80's Ladies is the debut studio album by American country music artist K. T. Oslin,released on June 30,1987,by RCA Records Nashville. The album was her first release on a second major label,propelling her to success into the mainstream country genre after her first failed attempt with Elektra Records,two singles released in 1982. She had signed with RCA at 45 years old.
Commercially,the record topped the Billboard country chart,along with peaking at number 68 on the main Billboard 200,making it the highest-charting album in her discography. It was certified platinum in the United States by the RIAA and gold in Canada. Five singles were released from the album,with one being released in the UK. Its self-titled single has been praised by fans and critics,eventually winning Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 1987 Grammy Awards and becoming the first woman to win "Song of the Year" at the Country Music Association Awards. The song also earned Oslin the top female vocalist award at the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM) and won the ACM award for music video of the year. The album garnered many major award nominations throughout 1988,and highly favorable reviews from music critics. Following the album's release,Oslin embarked on tours with Alabama and George Strait.
Background
Between the late 1970s and the early 1980s,K. T. Oslin wrote songs that brought her to the attention of a performance rights group,SESAC. At the same time,she also sang on Guy Clark's eponymous album.[4] Diana Petty,a Nashville executive for SESAC,advised Oslin to sign a major label contract. By 1979,Oslin was signed with Elektra via a "singles-only" contract,with Petty's support.[5] Only two singles were issued on the label,which were both commercial failures. The song "Clean Your Own Tables" was on the charts for "about a minute and a half... [and] died a fiery death",Oslin recalled.[6][7] She was dropped by the label in 1982 and returned to New York,which she found her work unsatisfying. She continued to write songs,and was named "Most Promising Country Music Writer" by SESAC that same year.[8] She made her appearance on a live radio broadcast in 1984 to try to connect with more musicians.[9] Oslin fell into a depressive state due to her commercial losses and later said that she had suffered "several '4 a.m. anxiety attacks'".[7] Petty's positive words of encouragement followed Oslin's extensive work with Judy Rodman,Dottie West,Gail Davies,and The Judds.[4][7]
Eventually,the support led Oslin to make another effort to regain a recording contract. By the beginning of 1986,[10] she had borrowed $7,000 from her aunt,lost 40 pounds,and temporarily acquired a Nashville nightclub,inviting music executives to a one-time live showcase,expecting phone calls from them afterwards.[7] "The next morning,I sat waiting for the phone to ring. It did not",she recounted.[7]
Through her musical connections,Oslin contacted Nashville producer Harold Shedd,who had recently been successful recording Alabama.[7] Shedd convinced Oslin to record three of her original tunes,and he eventually became her full-time production collaborator.[7] Through Shedd's connections with RCA Nashville,including Alabama's contract with the label,Oslin met RCA executive Joe Galante,who believed that Oslin had potential due to her outstanding songwriting and voice.[9] At age 45,Oslin was signed officially to RCA in 1986.[4]
Production and composition
After signing with the label,Oslin immediately commenced songwriting,creating five new tracks. Recording sessions for 80's Ladies took place at The Music Mill from early to late 1986 in Nashville,Tennessee,where the rhythm tracks and vocal overdubs were done. Harold Shedd served as the album's sole producer. The recording was done digitally using a 32-track X850 Mitsubishi PCM tape recorder.[11] Oslin provided lead vocals and played keyboards on the album. Additional keyboards were contributed by David Briggs,known for his extensive work with Nashville musicians,and Gary Prim. Guitar parts were recorded by Bruce Dees,Steve Gibson,and Brent Rowan,with Rowan also playing acoustic guitar. The track "Dr.,Dr." notably features guitar overdubs. Drummers Eddie Bayers,Larrie Londin,and James Stroud contributed to the rhythm section,alongside bass parts recorded by Mike Brignardello and Larry Paxton. Sam Levine played saxophone on the album,with his contributions being particularly notable on the track "I'll Always Come Back". Terry McMillan,who is also a solo artist with the song "Love is a Full Time Thing",provided the harmonica tracks. Backing vocals were added by Joe Scaife,while Costo Davis played synthesizers. The album was engineered by Jim Cotton and Joe Scaife,with assistance from George W. Clinton and Paul Goldberg. The album was mixed and edited by Milan Bogdan,and mastering was done by Hank Williams.[11]
Music and lyrics
80's Ladies' sound has been described as a "blend of pop and southern-blues-and-rock".[10]AllMusic journalist Rodney Batdorf describes it as "a new voice in country music",[12] crediting Oslin's voice as a narrator for "a whole generation of women about the social changes".[13] Lyrically,the album's material appears to be largely autobiographical,about Oslin's career in music,but Oslin denied that it was only about her:"It's indeed not my life story –it's everybody's life story".[14] Oslin said that the songs were about experiences of people that she knew:"I do write from a personal point of view. I see what my friends are going through... how they react to relationships. I learn from watching people and try to put it in terms that music fans would find interesting."[10]
