Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957)
is an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
singer. She began performing in her teenaged years before signing her first recording contract with
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group.
Pre-history
MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...
' Nashville division in 1985. While her first few releases were unsuccessful, she broke through by decade's end with a cover of
George Jones
George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song " He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...
' "
If My Heart Had Windows". Loveless issued five albums on MCA before moving to
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
in 1993, where she released nine more albums. Four of her albums ''
Honky Tonk Angel'', ''
Only What I Feel'', ''
When Fallen Angels Fly
''When Fallen Angels Fly'' is the seventh studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless, released on August 23, 1994. It reached #8 on the Top Country Albums charts and was certified Platinum for shipments of over 1,000,000 copies ...
'', and ''
The Trouble with the Truth'' are
certified platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
in the United States. Loveless has charted 44 singles on the ''
Billboard''
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
charts, including five which reached number one: "
Timber, I'm Falling in Love
"Timber, I'm Falling in Love" is a song written by Kostas, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in May 1989 as the third single from her album '' Honky Tonk Angel''.
Background
"Timber, I'm Falling in Lov ...
", "
Chains
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...
", "
Blame It on Your Heart
"Blame It On Your Heart" is a song written by Harlan Howard and Kostas, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in April 1993 as the first single from her album '' Only What I Feel''. A cover version by Debo ...
", "
You Can Feel Bad
"You Can Feel Bad" is a song written by Matraca Berg and Tim Krekel, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began perform ...
", and "
Lonely Too Long
"Lonely Too Long" is a song written by Bill Rice, Sharon Vaughn and Mike Lawler, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in August 1996 as the third single from her eight album, '' The Trouble with the Truth' ...
".
Loveless' music is defined by a mix of sounds, including
neotraditional country
Neotraditional country (also known as new traditional country and hardcore country) is a country music style that emphasizes the instrumental background and a traditional country vocal style. Neo-traditional country artists often dress in the fash ...
,
country pop
Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...
, and
bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music
The term American folk music encompasses numerous music genres, variously known as ''traditional music'', ''traditional folk music'', ''contemporary folk music'', ''vernacular music,'' or ...
, with her singing voice garnering favorable comparisons to
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Ma ...
and
Emmylou Harris. Recurring songwriters whose work she has recorded include
Matraca Berg
Matraca Maria Berg Hanna (; born February 3, 1964, in Nashville, Tennessee) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She has released five albums: three for RCA Records, one for Rising Tide Records and one for Dualtone Records, and ...
,
Kostas,
Jim Lauderdale
James Russell Lauderdale (born April 11, 1957) is an American country, bluegrass, and Americana singer-songwriter. Since 1986, he has released 31 studio albums, including collaborations with artists such as Dr. Ralph Stanley, Buddy Miller, and ...
, and
Steve Earle. She has collaborated with
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...
,
George Jones
George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song " He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...
, and
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam (born October 23, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and film director. He first achieved mainstream attention in 1986 with the release of his debut album ''Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.''. Yoakam had considerabl ...
, among others. Nearly all of her albums were produced by her husband,
Emory Gordy Jr.
Emory Lee Gordy Jr. (born December 25, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter and music producer. A former member of Emmylou Harris' backing band The Hot Band, he is best known for his association with country singer Patty Loveless, to whom ...
Although she largely retired from performing in 2009, Loveless has sporadically contributed to other artists' works in subsequent years. She has won five awards from the
Country Music Association, two from the
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...
, and two
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
.
Early life
Patricia Lee Ramey was born January 4, 1957, in
Pikeville, Kentucky.
She is the oldest of seven children to Naomie and John Ramey.
She was raised in nearby
Elkhorn City, Kentucky
Elkhorn City is a home rule-class city in Pike County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 982 at the 2010 census. The city is located in proximity to the Breaks Interstate Park.
History
Elkhorn City was first settled by William ...
, where her father worked in a
coal mine
Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...
.
He contracted
black lung disease
Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), also known as black lung disease or black lung, is an occupational type of pneumoconiosis caused by long-term exposure to coal dust. It is common in coal miners and others who work with coal. It is similar to ...
as a result of the job, forcing the family to move to
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
to facilitate his medical treatments.
John Ramey died of the disease in 1979.
By the time she was 11, she began playing guitar and writing songs with her brother Roger, which led to the two of them performing together at local events. The two were discovered at one such show by
the Wilburn Brothers
The Wilburn Brothers were an American country music duo from the 1950s to the 1970s, consisting of brothers Virgil Doyle Wilburn (1930–1982) and Thurman Theodore "Teddy" Wilburn (1931–2003).
Biography
The brothers were born in Hardy, Ark ...
. The duo did not consider her mature enough for a musical career at the time and encouraged her to keep performing.
After she graduated high school, she began touring with the Wilburn Brothers as a vocalist in their touring band.
In 1973, she quit the Wilburn Brothers band due to her dissatisfaction with not having a recording contract at the time.
She married the band's drummer, Terry Lovelace, in 1973. She then moved with him to
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
. At this point, she altered the spelling of her name to Patty Loveless, a variant of her married name.
Loveless spent much of the late 1970s playing rock
cover song
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s at various venues in the
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
.
