikingly strong lineup, with the victory going to Brad Paisley. Due to differences in eligibility between the two shows, there are two CMA winners in this category. Not only did Paisley repeat his victory the following fall, Womack won the CMA the previous year.

2005

• Kenny Chesney, When the Sun Goes Down
• Sara Evans, Restless
• Tim McGraw, Live Like You Were Dying
• Keith Urban, Be Here
• Gretchen Wilson, Here for the Party

Though he’s always been popular with the CMA and Grammy voters, Urban’s only Album award to date came courtesy of the ACMs. Oddly enough, they haven’t nominated him since.

2004

• Brooks & Dunn, Red Dirt Road
• Toby Keith, Shock’n Y’All
• Martina McBride, Martina
• Brad Paisley, Mud on the Tires
• George Strait, Honkytonkville

On an evening where he won several major awards, Keith picked up his second Album of the Year trophy from the ACMs for an album that included the #1  hits “American Soldier”, “Whiskey Girl”,  and “I Love This Bar.”

2003

• Kenny Chesney, No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems
• Dixie Chicks, Home
• Alan Jackson, Drive
• Toby Keith, Unleashed
• Trick Pony, On a Mission

If you think all of those 2009 nominations for Heidi Newfield were surprising, check out Trick Pony’s presence in this category among four albums that sold more than 4 million copies each.  Alan Jackson picked up his third trophy in this category for the album that included “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” and “Drive (For Daddy Gene)”.

2002

• Brooks & Dunn, Steers & Stripes
• Toby Keith, Pull My Chain
• Tim McGraw, Set This Circus Down
• Soundtrack, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
• Travis Tritt, Down the Road I Go

Big comeback albums for Brooks & Dunn and Travis Tritt were nominated, but it was no surprise to see the victory go to the landmark soundtrack that sold more than eight million copies in the end.

2001

• Johnny Cash, American III: Solitary Man
• Billy Gilman, One Voice
• Toby Keith, How Do You Like Me Now?!
• Brad Paisley, Who Needs Pictures
• Lee Ann Womack, I Hope You Dance

Even Keith was a veteran in comparison to Gilman and Paisley, who were nominated with their debut albums, but the biggest surprise was the nomination of Cash for his third project with Rick Rubin. Even the CMA didn’t recognize those collaborations until the fourth volume and “Hurt.”

2000

• Asleep at the Wheel, Ride With Bob
• Dixie Chicks, Fly
• Faith Hill, Breathe
• George Jones, Cold Hard Truth
• Tim McGraw, A Place in the Sun

An impressively eclectic lineup is unsurprisingly represented by the consensus choice Dixie Chicks, the one act that everybody used to agree on.

1999

• Garth Brooks, Double Live
• Dixie Chicks, Wide Open Spaces
• Faith Hill, Faith
• Jo Dee Messina, I’m Alright
• George Strait, One Step at a Time

For the fourth time in the nineties, the trophy went to an artist’s breakthrough album.  After their shocking win at the Grammys a few weeks earlier, this Dixie Chicks victory wasn’t quite as surprising.

1998

• Garth Brooks, Sevens
• Patty Loveless, Long Stretch of Lonesome
• Tim McGraw, Everywhere
• George Strait, Carrying Your Love With Me
• Shania Twain, Come On Over

Strait’s third victory in this category tied him with Alabama for most wins.  It was also his first album to top the overall Billboard 200, a feat he’s repeated with three additional albums.

1997

• Brooks & Dunn, Borderline
• Tracy Lawrence, Time Marches On
• Patty Loveless, The Trouble With the Truth
• LeAnn Rimes, Blue
• George Strait, Blue Clear Sky

Strait’s victory came with an album that featured the #1 hits “Blue Clear Sky” and “Carried Away”, along with the rodeo-themed “I Can Still Make Cheyenne.”

1996

• Brooks & Dunn, Waitin’ On Sundown
• Patty Loveless, When Fallen Angels Fly
• Tim McGraw, All I Want
• George Strait, Lead On
• Shania Twain, The Woman in Me

Although Loveless won the CMA award the previous fall, the ACM sided with the Grammy winner for Best Country Album, Shania Twain’s landmark set, The Woman in Me.