The song "Wall of Tears",which was written by Richard Leigh and Peter McCann,was produced as a cover song.[11] About "I'll Always Come Back",written by Oslin,she remarked that it was inspired by Little Bo-Peep (About a little girl and some sheep/That she could not find/They'd told her not to worry/They'd come back) and a boomerang (Well there's a wooden wonder from a way down under/They call a boomerang/If you handle it right/It'll come back) that was composed as a quiet love song.[15][11]
Oslin's title track of the same name starts as a piano riff that is comparable to those of Jackson Browne.[16] According to Oslin,it took her approximately a year to write the lyrical arrangements,starting it off as a "little [show] piece at the time";she did not initially envision it as a single,let alone a hit song.[17] Rich Kienzle noted in Oslin's 2002 RCA Country Legends complication that it "captured the feelings of middle-aged women everywhere".[18] Oslin herself stated that the lyrics were inspired from her best friend's photo that showed a picture of a ten-year-old daughter that looked identical to her at that age. She then described the scenes about how great accomplices Oslin and her friend were since they had known each other since childhood,then implied various scenes where the song would "picture the friends having lunch and talking about old times". However,she proposed the idea of three women who were each described as pretty,smart and a border-line fool,to portray them more simply.[15]
The song "Do Ya" is a eulogy about a couple who have been married for five years,[19] although Oslin suggested that the relationship actually spanned around thirteen years.[15]
"Younger Men","Dr.,Dr." and "Lonely But Only for You" was written earlier,between 1982 through 1985,before Oslin revived her solo career.[11] "Younger Men" was written by Oslin herself and was described as "a woman of forty checking out younger guys",while there were no men of Oslin's age,being in her forties at that time.[20][15] Sharpe from The Pittsburgh Press claimed that the content "reverses the role about middle-aged men trying to regain youth through a fling with young women".[21] Oslin was inspired by a view while being in a park location with runners,possibly men,during the spring season in warm temperature.[15] The song dates back to 1982 as Oslin's earlier recording as a follow-up from her first single "Clean Up Your Tables",which then failed commercially. It was eventually re-recorded for 80's Ladies.[22] "Lonely But Only for You",written by Oslin in collaboration with Rory Bourke and Charlie Black (with Black's sole contribution to the album),was originally composed for actress Sissy Spacek and featured on her 1983 album Hangin' Up My Heart. Spacek's version would peak at number 15 on BillboardHot Country songs and number ten on the Bubbling singles chart.[23] The composition of "Dr.,Dr." was used as a "bluesy,brazzy and jazzy" backside piece that refers to a million songwriters that had worked with a doctor from a broken heart angle.[24] Initially titled "How Many Loves Have I Got Left",which appears as the B-side of the 1982 version of "Younger Men",the song title was incorporated as the ending progression of the chorus parts.[25]
"Two Hearts",written by Bourke and Oslin,accesses a "self-assertive theme" that is about a "lonely K. T." offering comfort to a lonely stranger in a bar.[26] A re-recorded version of the song was featured on Oslin's 1990 album Love in a Small Town.[27] It was released as a single prior to the album release,reaching number 73 in the US Country chart.[28][1]
"Old Pictures" was written by Jerry Gillespie and Oslin,coming first composed as an idea that they came up with the chorus progression. They were convinced at first that it was "a Kodak jingle" tune. The verses were planned to be completed within the next two years,along with the composition being worked on "every day for a week" in New York.[15] Eventually,the two were reminiscent of the direction they were having but no lyrics were ever produced. When Gillespie approached producer Brent Maher,he encouraged them to finish the lyrics. The rest of the lyrics were finalized over the telephone.[15] "Old Pictures" deals with a woman reminiscing over her photographs of her close relatives and her loved ones.[21]The Judds later picked up the composition through Maher and eventually made the cut that appeared on their Heartland album,not long before Oslin released that song on the particular album track.[29][15]
Release and promotion