By the mid-1980s, she moved back to
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
to pursue a career as a country artist. At the time, Loveless said she was inspired by the rise of
neotraditional country
Neotraditional country (also known as new traditional country and hardcore country) is a country music style that emphasizes the instrumental background and a traditional country vocal style. Neo-traditional country artists often dress in the fash ...
in the mid-1980s through such acts as
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam (born October 23, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and film director. He first achieved mainstream attention in 1986 with the release of his debut album ''Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.''. Yoakam had considerabl ...
,
The Judds
The Judds were an American country music duo composed of lead vocalist Wynonna Judd and her mother, Naomi Judd. The duo signed to RCA Nashville in 1983 and released six studio albums between then and 1991. The Judds were one of the most success ...
, and
Randy Travis
Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor.
Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...
.
In Nashville, she sang
demonstration songs for other artists and signed a songwriting contract with
Acuff-Rose Music
Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. was an American music publishing firm formed in 1942 by Roy Acuff and Fred Rose (songwriter), Fred Rose in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Acuff-Rose's honest behavior towards their writers set them apart from other m ...
in 1985.
Loveless recorded five of her own songs on a demo tape, which her brother Roger sent to MCA Records'
Nashville division.
Tony Brown (a record producer who was also serving as that label's president of
artists and repertoire
Artists and repertoire (colloquially abbreviated to A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists (singers, instrumentalist ...
) helped sign Loveless to the label in July 1985.
Career
1985–1990: Early years
Loveless began recording music for MCA with production assistance from both Brown and
Emory Gordy Jr.
Emory Lee Gordy Jr. (born December 25, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter and music producer. A former member of Emmylou Harris' backing band The Hot Band, he is best known for his association with country singer Patty Loveless, to whom ...
, a producer whom Roger had befriended.
Prior to working with Loveless, Gordy was a member of
Emmylou Harris's backing band, the Hot Band.
MCA Nashville released Loveless' debut single in late 1985 titled "Lonely Days, Lonely Nights".
This was followed by three more singles that reached charting positions outside the top 40 on the American ''
Billboard''
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
chart.
Because of their poor performance, MCA executives initially did not want to release an album. However, Loveless noted that "I Did" was highly popular among fans and concertgoers despite its low chart showing. She successfully convinced label executives to allow the release of a full album.
That album, the self-titled ''
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began performing in her teenaged years before signing her first recording contract with MCA Records' Nashville division in 1985. While her first ...
'', was released in 1986.
Gordy and Brown produced the project and were among the contributing musicians, as were guitarists
Reggie Young and
Richard Bennett.
Contributing songwriters included
Guy Clark
Guy Charles Clark (November 6, 1941 – May 17, 2016) was an American folk and country singer-songwriter and luthier. He released more than 20 albums, and his songs have been recorded by other artists, including Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Buffet ...
,
Jo-El Sonnier
Jo-El Sonnier (; born Joel Sonnier; October 2, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter and accordionist who performs country music and Cajun music. Originally signed to Mercury Nashville Records, Sonnier charted several minor singles on the '' B ...
, and
Karen Staley
Karen Staley (born in Weirton, West Virginia) is an American country music singer-songwriter.
Staley was raised in Georgetown, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and was inspired to write songs after reading through the hymnals at her local church. S ...
.
Loveless had written "I Did" at age 17 after undergoing a breakup,
and it is the only single in her career that she wrote.
She had originally recorded "After All" as a demo for songwriters
Jimbeau Hinson
James L. Hinson Jr. (October 29, 1952 – March 4, 2022), better known as Jimbeau Hinson, was an American country music singer-songwriter.
Hinson, along with co-writer Roy August, wrote the 1981 #1 Hot Country Songs hit, "Fancy Free", for The O ...
and
Harry Stinson
Harry Stinson (born June 3, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian real estate developer from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is president of Stinson Properties, Inc. He has been called Toronto's "condo king".
Biography
Stinson's most significant ...
, who had intended for the song to be recorded by
Reba McEntire. When McEntire chose not to record the song, the two songwriters allowed Loveless to keep it.
Loveless supported her debut album by touring with
George Jones
George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song " He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...
, which led to the two singing "
Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms
"Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms" is an American traditional song. It seems to have developed from lyrics in the cowboy song " My Lula Gal", itself a development of bawdy British and Appalachian songs generally known as "Bang Bang Rosie" or "Bang Away ...
" together in concerts. An uncredited review in ''
Cashbox'' of "Lonely Days, Lonely Nights" called it "a boot-tapper that shows off her strong voice and rhythmic phrasing." The same publication published a favorable review of "I Did", which stated that the song "really does seem to come from the heart" and had a "classic sound".
During the same period, she also divorced first husband, Terry Lovelace.
Loveless's second MCA album was 1988's ''
If My Heart Had Windows''. The lead single was the
Curtis Wright
Curtis Blaine Wright (born June 6, 1955) is an American country music artist. He first recorded in the 1980s as a member of the Super Grit Cowboy Band before becoming a solo artist in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Wright charted three singles ...
composition "You Saved Me" (which fell outside the country top 40).
It was followed by her first top-10 hit, a cover of George Jones' 1967 single, "
If My Heart Had Windows".
