If there was ever a Country performer who made it simply look
easy, it would undoubtedly have to be Vince Gill. He can sing, pick, and write
with such an ease that you simply have to stand back in amazement. I have been
a Gill fan for a long time, and the record that made me that way was one of his
early cuts for RCA – “Let’s Do Something.” I don’t think it was a top ten hit,
but it had such a swagger that he pulled off so well – and a pretty good
harmony singer named Raitt.
A few years later, Gill hit the big time by switching to MCA
and releasing a record that has become a standard – “When I Call Your Name.”
The album of the same title remains one of my favorites. That song propelled
him to the A-List, where he stayed throughout the 1990s. Whether it was an
uptempo song like “What The Cowgirls Do” or a beautiful ballad like “Go Rest
High On That Mountain,” Gill touched the masses with his music – earning fans
around the world with his heartfelt approach.
I loved the When I Call Your Name album. I likewise loved the
These Days box set, and when I want
to hear true greatness….I listen to his collaboration with Paul Franklin titled
Bakersfield. It might be my favorite
album of this century – so far. But, none of those albums are what I am going
to be featuring on the September 23 edition of “Crazy Chucky’s Country Classic
Corner.” That distinction belongs to 1998’s The
Key.
At the time of its’ release, Country Music was going through
yet another identity change. Many were lamenting about the influx of more pop-laden
sounds as being the norm inside the genre. (Sound familiar?) In the middle of
his peak years at radio – Gill turned away from a contemporary sound, and made
an album that showcased exactly what made Country Music classic in the first
place.
I remember being in radio when the first single “If You Ever
Have Forever In Mind” was released. It was so different from anything out
there. Pretend that Owen or Chet left the tape machine running on Patsy Cline
or Jim Reeves, respectively, and you get the idea. It was such a beautiful and
expressive tip of the hat to the “Nashville Sound,” And, it only got better.
“My Kind of Woman, My Kind of Man,” a duet with Patty Loveless was a throwback
to the days of Porter and Dolly, “I Never Really Knew You” a pre-Bakersfield
nod to the Buckaroos (featuring some piercing harmonies from Sara Evans), and
“Let Her In,” which I think is one of the best compositions of his career.
The Key was an
album that Country Music needed at the time of its’ release. It was a reminder of
what made the format – and its’ songs so great – from a man who might very well
be the best singer we’ve ever had in the format. The Key will be the featured
album on “Crazy Chucky’s Country Classic Corner” on September 23 from 1-3pm on
WNKX 96.7 FM in Centerville. The show is brought to you by Tennessee
Properties.