Promotional single airplay ensued on country radio stations during Oslin's numerous showcases through label promotions by the beginning of 1987 before rising into fame. The album was slated to be released in March of that year but was moved to June for unspecified reasons.[30]80's Ladies was released on June 30,1987,by RCANashville and BMG Music.[1][31] The album debuted on the US Billboard Top Country at number 15[32] on August 8,1987,[33] making it the highest debut release for a female country artist since Loretta Lynn's Loretta Lynn Sings debuted at number 18 dating back to January 1964.[34]80's Ladies peaked at the top spot for one week on February 27,1988,in the country chart.[35] The album debuted at number 145 on the US Billboard chart on December 12,1987,[36] before peaking at number 68 on March 26,1988,during Oslin's career peak,[37] making her album the highest spent on the country chart for 148 weeks and her second-highest on the main chart behind her proceeding This Woman,spending for 32 weeks.[35] It eventually sold almost near at 400,000 copies by February 1988,[38] and by March 22,it had been certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies in the US,before eventually certified platinum on May 23,1989,for 1,000,000 copies.[31] Despite the album having only charted in the US,it was eventually certified gold in Canada for selling over 50,000 in that country.[39] In retrospect,Oslin has become "the oldest breakthrough artist in country music history".[40] The album has sold more than one million copies worldwide.[41]
"Do Ya" was released on September 11,1987,[1] and peaked at the top spot in Billboard Country Singles[28] as well as number three in Canada.[42] It was Oslin's longest-charted single at that time for twenty-five weeks.[28] The song also received numerous nominations at the CMAs,notably on single and song accolades.[43] "I'll Always Come Back" was also released on January 8,1988 (February 5 according to RCA)[1][2] and again earned the top spot for both the United States[47][28] and Canada.[42] "Younger Men" was released in 1988 as a single in the UK.[3]
Music videos were produced for "80's Ladies" and "I'll Always Come Back",both produced by Marc W. Ball and directed by Jack Cole and John Lloyd Miller.[48] The video for "80's Ladies" had won for ACM's "Country Music Video of the Year",while "I'll Always Come Back" was nominated for that same accolade.[45]
Touring
In September 1987,Oslin began assembling a tour supported with her backing band to promote her debut across the continental United States.[49] The tour began in mid-January 1988[50] and continued throughout the year as an opening act for Alabama and George Strait,covering across the southern and eastern sections of the US.[2][51][52] Oslin had also co-opened and performed with Restless Heart,Merle Haggard and Randy Travis. The tour ended in October 1988,shortly after the release of her second album two months earlier.[2]
80's Ladies was met with positive reviews ranging from country to contemporary music critics. Ralph Novak from People commented the album "as wryly funny,tuneful and all-around enjoyable as country music gets". He further viewed the songwriting as reflecting "a Kristofferson-like blend of cynical and romantic",giving kudos on Oslin's performance.[53] A review from The Philadelphia Inquirer noted Oslin that she was able to compose music that "addresses marriage,divorce,motherhood and middle-age dating in a way" that was elusive the country genre "in a long time",and compared the record's self-titled song "tradition[ally]" to Merle Haggard's Okie from Muskogee as a "rabble-rouser".[58][53]MusicRow's magazine staff wrote 80's Ladies as "the best sign of country music's renewed health... new artists who come from nowhere and quickly redefine the field to fit their vision",giving positive impressions in Oslin's songwriting "proving how just flexible a rigid form can become in an intelligent writer's hands",[57] while Billboard's Gerry Wood described the songs as a fundamental perspective "with sass and sagacity".[53]
Critic Robert Christgau said that in 80's Ladies,Oslin "asserts herself only when she writes a song all by her lonesome on tracks",as he voiced the opinion of songwriters launching their singing careers "in the prime of life". However,he gave the second half of the album a "dreck",describing the dramatic qualities "down to the last overripe chord change". Despite the understatement,he approved Oslin's vocal style and concluded the review with a "B" rating.[54]Country Music People staff,writing of the album,addressed the qualities they were fond of,similarly Oslin's voice as "strong and gusty" and her productive songwriting,but felt that Shedd's production is similar to all the songs combined.[60]AllMusic's Rodney Batdorf felt the songwriting "remained the same" but was "given a new viewpoint",while giving 80's Ladies containing "a few weak tracks",he concluded his review by declaring it "an exciting,fresh change".[12]
Joe Sasfy,writing for The Washington Post,quoted Oslin as "a can't-miss country star",adding to "proof that Nashville's future doesn't depend on fiddles and steel guitars so much as on singer-songwriters who can make you feel they're singing your life".[53]Tulsa World reviewers declared it "the voice of experience",giving it as an example to Oslin's songwriting contribution "are good ones –tough and poetic,full of heartbreak,tenderness and intelligence".[53]Nashville-based music journalist Robert K. Oermann,writing in Gannett newspapers,described the singer's debut as having been "introduced to a major new recording personality",while praising the eponymous song as "a warm,earthy,good-humored anthem that is 'real' as anything Patsy Cline or Dolly Parton ever sang".[53] A Stereo Review writer commented on the performance as "the real stuff" while calling the recording for 80's Ladies as "sparkling". He leaned on the style as "Oslin is really more Southern rock-and-blues than country,influenced more by Chuck Berry than Ernest Tubb",right after playing "Wall of Tears",and added that there was significant usage of humorous themes "often in tandem",accessing "Younger Men" as an example. He positively gave the production as "topnotch",concluding that the album should be "impossible to ignore".[61]