The third and final single was a cover of
Steve Earle's "
A Little Bit in Love". By mid-1988, Loveless' rendition had peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' country charts.
A review written by Thom Jurek of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
praised these two covers in particular, also stating that her "integrity, down-home sincerity, and utterly stunning voice have helped to create a streak of fine recordings and chart success". Jack Hurst of the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' was mixed toward the album, praising Loveless' voice, but criticizing the production as being more
country pop
Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...
in nature. Coinciding with the album's release, Loveless was inducted into the
Grand Ole Opry in 1988. Throughout 1988, Loveless also gained exposure in the United Kingdom by performing at an annual country music festival held at
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena (originally the Empire Pool, now known as OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London, England, used for music, comedy, family entertainment and sport. The 12,500-s ...
.
In late 1988, Loveless's third album was released called ''
Honky Tonk Angel''.
Shortly after the album's release, she and Gordy married.
The lead single was "
Blue Side of Town", which was co-written by
Hank DeVito
Henry M. "Hank" DeVito is an American musician and photographer known primarily for his pedal steel guitar work and songwriting.
Biography
After high school, DeVito attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He studied graphic arts and ...
(another member of Emmylou Harris' Hot Band).
This song achieved a top-five peak, as did a cover of
Lone Justice
Lone Justice is an American country rock band formed in 1982 by guitarist Ryan Hedgecock and singer Maria McKee. They have recently announced they are recording new material as per Marvin Etzioni July 2022. They are part of a new exhibit in Se ...
's "
Don't Toss Us Away
"Don't Toss Us Away" is a song written by Bryan MacLean and recorded by country rock band Lone Justice in 1985 on their self-titled debut album. In 1988, the song was recorded by American country music singer Patty Loveless, who released the song ...
".
After these came her first number-one single, "
Timber, I'm Falling in Love
"Timber, I'm Falling in Love" is a song written by Kostas, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in May 1989 as the third single from her album '' Honky Tonk Angel''.
Background
"Timber, I'm Falling in Lov ...
". Brown discovered the song when seeking material for the album. It was written by Greek-American songwriter
Kostas, who at the time was not considering a career in country. Due to the success of "Timber, I'm Falling in Love", Kostas went on to write more songs for Loveless and for other country artists.
"
The Lonely Side of Love" (another song written by Kostas) peaked in the country top ten by late 1989.
In early 1990, the album's final single "
Chains
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...
" became her second to top the country chart.
MCA promoted the album through
CMT, which included a prize drawing where fans could win a trip to see Loveless perform at
Billy Bob's Texas
Billy Bob's Texas is a country music nightclub located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, Texas, United States. It promotes itself as "The World's Largest Honky Tonk," at 100,000 square feet of interior space and nearly 20 acres of parking space.
Hist ...
, a
nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
. In addition, the label gave away autographed posters and signed Loveless to an endorsement deal with
Justin Boots
Justin Boots is an American western and equestrian footwear brand. It is a division of Justin Brands, Inc., itself owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
History
H.J. "Daddy Joe" Justin started repairing boots in Spanish Fort, Texas. After receiving a l ...
. ''Honky Tonk Angel'' was later certified
certified platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for shipments of one million copies.
Brian Mansfield described the album as "the album that established Loveless as a major presence". Wendy Dudley of the ''
Calgary Herald
The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network.
History
''The ...
'' praised Loveless' "robust vocals", comparing them favorably to those of
Patsy Cline
Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat" (such as Cleopatra, Patience, Patrice, or Patricia). Among I ...
.
1990–1991: Final years with MCA
In 1990 Loveless released her fourth studio album, ''
On Down the Line''.
She charted within the top five with the album's
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
, another composition by Kostas.
Next came a cover of
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Gayle Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums: '' Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and '' Happy Woman Blues'' (1980), in a traditional country and blues style ...
' "
The Night's Too Long",
which reached number 20.
The disc also spawned "
I'm That Kind of Girl" and "
Blue Memories", respectively co-written by
Matraca Berg
Matraca Maria Berg Hanna (; born February 3, 1964, in Nashville, Tennessee) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She has released five albums: three for RCA Records, one for Rising Tide Records and one for Dualtone Records, and ...
and
Karen Brooks. Both made their chart appearances in early 1991.
''On Down the Line'' achieved a gold certification honoring shipments of 500,000 copies.
Alex Henderson wrote of the album on AllMusic, "Unpredictable and consistently inspired, ''On Down the Line'' remains one of Loveless' finest albums." Hurst wrote that "Loveless' world-class vocal power has seemed for three albums to be searching for material that could engage her soul, and she appears to have found it in this collection".
Loveless ended her tenure on MCA with ''
Up Against My Heart'' in 1991.
Its lead single was the top-five song, "
Hurt Me Bad (In a Real Good Way)", co-written by (and featuring backing vocals from)
Deborah Allen
Deborah Allen (born Deborah Lynn Thurmond on September 30, 1953) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Since 1976, Allen has issued 12 albums and charted 14 singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart. She recorded the 1 ...
.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
,
Mac McAnally
Lyman Corbitt McAnally Jr. (; born July 15, 1957), known professionally as Mac McAnally, is an American country music singer-songwriter, session musician, and record producer. In his career, he has recorded ten studio albums and eight singles. ...
