FYI - Longview, Texas

[BlueHen]

The other day I read in some liner notes that Bob Luman ("Let's Think About Living") was raised in Longview, Texas. I knew I had heard of Longview from somewhere. Then I remembered -- it's the home of KZQX, one of the internet stations I listen to, which I learned about right here on this board. (Sadly, Bob Luman died of heart failure at the age of 41).

 

[Chuck]

The other day I read in some liner notes that Bob Luman ("Let's Think About Living") was raised in Longview, Texas. I knew I had heard of Longview from somewhere. Then I remembered -- it's the home of KZQX, one of the internet stations I listen to, which I learned about right here on this board. (Sadly, Bob Luman died of heart failure at the age of 41).

"Let's Think About Living" is a pretty good song. I've always thought about it as country, so it isn't on our play list. Maybe it should be, at least occasionally. We do have a good Classic Country station in the area, and its manager is a fan of KZQX. I don't want to step on any toes, but we do play Jim Reeves who is also from these parts, along with a few other country artists who successfully crossed over into the pop music field.

Thanks for the suggestion. Oh by the way, thanks for tuning in from time to time.

 

[BlueHen]

Those Country Crossovers

we do play Jim Reeves who is also from these parts, along with a few other country artists who successfully crossed over into the pop music field.

I stand corrected. Bob Luman was raised in Kilgore, not Longview... my apologies. "Let's Think About Living" was a top 10 pop & country hit in 1960. Luman then went on to have a successful country career.

Jim Reeves brings up an interesting point. He's a great example of that fine line between country and MOR pop so evident during that period. He and artists like Eddy Arnold, Marty Robbins, and Patsy Cline had such a smooth sound, it's hard to classify their music as strictly country. This brand of crossover music would later become even more indistinguishable with Glen Campbell, John Denver, Crystal Gayle, and some of Dolly Parton's material. I always have a hard time deciding how to categorize these artists in my music collection. Then you have the ones like Kenny Rogers and Anne Murray, who may have started out pop, but developed quite a country following. Olivia Newton-John once won a CMA award; and even the Carpenters had a Top 10 country hit, "Sweet Sweet Smile," which didn't crack the pop Top 40.

 

[BlueHen]

Thanks for the suggestion. Oh by the way, thanks for tuning in from time to time.

Actually, I'm tuning in more & more. KZQX, Fabulous 1400, WGCY, KHOY, WKTZ, CHWO, WEZV, Jim Doyne's Musical Memories show on WMT. You guys all have great stations worth listening to, and I'm slowly discovering some of the other ones mentioned throughout this board. And Chuck, you mentioned you have a classic country station down your way, too. Boy, do I envy the people who live in your broadcast areas. With the exception of the news, weather & traffic locally, all my radio listening is now from the internet. I've given up on radio in my area, which is a sad thing to say for the No. 7 market in the country. We can't even get Paul Harvey News around here, so I get that from the internet, too.

 

[Chuck]

"The Ranch" is our local Classic Country station. http://www.theranch1041.com/ They have a very good sounding web stream. Tom Perryman, the manager who still does an air shift at age 83, is a really great guy, and one of the reasons for my interest in radio. I first met him when I was about 10 years old. That was a very long time ago.

Every time I drive into Dallas, I realize that radio in East Texas is actually pretty good compared to what a lot of folks have. Even the local version of "Jack" is pretty good.

 

[vchimpanzee]

We can't even get Paul Harvey News around here, so I get that from the internet, too.

Do you get "The Rest of the Story"?

 

[vchimpanzee]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

we do play Jim Reeves who is also from these parts, along with a few other country artists who successfully crossed over into the pop music field.

Jim Reeves brings up an interesting point. He's a great example of that fine line between country and MOR pop so evident during that period. He and artists like Eddy Arnold, Marty Robbins, and Patsy Cline had such a smooth sound, it's hard to classify their music as strictly country. This brand of crossover music would later become even more indistinguishable with Glen Campbell, John Denver, Crystal Gayle, and some of Dolly Parton's material. I always have a hard time deciding how to categorize these artists in my music collection. Then you have the ones like Kenny Rogers and Anne Murray, who may have started out pop, but developed quite a country following. Olivia Newton-John once won a CMA award; and even the Carpenters had a Top 10 country hit, "Sweet Sweet Smile," which didn't crack the pop Top 40.

I like these artists. I really don't see how Jim Reeves could be considered country. He has such a nice easy listening sound.

 

[Chuck]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

I like these artists. I really don't see how Jim Reeves could be considered country. He has such a nice easy listening sound.