1995

• Garth Brooks, In Pieces
• Mary Chapin Carpenter, Stones in the Road
• Vince Gill, When Love Finds You
• Alan Jackson, Who I Am
• Tim McGraw, Not a Moment Too Soon

McGraw’s only victory in this category came with his first nomination. This set remains his top-selling to date, thanks to the presence of the massive hits “Don’t Take the Girl”, “Indian Outlaw”, “Down on the Farm”, and the title track.

1994

• Brooks & Dunn, Hard Workin’ Man
• Billy Ray Cyrus, It Won’t Be the Last
• Vince Gill, I Still Believe In You
• Alan Jackson, A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ‘Bout Love)
• Various Artists, Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles
• Dwight Yoakam, This Time

Alan Jackson picked up his second victory in this category with an album that included “Chattahoochee”, which would remain his biggest hit for nearly a decade.

1993

• Garth Brooks, The Chase
• Brooks & Dunn, Brand New Man
• Mary Chapin Carpenter, Come On Come On
• Billy Ray Cyrus, Some Gave All
• Wynonna, Wynonna

These are some big selling albums. Wynonna and Mary Chapin Carpenter both sold five million and they are tied for last place among the nominees.  It’s easy to forget how fresh the Brooks & Dunn sound was when it first arrived on the scene.  Five hits, including the classic title track, “Neon Moon”, and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”, helped power them to a win.

1992

• Garth Brooks, No Fences
• Garth Brooks, Ropin’ the Wind
• Alan Jackson, Don’t Rock the Jukebox
• Ricky Van Shelton, Backroads
• Travis Tritt, It’s All About to Change

In perhaps the most bizarre moment in this category’s history, Garth Brooks competed again with No Fences, which won the same award last year. Alan Jackson emerged victorious with his sophomore set.

1991

• Alabama, Pass it On Down
• Garth Brooks, No Fences
• Vince Gill, When I Call Your Name
• Alan Jackson, Here in the Real World
• Ricky Van Shelton, RVS III

No Fences includes the Garth Brooks classics “Friends in Low Places”, “Unanswered Prayers”, and “The Thunder Rolls”. It remains his highest-selling album to date, and second only to Shania Twain’s Come On Over among all single-disc country albums in history.

1990

• Clint Black, Killin’ Time
• Rodney Crowell, Diamonds and Dirt
• Kathy Mattea, Willow in the Wind
• Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle Be Unbroken? Vol. II
• Randy Travis, Old 8×10

The winning album demonstrates why Clint Black was the head of the Class of ’89, even though he’d soon be overshadowed by fellow newbie Garth Brooks.

1989

• Vern Gosdin, Chiseled in Stone
• K.T. Oslin, This Woman
• Ricky Van Shelton, Loving Proof
• George Strait, If You Ain’t Lovin’ You Ain’t Livin’
• Dwight Yoakam, Buenos Noches From a Lonely Room

K.T. Oslin dominated the awards circuit in 1988 and 1989, with her final victories coming at the ACM Awards.  Her Album of the Year winner included the #1 hit “Hold Me”, along with the top five hits “Hey Bobby” and the title track.

1988

• The Judds, Heart Land
• Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris, Trio
• George Strait, Ocean Front Property
• Randy Travis, Always and Forever
• Hank Williams Jr., Born to Boogie

The classic project by legends Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris also won a CMA for Vocal Event and a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

1987

• The Judds, Rockin’ With the Rhythm
• Ricky Skaggs, Live in London
• George Strait, 7
• Randy Travis, Storms of Life
• Dwight Yoakam, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.

The neo-traditionalist movement at its peak, with a win by its standard-bearing artist with his standard-bearing debut album.

1986

• Alabama, 40 Hour Week
• Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson, Highwayman
• The Judds, Why Not Me
• George Strait, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
• Hank Williams Jr., Five-O

The only #1 hit from this album was the title track, but “The Fireman” and “The Cowboy Rides Away” have since become signature songs for the legendary artist.

1985

• Alabama, Roll On
• Earl Thomas Conley, Don’t Make it Easy On Me
• Ricky Skaggs, Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown
• George Strait, Right or Wrong
• Hank Williams Jr., Man of Steel

Their third victory in four years came on the strength of the hits “Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)”, “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)”, “(There’s a) Fire in the Night”, and “When We Make Love.”