, and Vince Gill also sang on several album tracks.
The closing track was a cover of
Lyle Lovett's "God Will".
Follow-up singles, "
Jealous Bone" and "
Can't Stop Myself from Loving You", were less successful on ''Billboard''.
Alanna Nash
Alanna Nash is an American journalist and biographer.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1950, Nash holds a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is the author of several acclaimed books. She is a 1972 graduat ...
of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' rated the album "A+", comparing the music favorably to Loretta Lynn and Emmylou Harris.
The editors of ''Country Music: The Encyclopedia'' attributed the commercial failure of ''Up Against My Heart'' to the increased success of other women on the MCA label such as
Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...
and
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964) is an American singer, actress, author and television personality. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single " She's in Love with the Boy," which became a number one hit on the ''Billboard'' c ...
.
In 1992, Loveless ended her contract with MCA and fired her brother Roger from his position as her manager.
Her last MCA release was a ''
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
'' package in 1993. After its release, this compilation was certified gold.
1992–1997: Move to Epic Records and peak success
Loveless signed with Epic Records in late 1992 following her departure from MCA. While between labels she was featured on Dwight Yoakam's 1992 single "Send a Message to My Heart" (from his 1990 album ''
If There Was a Way
''If There Was a Way'' is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Dwight Yoakam, released on October 30, 1990. Five of its tracks would rise into the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1991 and 1992. They were ...
'').
Before she could begin recording, she was diagnosed with an
aneurysm
An aneurysm is an outward bulging, likened to a bubble or balloon, caused by a localized, abnormal, weak spot on a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms may be a result of a hereditary condition or an acquired disease. Aneurysms can also be a nidus (s ...
on one of her
vocal cords
In humans, vocal cords, also known as vocal folds or voice reeds, are folds of throat tissues that are key in creating sounds through vocalization. The size of vocal cords affects the pitch of voice. Open when breathing and vibrating for speec ...
.
This had developed from a vocal strain endured from multiple years of touring.
Although the aneurysm was surgically removed in October 1992,
she required a month of vocal rest and therapy before singing again.
After recovery, she rebounded with what was considered a milestone record with her, Epic Records debut, ''
Only What I Feel'' (1993). The album was again produced by Gordy who also played bass guitar. Vince Gill and
Joe Diffie
Joe Logan Diffie (December 28, 1958 – March 29, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. After working as a demo (music), demo singer in the mid 1980s, he signed with Epic Records' Nashville division in 1990. Between then and ...
provided backing vocals, while musical contributions included keyboardist
Barry Beckett
Barry Edward Beckett (February 4, 1943 – June 10, 2009) was an American keyboardist, session musician, record producer, and studio founder. He is best known for his work with David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, and Roger Hawkins, his bandmates in ...
, steel guitarist
Paul Franklin, and strings by members of the
Nashville String Machine
Nashville String Machine is a musical collective comprising session musicians, based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Members of the group have been credited on records dating from 1972 to the present, although the group was formally formed ...
. Her first single for Epic was "
Blame It on Your Heart
"Blame It On Your Heart" is a song written by Harlan Howard and Kostas, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in April 1993 as the first single from her album '' Only What I Feel''. A cover version by Debo ...
", co-written by Kostas and
Harlan Howard
Harlan Perry Howard (September 8, 1927 – March 3, 2002) was an American songwriter, principally in country music. In a career spanning six decades, Howard wrote many popular and enduring songs, recorded by a variety of different artists.
C ...
.
In mid-1993, this song became Loveless' third number-one single on ''Billboard''.
Also in 1993, she was one of many featured vocalists on George Jones's "
I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair", a multiple-artist collaboration, which won the Country Music Association's Vocal Event of the Year for everyone involved.
''Only What I Feel'' accounted for three more singles between then and 1994: "
Nothin' but the Wheel", "
You Will", and "
How Can I Help You Say Goodbye
"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" is a song written by Karen Taylor-Good and Burton Banks Collins. It was first recorded by American country music singer Patty Loveless for her 1993 album, '' Only What I Feel'' and released in March 1994 as the ...
". The latter songs both reached the ''Billboard'' country top ten.
"You Will" was co-written by
Pam Rose
Pam Rose is an American country music songwriter. In her career, she has been a member of the groups Calamity Jane and Kennedy Rose, both times pairing with fellow songwriter Mary Ann Kennedy. Rose's co-writing credits include the Grammy Award- ...
and
Mary Ann Kennedy (then of the country duo
Kennedy Rose),
and was originally recorded by
Anne Murray
Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career.
Murray was the fir ...
in 1991. Actor Burton Collins came up with the concept of "How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" after his grandmother's death in 1988, but did not finish the song until much later when he met co-writer
Karen Taylor-Good
Karen Taylor-Good (born Karen Berke in El Paso, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter, and one half of the duo
StoweGood. Taylor-Good and her then-husband, Bill Taylor, started the Mesa Records label in 1982. Her first single, "Diamond in the ...
