THEME = recreation: featuring Kathy Mattea & Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

2 songs from the 8p-9p timeframe of my 04/06/2007 radio show….

#1
This song debuted 03/12/1988 & spent 20 weeks on the country charts, 2 of those at #1. It also won her the Single Of The Year CMA Award. This S Charleston WV-native singer-songwriter-guitarist’s career had started 4.5 years earlier (October 1983), but her 1st Top 10 was 1986’s “Love At The 5 & Dime” (#3). Through mid 2000, she released nearly 40 singles, notching 4 chart toppers & 12 more Top 10 tunes. Her best “car tune”, though, was 1997’s “455 Rocket”, which inexplicably stalled at #21 on the charts.

#2
This song hit the airwaves 10/12/1985, spent 21 weeks on the charts & peaked at #3 in early 1986. It is 1 (of many!) of my childhood favorites which mean much more now than back then, partly because I can identify with them more & better understand the message. This country-folk-rock band from Long Beach CA scored their 1st Top 20 on the pop charts, with 1980’s “American Dream” (featuring Linda Ronstadt), which reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then, they switched to country full-time &, starting with 1983’s “Dance Little Jean” (#9), racked up 16 Top 10s, including 3 chart toppers: 1984’s “Long Hard Road”, 1985’s “Modern Day Romance” & 1987’s “Fishin’ In The Dark”.