I would never say – nor would
I advise – someone to skip a day of school. But, I can't say that I didn't make
full use of my nine days per semester that the Dickson County Board of Education
granted you to be absent during my school days. There were some days that I
would simply stay home and listen to the radio. A few of those times, I – or my brother – would prank call Swap and
Shop on WDKN – long before I ever went to work there. But, most of the times,
those early radio memories center around listening to Keith Bilbrey on WSM.
It was the fall of 1988, and
it was one of those days. I remember listening, and Keith kept plugging the
fact that he was going to have a special
guest on the air with him in just a little while – Patty Loveless. I had become
a huge fan of hers since she arrived on the scene earlier that year with her
cover of “If My Heart Had Windows.” I also remember watching with my Granny on
TV the night the Patty was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. So, I
decided I would tune in. During the interview, Keith gave the cue to call in if
you wanted to win an autographed copy of her newest album, Honky Tonk Angel.
I picked up the phone, got through, and won. (Truth be told. I can't
guarantee that I actually did win. Sometimes – to get that “Weird Dauphin Kid
from Burns” off of his back, I think he would give me records so I wouldn't
call him every day!
I don't have many of the
possessions that I had back in 1988. But, it you look at the walls of my
apartment, one thing you will find in a frame is that album....signed “To Chuck
Dauphin....Love ya, Patty Loveless.” It's still one of my greatest musical
possessions to this day. Just as Randy Travis was leading a charge back to
tradition among the male vocalists, Patty Loveless was doing the same for the
women. Songs like “Chains,” “Timber I'm Falling In Love,” and “Blue Side of
Town” were great tempo records for radio, but the ballads on this album were
every bit as good, if not better. “If You Think” was as close to pop-country as
you would ever hear Loveless, “I'll Never Grow Tired Of You” was a classic
Stanley Brothers song that Loveless slayed, and possibly my favorite song from
the album was “Don't Toss Us Away.” It's still one of Patty Loveless's finest
performances, and the video was amazing, as well. Keep in mind, it was a
different era – before Shania, Carrie, Faith and Miranda pushed the sensual
envelope in their videos, but Patty Loveless in blue jeans and a simple jacket
in a small mountain town was – and is – still pretty appealing to this day!
Join me on the June 24 edition
of “Crazy Chucky's Classic Country Corner,” as we'll be featuring Honky Tonk
Angel in its' glorious entirety. And, though any statue of limitations have
since passed on my evil hooky-playing days.....please don't tell Ralph Overton
I skipped school.....Still scared of him.....Oh, well...I did have a Patty
Loveless album out of it.....Next week, I'll remind you how listeners were once
reminded the true mark of being a musical “bad ass” is to be as vulnerable as
you've ever been......even if you “Hurt” doing so!