. Alanna Nash of ''Entertainment Weekly'' thought that Loveless' vocals had become stronger after the surgery and that the songs had themes of "understanding between the sexes". Michael McCall of AllMusic also found Loveless' voice stronger than on her MCA work, highlighting her delivery on "Nothin' but the Wheel" in particular. At the
37th Grammy Awards in 1995, "How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" was nominated for
Best Female Country Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance was first awarded in 1965, to Dottie West. The award has had several minor name changes:
*From 1965 to 1967 the award was known as Best Country & Western Vocal Performance - Female
*In 1 ...
, her first nomination from that organization.
Her second Epic album was 1994's ''
When Fallen Angels Fly
''When Fallen Angels Fly'' is the seventh studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless, released on August 23, 1994. It reached #8 on the Top Country Albums charts and was certified Platinum for shipments of over 1,000,000 copies ...
''.
The lead single, "
I Try to Think About Elvis
"I Try to Think About Elvis" is a song written by Gary Burr, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in July 1994 as the first single from her album ''When Fallen Angels Fly''.
American Aquarium
American Aq ...
", peaked at number three on the country charts the same year. Also spawned as singles were the top ten songs "
Here I Am", "
You Don't Even Know Who I Am
"You Don't Even Know Who I Am" is a song written by Gretchen Peters and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in March 1995 as the third single from Loveless's album '' When Fallen Angels Fly''.
Content
The son ...
", and "
Halfway Down".
''When Fallen Angels Fly'' later won Album of the Year from the
Country Music Association.
The album had not originally been considered for nomination in this category, but the Country Music Association added it after disqualifying
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed with ...
' ''
Now That I've Found You: A Collection''. She won Top Female Vocalist from the
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...
in both 1995 and 1996.
"You Don't Even Know Who I Am" was nominated as Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music and the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
''When Fallen Angels Fly'' was certified platinum in 1996.
Bob Cannon of ''Entertainment Weekly'' thought that Loveless displayed a wider emotional range on the album than other contemporary female country artists, contrasting her vocal delivery on "Halfway Down" and "You Don't Even Know Who I Am". Richard McVey wrote of "Here I Am" in ''Cashbox'' magazine that "She pours out emotions through her vocals like few can".
1996–1999: Continued commercial success at Epic
In 1996, Epic released her eighth studio album called ''
The Trouble with the Truth''.
The album's lead single was the
Matraca Berg
Matraca Maria Berg Hanna (; born February 3, 1964, in Nashville, Tennessee) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She has released five albums: three for RCA Records, one for Rising Tide Records and one for Dualtone Records, and ...
co-write "
You Can Feel Bad
"You Can Feel Bad" is a song written by Matraca Berg and Tim Krekel, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began perform ...
". It became Loveless' fourth number-one single on ''Billboards country chart.
While the follow-up single, "
A Thousand Times a Day", stopped at number 13 on the charts, it was succeeded by her fifth number-one single, "
Lonely Too Long
"Lonely Too Long" is a song written by Bill Rice, Sharon Vaughn and Mike Lawler, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in August 1996 as the third single from her eight album, '' The Trouble with the Truth' ...
".
After these came the top-10 hit "
She Drew a Broken Heart" and then the top 20
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
.
Loveless described the project as having a theme of "see
ngthings as they are, not how you wish they'd be."
''The Trouble with the Truth'' received Album of the Year nominations from both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association.
The project accounted for two Grammy nominations - the album itself for
Best Country Album
The Grammy Award for Best Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. Honors ...
in 1997, and the title track for Best Female Country Vocal Performance a year later.
By 1998, the album was certified platinum.
The project also contained a cover of
Richard Thompson's "
Tear Stained Letter". A review in ''Billboard'' criticized this cover for not fitting thematically with the album, but stated of the other tracks that she "manages to sound simultaneously contemporary and traditional". The same magazine published a review of "Lonely Too Long", stating that her voice "exudes a variety of emotion on this well-written tune". Writing for
Country Standard Time
''Country Standard Time'' is a website dedicated to country music and related genres including Americana, bluegrass and rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1993 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a p ...
, Jeffrey B. Remz praised "Loveless' overwhelming ability to tackle the emotional core of each and every song."
In late 1997, Loveless reached the top 20 of the country charts with the George Jones duet "
You Don't Seem to Miss Me".
This was the lead single to her ninth album, ''
Long Stretch of Lonesome''.
"
To Have You Back Again" and "
High on Love" (another song co-written by Kostas) also charted in the top 20 from this album.
"You Don't Seem to Miss Me" won Vocal Event of the Year from the Country Music Association in 1998,
and was nominated for
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals at the
40th Annual Grammy Awards.
Co-writers on the album included Kostas,
Kim Richey
Kimberly Richey (born December 1, 1956) is an American singer and songwriter.
Career
Kim Richey came onto the music scene in the 1990s and entered her first recording contract at the age of 37. Kim signed with Mercury Nashville. She spent the n ...
,
Jim Lauderdale
James Russell Lauderdale (born April 11, 1957) is an American country, bluegrass, and Americana singer-songwriter. Since 1986, he has released 31 studio albums, including collaborations with artists such as Dr. Ralph Stanley, Buddy Miller, and ...
, and
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band formed in 1966. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California. Between 1976 and 1981, the band performed and recorded as the Dirt Band.
