CAR-TUNES SATURDAY

CD SHOWCASE MEMORIES

4 songs from the 3rd hour (9p-10p) of my 10/28/1995 college radio show: Brooks & Dunn’s “Neon Moon”, Toby Keith’s “Wish I Didn’t Know Now”, John Conlee’s “Domestic Life” & John Schneider’s “At The Sound Of The Tone”. Also featured: 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II Concept Car….

#1 “Neon Moon” | Brooks & Dunn
This song debuted 02/01/1992 & spent 20 weeks on the country charts, 2 of those at #1. It was the duo’s 3rd straight 2-week chart topper, behind 1991’s “Brand New Man” (their debut single) & 1991’s “My Next Broken Heart”. Their 4th release, 1992’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”, claimed #1 for 4 weeks. Before Kix Brooks & Ronnie Dunn teamed up, Brooks had written several hits & Dunn had won a talent competition. In 2006, Brooks began hosting the weekly radio show “American Country Countdown”, succeeding fan favorite Bob Kingsley, who’d hosted the show since 1978. Then, in 2010, the duo performed their last concert together, after 60 releases, including 20 #1 hits & 21 additional Top 10 tunes. Familiar favorites include: 1993’s “Hard Workin’ Man” (#4; Country Vocal Duo Grammy), 1993’s “She Used To Be Mine” (#1), 1994’s “That Ain’t No Way To Go” (#1; a favorite of mine), 1996’s “My Maria” (#1, 3 weeks; Country Vocal Duo Grammy), 2001’s “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” (#1, 6 weeks), 2001-2’s “The Long Goodbye” (#1; a favorite of mine), 2003’s “Red Dirt Road” (#1) & 2004-5’s “It’s Getting Better All The Time” (#1).

#2 “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” | Toby Keith
This song hit the airwaves 03/19/1994, spent 20 weeks on the country charts & peaked at #2; it was his 4th release & 4th straight Top 10. This Clinton OK-native singer-songwriter-guitarist-actor’s singing career kicked off in 1993 with his 2-week chart topping debut single, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy”. He’d previously been an oil field worker, rodeo hand, defensive end for the Oklahoma Drillers semipro football team & lead singer of the group Easy Money (1984-8). His 2nd release, 1993’s “He Ain’t Worth Missing”, notched at #5. With his career continuing today, through early 2012, he’d notched 20 chart toppers & 21 more Top 10 tunes. Other familiar favorites: 1999-2000’s “How Do You Like Me Now?!” (#1, 5 weeks), 2001-2’s “My List” (#1, 5 weeks; CMA Single Of The Year), 2003-4’s “American Solder” (#1, 4 weeks) & 2009’s “American Ride” (#1, 2 weeks).

#3 “Domestic Life” | John Conlee
Previously featured HERE, this artist’s song is 1 of my favorites of his, thanks to the lyrics. Debuting 02/28/1987, this single spent 24 weeks on the country charts & peaked at #4. It turned out to be his last Top 10, as none of his last 5 releases cracked the Top 40. Other familiar favorites: 1980’s “She Can’t Say That Anymore” (#2, 2 weeks), 1982’s “Busted” (#6), 1983’s “Common Man” (#1), 1983’s “I’m Only In It For The Love” (#1), 1983-4’s “In My Eyes” (#1), 1984-5’s “Years After You” (#2, 2 weeks; another favorite of mine), 1985’s “Working Man” (#7), 1985’s “Blue Highway” (#15) & 1985-6’s “Old School” (#5).

#4 “At The Sound Of The Tone” | John Schneider
Best known as Bo Duke on CBS’ “The Dukes Of Hazzard”, Schneider (like his famous co-star Tom Wopat, featured HERE) launched a singing career after that series ended. Schneider enjoyed more success. This song (1 of my favorites of his) hit the airwaves 08/30/1986, spent 23 weeks on the charts & peaked at #5; it was the 7th in a string of 9 straight Top 10 tunes. His singing career spanned mid 1981 (beginning with “It’s Now Or Never”, #4) to late 1987, & included 4 chart toppers & 6 additional Top 10s. Familiar favorites include: 1985’s “Country Girls” (#1), 1985’s “It’s A Short Walk From Heaven To Hell” (#10), 1986-7’s “Take The Long Way Home” (#10) & 1987’s “Love, You Ain’t Seen The Last Of Me” (#6). While Wopat later starred in CBS’ “Cybill” (featured HERE) & appeared on “Murder, She Wrote”, “Home Improvement” & “All My Children”, Schneider’s later TV appearances include “Delta”, “Sisters”, “Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman”, “Christy”, “Touched By An Angel”, “Diagnosis: Murder”, “Walker, Texas Ranger”, “Smallville”, “Nip/Tuck”, “CSI: Miami”, “Desperate Housewives”, “Hot In Cleveland” & “The Haves & The Have Nots”.