My guess is that most of us music fans of whatever genre have come across a new group or solo artist that we really think is great. We love their vocals, the music and their material. We think they can't miss having a great career. Maybe we actually saw them in concert so we know they can perform live. Their artistry is not a product of pro-tools. But sometimes it's like the baseball September call ups, who shine for that last month but quickly disappear when the next season begins. Here are some very talented artists who didn't make it big:
Yankee Grey had a few hits around the turn of the century. "All Things Considered" reached #8 in '99 and my favorite song of theirs, "Another Nine Minutes" made it to #15 in 2000. That summer I saw them at one of the World Trade Center lunchtime country concerts. I learned years later on Wiki that vocal problems, certainly not evident at the time I saw them, eventually caused lead singer Tim Hunt to leave the group. A second album followed in '02 with a new lead but it didn't chart and the group disbanded.
"Another Nine Minutes", written by Billy Crain, Tim Buppert and Tom Douglas, is from their 1999 cd "Untamed". From the opening fiddles through the infectious chorus, this is truly a song that will get you going in the morning or dancing in the evening. The chorus:
"For another nine minutes
Let the world stop
Steal a few moments from this old clock
'Cause this is my dream and I want to stay in it
For another nine minutes"
I also saw Big House with lead singer Monty Byrom at the WTC. The group hails from Bakersfield, California and featured a bluesy country sound. "Cold Outside", from their self-titled debut album, made it to #30 in '97, their sole entry into the country top 40. Their first two cds were very good but apparently didn't sell well. Byrom co-wrote almost all the songs. They came out with a new cd, "Woodstock Nation" in '08 but it failed to chart.
Written by Monty Byrom, David Neuhauser, Dennis Knutson and Max Reese, "It's Cold Outside" tells of a man lookin' for some lovin'. "Your kiss is what I miss, a little lovin' after dark, so slide the chain off of this old door that's keepin' us apart."
Back in the fall of 2000, I was blown away by this great song by new artist Jamie O'Neal. The song of course was "There is No Arizona" which Jamie wrote with Lisa Drew and Shaye Smith. It went to #1 as did "When I Think About Angels", another cut from her debut cd "Shiver". I also loved her duet with Mark Wills, "I'm Not Gonna Do Anything Without You". I saw her in concert at the Bloomsburg Fair, a few weeks after 9/11. She opened for Lonestar and wowed the crowd. While overall I wasn't wild about the other material on "Shiver", her performance convinced me that she'd be a big star. It hasn't happened. She went 4 years without another big hit before reaching #3 with "Somebody's Hero" in '05.
"There Is No Arizona" tells of a woman whose man "promised her a new and better life, out in Arizona". He swore he'd send for her once he got things in order. He lied. She sings "If there was a Grand Canyon, she could fill it up with the lies he's told her, but they don't exist, those dreams he sold her, she'll wake up and find, there is no Arizona."
Next: Kevin Sharp, Mark McGuinn and Pinmonkey.
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