Constant ...
member
Jeff Hanna
Jeffrey R. Hanna (born July 11, 1947) is an American singer-songwriter and performance musician, best known for his association with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His professional music career has spanned six decades.
Early life
Hanna was born in ...
.
Carole L. Phillips of ''
The Cincinnati Post
''The Cincinnati Post'' was an afternoon daily newspaper published in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. In Northern Kentucky, it was bundled inside a local edition called ''The Kentucky Post''. The ''Post'' was a founding publication and onetime ...
'' rated the album "A", noting influences of both
bluegrass and
rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
on "High on Love", while comparing her delivery to Loretta Lynn and
Roy Orbison on other tracks.
Remz praised her vocal delivery on "To Have You Back Again", "You Don't Seem to Miss Me", and the title track in particular.
''Long Stretch of Lonesome'' was certified gold in 1998.
Also in 1998, she joined another multiple-artist collaboration. This was "Same Old Train", included on the 1998 tribute album ''
A Tribute to Tradition
''Tribute to Tradition'' is a 1998 American tribute album released in 1998 via Columbia Records Nashville. The album mainly consists of cover songs of country songs from the 1950s through the 1970s, as done by then-contemporary country music artis ...
''. This song charted on Hot Country Songs that year and won
Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to quality country music collaborations for artists who do ...
, thus giving Loveless her first Grammy.
Her next Epic release was a compilation titled ''
Classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
'', issued in 1999. The album included nine singles from her previous Epic albums along with three new tracks. Two of these"
Can't Get Enough" and the
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...
duet "
My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man" were issued as singles.
Loveless and Gill had worked together on a number of occasions prior to this song; notably, she sang backing vocals on his singles "
When I Call Your Name", "
Pocket Full of Gold
''Pocket Full of Gold'' is the fourth studio album from American country music artist, Vince Gill. It was released in 1991 on MCA Nashville. It features the singles "Pocket Full of Gold," "Liza Jane," "Look at Us" and "Take Your Memory with You. ...
", and "
Go Rest High on That Mountain
"Go Rest High on That Mountain" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in August 1995 as the sixth single from his album '' When Love Finds You''. It is a eulogic ballad. Gill began writing the ...
". "My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man" won both artists the Country Music Association award for Vocal Event of the Year.
Remz praised the consistency of the previously released singles, but considered "Can't Get Enough" inferior by comparison. ''Classics'' was certified gold in 2002.
Loveless took a brief recording hiatus at the end of the decade due to her contracting
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
and Gordy requiring emergency surgery for
pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large organ behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes and a number of hormones. There are two main types: acute pancreatitis, and chronic pancr ...
.
One exception to this hiatus came in late 1999, when she provided backing vocals on
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...
's number-one single "
Please Remember Me".
2000–2005: Transition to bluegrass and final years with Epic
Loveless returned in 2000 with the studio project ''
Strong Heart''.
On recording the album, she said she wanted to find songs that appealed to young adults. Steve Earle contributed a harmonica part on the track "You're So Cool".
It spawned two top-20 country singles with "
That's the Kind of Mood I'm In" and "
The Last Thing on My Mind
"The Last Thing on My Mind" is a song written by American musician and singer-songwriter Tom Paxton in the early 1960s and recorded first by Paxton in 1964. It is based on the traditional lament song "The Leaving of Liverpool". The song was rele ...
".
Despite these chart entries, the album was commercially unsuccessful, with Steve Huey of AllMusic attributing its failure to a more country pop sound than the preceding albums.
Alanna Nash shared a similar opinion in a review for ''Entertainment Weekly'', although she praised the track "My Heart Will Never Pass This Way Again" for the inclusion of
fiddle music. Country Standard Time reviewer Eli Messinger was more mixed toward the project, considering it inferior to ''Long Stretch of Lonesome'' while noting the inclusion of
Jimmy Hall
Jimmy Hall (born April 26, 1949) is the American lead singer and harmonica player for the Southern rock group, Wet Willie.
Hall was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and reared in Mobile, Alabama. He first gained notoriety in 1970 as the lead vocal ...
and
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 20 ...
on various tracks.
She released a pair of
bluegrass albums between 2001 and 2002. The first of these was ''
Mountain Soul
''Mountain Soul'' is the eleventh album of original recordings by Patty Loveless. The album was recorded between January and March 2001 and was released on June 26 in the United States. It first charted on the '' Billboard'' Top Country Albums ch ...
'', which consisted of original content and cover songs. Loveless said she had wanted to do an acoustic bluegrass album since 1992 when she met
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Edmund Stanley (February 25, 1927 – June 23, 2016) was an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing. Stanley began playing music in 1946, originally with his older brother Carter Stanley as part of ...
. Epic Records executives agreed to let her release the project after noticing positive fan reactions whenever she sang bluegrass songs in concert. Another factor in this decision was the contemporary success of bluegrass-influenced albums such as the
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
of ''
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' is a 2000 comedy drama film written, produced, co-edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and ...
'' and the works of
Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek (formerly known as the Nickel Creek Band) is an American bluegrass band consisting of Chris Thile (mandolin), and siblings Sara Watkins (fiddle) and Sean Watkins (guitar). Formed in 1989 in Southern California, they released six al ...
. The album included guest vocals from
Earl Scruggs and
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...