Jim Reeves is definitely country. If not, it would really disappoint the folks over at he Country Music Hall of Fame. In fact, he used to own a radio station in Henderson, TX (right down the street from us) that was REALLY country.

Still you are right. He had a great voice and was a cross-over artist with several songs, just like Patsy Kline, Hank Williams, etc. In moderation, it does work on a Standards station. We even play a little Willie Nelson. He does Standards quite well. The key is "moderation."

 

[BlueHen]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

I like these artists. I really don't see how Jim Reeves could be considered country. He has such a nice easy listening sound.

Jim Reeves is definitely country. If not, it would really disappoint the folks over at he Country Music Hall of Fame. In fact, he used to own a radio station in Henderson, TX (right down the street from us) that was REALLY country.

Something sure happened between the '50s & the '60s. With a song like "Mexican Joe" -- definitely country (or, as they called it then, Country & Western). But with "He'll Have To Go" or "Distant Drums," it's a toss-up. Same with Eddy Arnold. "Cattle Call" is about as country & western as you can get, but "Make The World Go Away" or "What's He Doing In My World" are first rate MOR pop classics.

 

[BlueHen]

We can't even get Paul Harvey News around here, so I get that from the internet, too.

Do you get "The Rest of the Story"?

No Rest of the Story, no classic country, no easy listening, no Dial Global, no Music of Your Life, no Timeless Classics, or whatever it's called. But we do have 8 urban stations!

 

[Chuck]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

Something sure happened between the '50s & the '60s. With a song like "Mexican Joe" -- definitely country (or, as they called it then, Country & Western). But with "He'll Have To Go" or "Distant Drums," it's a toss-up. Same with Eddy Arnold. "Cattle Call" is about as country & western as you can get, but "Make The World Go Away" or "What's He Doing In My World" are first rate MOR pop classics.

Absolutely. We play the MOR stuff, even Eddy Arnold. It seems to fit just fine. We even play an occasional Asleep At The Wheel song. They do Bob Wills a lot of justice.

 

[bub]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

We even play a little Willie Nelson. He does Standards quite well. The key is "moderation."

He does a very good version of "Sunny Side of the Street." We played that in regular rotation at a station I worked at 9 years ago with very good response.

 

[bub]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

This brand of crossover music would later become even more indistinguishable with Glen Campbell, John Denver, Crystal Gayle, and some of Dolly Parton's material. I always have a hard time deciding how to categorize these artists in my music collection. Then you have the ones like Kenny Rogers and Anne Murray, who may have started out pop, but developed quite a country following. Olivia Newton-John once won a CMA award; and even the Carpenters had a Top 10 country hit, "Sweet Sweet Smile," which didn't crack the pop Top 40.

I recall ONJ winning a CMA award but I was not aware of the Carpenters with a Top-10 Country hit. That, too, was played in moderate rotation at the station I worked at 9 years ago. Interesting tidbit there, BlueHen

 

[BlueHen]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

I recall ONJ winning a CMA award but I was not aware of the Carpenters with a Top-10 Country hit.

"Sweet Sweet Smile" was a No. 8 country hit in 1978 but only got to No. 44 on the Hot 100. Although the Carpenters' version of "Top Of The World" (written by Richard Carpenter & John Bettis) didn't make the country chart, it was a No. 2 country hit for Lynn Anderson first before the Carpenters had a No. 1 pop hit with it.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

But with "He'll Have To Go" or "Distant Drums," it's a toss-up. Same with Eddy Arnold. "Cattle Call" is about as country & western as you can get, but "Make The World Go Away" or "What's He Doing In My World" are first rate MOR pop classics.

See, I haven't heard his real country stuff. And you're right about these songs.

He does "Four Walls", doesn't he? I guess that's sort of country, but it's really good.

 

[Chuck]

Re: Those Country Crossovers

He does "Four Walls", doesn't he? I guess that's sort of country, but it's really good.

Four Walls was a big hit for Jim Reeves. Lots of others have covered it. But you are right, it's a good song, no matter what category you want to put it in. We play the Jim Reeves version.

 

[oaktree]

Blue Hen, thank you very kindly for your mention of "Fabulous 1400" in your list of stations, all good ones. It means a lot to me. We launch in less than two weeks and response, from you and others to what makes a good MOR playlist has been working wonders.

Thanks so much and please, when you can, tune in.

- oaktree -

 

[BlueHen]

Good One!

Got a little laugh out of this... This morning I was listening to KZQX while I was re-reading this thread. I just happened to be on the post mentioning "Make The World Go Away" when it came on the air! Then the best part... a liner said "Now this is music" which was followed by Andy Williams' "Moon River."

"Now this is music" ... Enough said!