SPOTLIGHT = Mr. Mister (1 song) & Montgomery Gentry (2 songs)

A band formed in Phoenix AZ & a duo of Kentucky natives….

#1
Mr. Mister formed in Phoenix AZ (based in Los Angeles CA) & consisted of Richard Page, Steve George, Pat Mastelotto & Steve Farris; it is the successor to Pages, fronted by Page & George (1978-1981). After this band’s 1st album was released, Page was offered the chance to replace Bobby Kimball as lead singer of Toto & Peter Cetera as lead singer of Chicago, but refused both offers. This song, released 09/25/1985 as the lead single from the band’s 2nd album ‘Welcome To The Real World’, claimed #1 for 2 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1986; it also reached #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Elsewhere, this single peaked in the Top 10 in Australia (#4), Belgium (#2), Canada (#1), Germany (#8), Ireland (#3), Italy (#7), Netherlands (#2), Norway (#4), Switzerland (#4) & England (#4). The band’s other widely-successful tune was 1985-6’s “Kyrie”.

#2a
Montgomery Gentry is a duo of KY natives: Eddie Montgomery (Danville; older brother of John Michael Montgomery) & Troy Gentry (Lexington). After their 2nd release became their 1st Top 10 (1999’s “Lonely & Gone”; #5), they had no more Top 10s until this tune, which debuted 02/10/2001 & spent 33 weeks on the charts, 3 at its peak, #3. Neither of their next 2 releases cracked the Top 20. Then, a mid-2002 release sparked more success.

#2b
That mid-2002 release was “My Town”, which notched at #5, the 1st of 4 straight Top 10s, including this song (a favorite of mine for many reasons), which debuted 12/28/2002, spent 33 weeks on the charts & peaked at #5. Watch the video! 2 releases later, the duo scored their 1st chart topper with 2004’s “If You Ever Stop Loving Me”. Then, 2004-5’s “Gone” (#3, 2 weeks) was the 1st in a string of 9 Top 10s that lasted through early 2009 & included chart toppers in 2005’s “Something To Be Proud Of” (2 weeks), 2007’s “Lucky Man” (2 weeks), 2008’s “Back When I Knew It All” & 2008’s “Roll With Me” (2 weeks).