1984

• Alabama, The Closer You Get…
• John Anderson, Wild & Blue
• Merle Haggard, Going Where the Lonely Go
• Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson, Pancho & Lefty
• Ricky Skaggs, Highways & Heartaches

Over a field of traditionalists old and new, the pop-country supergroup Alabama won their second Album award. In addition to the hit title track, The Closer You Get… included the hits “Lady Down on Love” and “Dixieland Delight.”

1983

• Alabama, Mountain Music
• Willie Nelson, Always On My Mind
• Kenny Rogers, Love Will Turn You Around
• Ricky Skaggs, Waitin’ For the Sun to Shine
• Don Williams, Listen to the Radio

Nelson’s biggest single powered the album of the same name to victory. It also included a pair of #2 hits: “Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning” and “Let it Be Me.”

1982

• Alabama, Feels So Right
• Rosanne Cash, Seven Year Ache
• George Jones, Still the Same Ole Me
• Oak Ridge Boys, Fancy Free
• Dolly Parton, 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs

With the exception of George Jones, all the nominees here enjoyed significant pop success with these projects. Alabama won their first trophy in this category with Feels So Right, which included the hit title track, “Old Flame”, and their biggest crossover hit, “Love in the First Degree.”

1981

• Charley Pride, There’s a Little Bit of Hank in Me
• Kenny Rogers, Greatest Hits
• Soundtrack, Coal Miner’s Daughter
• Soundtrack, Urban Cowboy
• Don Williams, I Believe in You

For all that it’s been maligned, the Urban Cowboy soundtrack does have a lot of classic hits on it.  Some of them were recycled, like “Devil Went Down to Georgia” and “Lyin’ Eyes”, but some were introduced on the soundtrack, most notably Anne Murray’s “Could I Have This Dance” and Johnny Lee’s “Lookin’ For Love.”

1980

• Larry Gatlin, Straight Ahead
• Emmylou Harris, Blue Kentucky Girl
• Waylon Jennings, Greatest Hits
• Willie Nelson, Willie Sings Kristofferson
• Kenny Rogers, Kenny

Those of you wondering how on earth Larry Gatlin was the winner in this field should know that this was actually a platinum-selling album. Perhaps its big hit, “All the Gold in California”, endeared the project to west coast voters.

1979

• Ronnie Milsap, It Was Almost Like a Song
• Anne Murray, Let’s Keep it That Way
• Willie Nelson, Stardust
• Oak Ridge Boys, Y’All Come Back Saloon
• Kenny Rogers & Dottie West, Every Time Two Fools Collide

They had made several albums as gospel stars, but it was their first big country hit that fueled this win for Album of the Year.

1978

• Waylon Jennings, Ol’ Waylon
• Dolly Parton, Here You Come Again
• Elvis Presley, Moody Blue
• Kenny Rogers, Kenny Rogers
• Conway Twitty, Greatest Hits Vol. II

This self-titled album was renamed “Lucille” in later pressings to capitalize on its biggest hit.

1977

• Mickey Gilley, Gilley’s Smokin’
• Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser, Wanted! The Outlaws
• Loretta Lynn, Somebody Somewhere
• Marty Robbins, El Paso City
• Conway Twitty, Now and Then

Gilley’s winning album features his most well known hit, “Don’t the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time.” It’s the most recent album in the category’s history that hasn’t reached at least gold status.

1976

• Glen Campbell, Rhinestone Cowboy
• Freddie Fender, Before the Next Teardrop Falls
• Merle Haggard, Keep Movin’ On
• Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty, Feelins’
• Willie Nelson, Red Headed Stranger

This shared award is the only Album trophy that either Lynn or Twitty won from the ACM or CMA, though Lynn did go on to win Best Country Album three decades later at the Grammys.

1975

• John Denver, Back Home Again
• Merle Haggard, Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album
• Loretta Lynn, They Don’t Make ‘Em Like My Daddy
• Cal Smith, Country Bumpkin
• Bob Wills, For the Last Time

Denver’s biggest country album, it spent thirteen weeks atop the country album chart. The title track topped the chart, and “Annie’s Song” became a wedding standard.