, along with covers of songs originally recorded by
Porter Wagoner
Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour.
In 1967, he introduced singer Dolly Parton on his television show, ''The Po ...
,
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
, and
Darrell Scott
James Darrell Scott, known as Darrell Scott (born August 6, 1959), is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. The son of musician Wayne Scott, he moved as a child to East Gary, Indiana (known today as Lake Station, Indiana). ...
. She also covered Gordy's composition "Cheap Whiskey", previously a single for
Martina McBride
Martina Mariea McBride (née Schiff, born July 29, 1966) is an American country music singer-songwriter and record producer. She is known for her soprano singing range and her country pop material.
McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas, and reloc ...
in 1992.
"Out of Control Raging Fire" (a duet with Travis Tritt) was released as a single and music video late in 2001. Messinger gave a positive review of the album for Country Standard Time, calling it "the most emotion-drenched and uncompromisingly powerful album of her career."
''Mountain Soul'' received a Grammy nomination in the category of
Best Bluegrass Album
The Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works (songs or albums) in the bluegrass m ...
after release.
The tracks "The Boys Are Back in Town" and "
You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
"You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" is a song written and originally recorded by American musician Darrell Scott. Since his original recording in 1997, the song has also been recorded by Patty Loveless, Brad Paisley, and Kathy Mattea, and performed ...
" both received Song of the Year nominations at the 2002
International Bluegrass Music Awards
The International Bluegrass Music Awards is an award show for bluegrass music presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Awards are voted based on professional membership in the IBMA.
Award winners
2021 award winners
Th ...
. This project was followed in 2002 by the Christmas bluegrass album ''
Bluegrass & White Snow: A Mountain Christmas''. It consisted mostly of traditional Christmas covers such as "
Silent Night
"Silent Night" (german: "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", links=no, italic=no) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an ...
" and "
Away in a Manger".
Jon Randall
Jon Randall Stewart (born February 17, 1969) is an American producer, songwriter, and musician.
His career began as a guitarist for Emmylou Harris' Nash Ramblers with whom he won his first Grammy for their ''Live at the Ryman'' album in 1992. B ...
contributed to a rendition of "
Joy to the World
"Joy to the World" is an English Christmas carol. The carol was written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts, and its lyrics are an interpretation of Psalm 98 celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Today, the carol is usua ...
", and
Carolyn Dawn Johnson on "
The Little Drummer Boy". In addition to these songs, Gordy wrote the title track and two other original compositions.
Loveless's next album was 2003's ''
On Your Way Home
''On Your Way Home'' is the thirteenth studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in 2003 on Epic Records, the album produced only one Top 20 country single: a cover of Rodney Crowell's 1992 hit "Lovin' All Nig ...
''.
Loveless later said that she and Emory Gordy wanted to mix the "traditional" bluegrass feel of ''Mountain Soul'' with more contemporary instruments such as drums and electric guitar. She selected the first single to be a cover of
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...
's "
Lovin' All Night".
It became Loveless' last top-20 hit, while the title track and "I Wanna Believe" were her last chart entries altogether.
Co-writers on the album included
Marty Stuart,
Buddy Miller
Steven Paul "Buddy" Miller (born September 6, 1952) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Miller is married to and has recorded with singer-songwriter Julie Miller ...
, and Matraca Berg. Steven Wine of
the Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newsp ...
praised Loveless' "earthy
twang
Twang is an onomatopoeia originally used to describe the sound of a vibrating bow string after the arrow is released.Hensleigh Wedgwood, ''A Dictionary of English Etymology: Q - Z'' (1865), p. 433. By extension it applies to the similar vibrati ...
", while considering the closing track "The Grandpa That I Know" the strongest lyrically. AllMusic writer Thom Jurek also praised "The Grandpa That I Know" and Loveless' overall vocal tone, as well as the inclusion of
Dobro and fiddle in the production. The album led to Loveless receiving Female Vocalist of the Year nominations from both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association,
while the title track was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
In 2004, Loveless contributed backing vocals to
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for blending traditional honky-tonk and mainstream country pop sounds (for a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country"), as well as penning many ...
's single "
Monday Morning Church". The two also performed the song together at that year's Country Music Association awards ceremony.
The 2005 release ''
Dreamin' My Dreams'' was Loveless' last release for Epic before the label closed its Nashville branch. The project was co-produced by Gordy and Justin Niebank. Contributing musicians included
Lee Roy Parnell
Lee Roy Parnell (born December 21, 1956) is an American country music and blues artist, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Active since 1990, he has recorded eight studio albums, and has charted more than twenty singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot ...
, Jon Randall, and Emmylou Harris. The album included four cover songs:
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music.
Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...
' "
Dreaming My Dreams with You
"Dreaming My Dreams with You" is a song written by Allen Reynolds, and recorded by Waylon Jennings' for his 1975 album, '' Dreaming My Dreams''. Jennings' version was also released as a single that year.
In 1979, Australian recording artist Colle ...
", Richard Thompson's "Keep Your Distance", Steve Earle's "My Old Friend the Blues", and a duet with Dwight Yoakam on a cover of
Delaney Bramlett's "
Never Ending Song of Love
"Never Ending Song of Love" is a song written by Delaney Bramlett, and, according to some sources, by his wife Bonnie Bramlett. It was originally recorded with their band, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, in 1971 on the album ''Motel Shot''. Released ...