Track listing
All songs are written and composed by K. T. Oslin,except where noted.[11]
Kay Toinette Oslin was an American country music singer-songwriter. She had several years of major commercial success in the late 1980s after signing a record deal at age 45. Oslin had four number one hits and placed additional singles on the Billboard country chart during that timespan; in addition, she won three Grammy Awards and is an inductee of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Marilyn Jeanne Seely is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and author. Primarily identified with country music, Seely found success with the Grammy Award-winning song "Don't Touch Me" (1966). Her soul-inspired vocal delivery gave her the nickname of "Miss Country Soul". Seely has been a member of and performer on the Grand Ole Opry, having appeared more times on the program than any other performer.
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1987.
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1988.
Lari Michele White Cannon was an American country musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her debut in 1988 after winning You Can Be a Star, a televised talent competition on The Nashville Network. After an unsuccessful stint on Capitol Records Nashville, she signed to RCA Records Nashville in 1993.
Just Us is the eleventh studio album by American country music band Alabama, released in 1987. As with most of their albums, the band co-produced with Harold Shedd. The album charted at number 1 on Billboard Top Country Albums, and accounted for three singles. It also charted at number 55 on the Billboard 200.
The discography of American country music singer-songwriter K. T. Oslin contains six studio albums, six compilation albums, one video album, seven music videos, 25 singles and six album appearances. Oslin signed a recording contract with Elektra Records in 1981. Both singles failed to become major hits. She then signed with RCA Records in 1987 and released the single "80's Ladies." The song became a top ten country hit, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in July 1987. Oslin's corresponding debut studio album of the same name reached number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spent 148 weeks on the list. It would also be her highest-charting album on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 68. The album would sell one million copies and spawn the number one hits "Do Ya" and "I'll Always Come Back." Oslin's second album, This Woman was released in 1988 and was her second record to certify platinum in sales. It was her second-highest charting album on the country chart, reaching number two in 1989. Its second single, "Hold Me," topped the country songs chart in January 1989. The album also spawned the top ten hits "Hey Bobby" and the title track.
James Harold Shedd is an American music industry executive and record producer best known for his role as producer of the country group Alabama as well as Reba McEntire, Shania Twain and Toby Keith. During his career he has headed Mercury Records and Mercury's sister label, Polydor.
This Woman is the second studio album by American country music artist K. T. Oslin. It was released by RCA Records on August 30, 1988. "Money", "Hold Me", "Hey Bobby", the title track and "Didn't Expect It to Go Down This Way" were released as singles. The album reached No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Love in a Small Town is the third studio album by American country music artist K. T. Oslin, released by RCA Records on November 6, 1990. "Two Hearts", "Come Next Monday", "Mary and Willie", "You Call Everybody Darling" and "Cornell Crawford" were released as singles. The album reached No. 5 on the Top Country Albums chart and has been certified Gold by the RIAA.
Greatest Hits: Songs from an Aging Sex Bomb is a compilation album by American country music artist K. T. Oslin, released by RCA Records in 1993. "A New Way Home", a re-recording of a track from her Love in a Small Town album, and "Feeding a Hungry Heart" were the only singles released from the project. The album also includes a re-recording of Oslin's 1988 hit "Hold Me". The album reached number 31 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
"Do Ya" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist K. T. Oslin. It was released on September 11, 1987 as the third single from the album 80's Ladies. The song was Oslin's third country hit and the first of four singles to hit number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of sixteen weeks on the country chart.
"I'll Always Come Back" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist K. T. Oslin. It was released on January 8, 1988 as the fourth single from the album 80's Ladies. The song was Oslin's second number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart.
"80's Ladies" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist K. T. Oslin. It was released on April 24, 1987 as the second single and title track from Oslin's album 80's Ladies. The song reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It won Song of the Year at the 1988 CMA Awards.