1974

• Merle Haggard, I Love Dixie Blues…so I Recorded “Live” in New Orleans
• Loretta Lynn, Love is the Foundation
• Charlie Rich, Behind Closed Doors
• Johnny Rodriguez, Introducing Johnny Rodriguez
• Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn, Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man

Rich’s classic set has sold four million copies, an unheard of tally for a country album from this time period. It didn’t hurt that the title track and “The Most Beautiful Girl” were crossover hits, with the latter actually topping the pop singles chart.

1973

• Mac Davis, Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me
• Donna Fargo, The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.
• Merle Haggard, The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard
• Merle Haggard, It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)
• Merle Haggard, Let Me Tell You About a Song
• Freddie Hart, Bless Your Heart

Donna Fargo triumphed in a field of six albums, half of which were recorded by Merle Haggard! The Fargo set produced two million-selling singles – the title track and “Funny Face”.

1972

• Merle Haggard, Hag
• Merle Haggard, Someday We’ll Look Back
• Freddie Hart, Easy Loving
• Ray Price, I Won’t Mention it Again
• Charley Pride, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs

The title track was a massive hit, helping Hart’s Easy Loving reach gold status and spend nine weeks atop the country albums chart.

1971

• Glen Campbell, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Album
• Merle Haggard, The Fightin’ Side of Me
• Merle Haggard, A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills)
• Ray Price, For the Good Times
• Charley Pride, Charley Pride’s 10th Album

Who knows how many times Haggard could’ve won this award if he wasn’t nominated against himself? This year, Ray Price’s For the Good Times was the victor, thanks to the Kristofferson-penned title track.

1970

• Glen Campbell, Live
• Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison
• Merle Haggard, Okie From Muskogee
• Charley Pride, Best of Charley Pride
• Tammy Wynette, Greatest Hits

Haggard’s only victory in this category was for a live album. Incidentally, he won over two other live albums and a pair of greatest hits sets.

1969

• Glen Campbell, Wichita Lineman
• Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell, Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
• Merle Haggard, The Best of Merle Haggard
• Merle Haggard, Mama Tried
• Buck Owens, Best of Buck Owens

Campbell won for the second year in a row, this time sharing the victory with Bobbie Gentry of “Ode to Billie Joe” fame.

1968

• Glen Campbell, Burning Bridges
• Glen Campbell, Gentle on My Mind
• Merle Haggard, Branded Man
• Merle Haggard, I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
• Wynn Stewart, It’s Such a Pretty World Today

California favorite Glen Campbell won the first ACM trophy in this category, and he’d remain a favorite of the Academy over the next decade.

Facts & Feats

Multiple Wins:

• (3) – Alabama, Alan Jackson, George Strait
• (2) – Glen Campbell, Dixie Chicks, Toby Keith

Most Nominations:

• (17) – Merle Haggard
• (12) – George Strait
• (7) – Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson
• (6) – Alabama, Tim McGraw
• (5) – Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers

Most Nominations Without a Win:

• (4) – Vince Gill, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Ricky Skaggs
• (3) – Johnny Cash, Kenny Chesney, The Judds, Patty Loveless, Ricky Van Shelton, Hank Williams Jr., Dwight Yoakam

Albums that won the ACM Award and the CMA Award:

• Merle Haggard, Okie From Muskogee
• Charlie Rich, Behind Closed Doors
• Willie Nelson, Always on My Mind
• Alabama, The Closer You Get
• George Strait, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
• Garth Brooks, No Fences
• George Strait, Blue Clear Sky
• George Strait, Carrying Your Love With Me
• Dixie Chicks, Fly
• Soundtrack, O Brother Where Art Thou?
• Alan Jackson, Drive
• Brad Paisley, Time Well Wasted
• George Strait, It Just Comes Natural
• Taylor Swift, Fearless

Albums that Won the ACM award and the Grammy for Album of the Year:

• Soundtrack, O Brother Where Art Thou?
• Taylor Swift, Fearless

Albums that Won the ACM award and the Grammy for Best Country Album (only presented in 1965-1966 and 1995-present):

• Shania Twain, The Woman in Me
• Dixie Chicks, Wide Open Spaces
• Dixie Chicks, Fly
• George Strait, Troubadour
• Taylor Swift, Fearless