"My Roots Are Showing..." is the fourth studio album by American country singer–songwriter K. T. Oslin. It was released on October 1, 1996, via BNA Records and contained ten tracks. The album was co-produced by Oslin and Rick Will. The project contained cover versions of songs first made famous in the country and pop fields. It was Oslin's first studio album release in six years after experiencing personal setbacks. "My Roots Are Showing..." reached peak positions on the country albums chart following its release. It would also spawn two singles issued to country radio in 1996.
"Wall of Tears" is a song written by Richard Leigh and Peter McCann. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Gus Hardin and was the title track of her 1984 album. The song was also recorded by American country music artist K. T. Oslin. It was released on January 9, 1987 as the first single from Oslin's album 80's Ladies. The song reached #40 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Live Close By, Visit Often is a studio album by American country singer–songwriter K. T. Oslin. It was released on March 6, 2001 via BNA Records and contained 12 tracks. The album was co-produced by Oslin herself and Raul Malo. The project was Oslin's first in five years and second to be issued on the BNA label. It included a mix of new material and cover songs. Its title track was a charting single, as well as its cover of "Come on-a My House." Live Close By, Visit Often would reach a charting position following its release and receive reviews from music publications as well.
Simply is the sixth and final studio album by American country singer–songwriter K. T. Oslin. It was released on June 2, 2015 via Red River Entertainment and contained nine tracks. The project was co-produced by Oslin herself and Jimmy Nichols. Simply was Oslin's first studio release in 14 years and included a mix of re-recordings and new material. The album would also be the final release of new music in her career.
Love in a Small Town is a video album by American country singer–songwriter K. T. Oslin. It was released on July 1, 1991, by RCA Records and contained five tracks. The project was named for Oslin's 1990 studio album of the same name. It contained all of her music videos released up to that point and would later be certified gold in sales.
Joe Carlos Scaife was a music producer and engineer in Nashville who produced many mainstream country hit records over a 25 year span in the late 20th and early 21st century. Among them are K.T. Oslin's "80s Ladies", Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart", and the Gretchen Wilson's songs "Redneck Woman" and "Here for the Party". The hallmark of Scaife's career was his ability to recognize potential in unknown performers, then pair the newcomers with perfect country songs that fit them. He first learned record production from his father, Cecil Scaife, who was a prominent record executive. Joe Scaife attended Belmont University, and his connection at Belmont sparked interest by his family to advocate for the establishment of a school of music there; the idea evolved into the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. As a music producer, engineer and singer, Joe Scaife was responsible for selling 80 million records. He died June 12, 2024, at age 68.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 80's Ladies (CD booklet). K. T. Oslin. RCA Records. 1987. 5924-4-R.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Goldsmith, Thomas (July 11, 1987). "K. T. Oslin captures the '80's Ladies'". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p.1D. Retrieved August 25, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
↑ RCA Country Legends: K. T. Oslin (CD booklet). K. T. Oslin. RCA/BNA/BMG Heritage. 2002. 078636512624.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p.395. ISBN978-0-89820-177-2.
1 2 Remondini, David J. (August 30, 1987). "Singer shows star qualities on LP". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. p.E-7. Retrieved August 25, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Younger Men/How Many Loves Have I Got Left (LP). Elektra. 1982. 7-69959.
↑ Baguley, Craig (December 1990). "K. T. Oslin "Love In A Small Town" Album Review". Country Music People. England.
↑ "March is the release date set for K. T. Oslin's debut RCA album produced by Harold Shedd (known for his work with Alabama)". Academy of Country Music. Academy of Country Music. March 1987.
↑ Ronnie, Pugh (1987). "Dear Randy... As per your request, I have personally researched the first chart positions for debut albums of female artists in relation to K. T. Oslin's #15 debut of 80's Ladies. You'll be happy to know that in NO INSTANCE that I checked did a female artist's premiere LP debut is in the chart any higher than #18, and that was Loretta Lynn's Loretta Lynn Sings, January 19, 1964 (just the second week the chart existed)". Country Music Foundation. Nashville, Tennessee: Country Music Foundation.
↑ Love In A Small Town (VHS booklet). K. T. Oslin. RCA Records. 1990. 2366-3-R.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Lewis, Randy (September 13, 1987). "A Woman's View of Country". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p.Calendar 73. Retrieved August 25, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
1 2 Tucker, Ken (July 5, 1987). "Pop albums: Rosanne Cash's latest". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p.5-I. Retrieved August 25, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
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