". The cover of "Keep Your Distance" was the only single from the album.
Brian Wahlert of ''Country Standard Time'' said of this album that Loveless and Gordy "have a knack for finding songs that express the joy and pain of everyday life in a way that anyone can relate to." He praised Loveless' vocal delivery on the song "On the Verge of Tears" in particular. Jack Bernhardt of ''
The News and Observer
''The News & Observer'' is an American regional daily newspaper that serves the greater Triangle area based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The paper is the largest in circulation in the state (second is the ''Charlotte Observer''). The paper has bee ...
'' considered the album her strongest release, noting the "storytelling intrigue" of the songs, while comparing Loveless' vocals favorably to those of
Patsy Cline
Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat" (such as Cleopatra, Patience, Patrice, or Patricia). Among I ...
.
The same year as this album, Vince Gill featured her as a duet partner on the track "Out of My Mind" from his compilation ''
These Days
These Days may refer to:
Music
Albums
* ''These Days'' (Bon Jovi album), and the title song (see below)
** These Days Tour, a 1995–1996 tour by Bon Jovi in support of the above album
* ''These Days'' (Crystal Gayle album), 1980
* ''These ...
''.
2008–present: Continued Bluegrass work and semi-retirement
In 2006, Loveless appeared on rock singer
Bob Seger's ''
Face the Promise
''Face the Promise'' is the sixteenth studio album by the American rock musician Bob Seger. The album was originally planned to be released in 2004, was delayed to 2005, and was officially released on September 12, 2006. It is his first new stud ...
'' as a duet partner on the track "The Answer's in the Question".
David N. Cole
David Cole is a record producer, who has worked with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Melissa Etheridge, Richard Marx, Steve Miller Band, Emerson Drive, NSYNC, and many others.
Early career
In 1976, David Cole began working as a Staff Enginee ...
, Seger's
audio engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...
, had recommended Loveless as a duet partner because he thought the song should be recorded as a duet. Seger was initially unsure if Loveless would approve, but the two agreed after realizing they were fans of each other's music. She then took a hiatus from recording, due in part to Epic closing its Nashville branch. In addition, her mother and mother-in-law had both died and her brother Roger had suffered a
stroke.
Her next album release was ''
Sleepless Nights'' on
Saguaro Road Records
Time Life, with sister subsidiaries StarVista Live and Lifestyle Products Group, a holding of Direct Holdings Global LLC, is an American production company and direct marketer conglomerate, that is known for selling books, music, video/DVD, ...
in 2008. According to an interview with
CMT, Loveless chose to do a covers album dedicated to both Roger and to her sister Dottie (who died in 1996).
Gordy produced and played bass on the album, with other contributors including pianist
Hargus "Pig" Robbins
Hargus Melvin Robbins (January 18, 1938 – January 30, 2022), known by his nickname "Pig," was an American session keyboard player. Having played on records for many artists, including John Stewart, Dolly Parton, Connie Smith, Patti Page, Lor ...
, guitarist
Al Perkins
Al Perkins (born January 18, 1944) is an American guitarist known primarily for his steel guitar work. The Gibson guitar company called Perkins "the world's most influential dobro player" and began producing an "Al Perkins Signature" Dobro in 2 ...
, and drummer Harry Stinson. The album featured covers of songs first cut by George Jones, Porter Wagoner, and
Webb Pierce
Michael Webb Pierce (August 8, 1921 – February 24, 1991) was an American honky-tonk vocalist, songwriter and guitarist of the 1950s, one of the most popular of the genre, charting more number one hits than any other country artist during the ...
.
The lead single was a cover of Jones' "
Why Baby Why
"Why Baby Why" is a country music song co-written and originally recorded by George Jones. Released in late 1955 on Starday Records and produced by Starday co-founder and Jones' manager Pappy Daily, it peaked at 4 on the ''Billboard'' country c ...
". Jonathan Keefe of ''
Slant Magazine'' called Loveless' vocals "interpretive" while also noting the "deliberate thematic heft" of the songs chosen.
Jurek wrote of this album, "Loveless treats these songs without even a trace of nostalgia, but as the living embodiment of stories that not only transfer emotion, but reveal the hidden truths of love, life, sadness, grief, and wisdom gained by experience." In addition to this album, she sang duet vocals on the track "House of Cash" from
George Strait's 2008 album ''
Troubadour
A troubadour (, ; oc, trobador ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a ''trobairi ...
''. At the
51st Annual Grammy Awards, ''Sleepless Nights'' was nominated for Best Country Album, while "House of Cash" was nominated for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.
A year later, Loveless released her last studio album to date called ''
Mountain Soul II
''Mountain Soul II'' is the sixteenth and most recent studio album by American country music singer Patty Loveless. The album was released on September 29, 2009. It is a follow-up to her previous album, ''Mountain Soul'', released in 2001. Four o ...
''. This was a follow-up to the original ''Mountain Soul'' project. Like its predecessor, it featured influences of acoustic and bluegrass music. Vince Gill,
Del McCoury
Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939) is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo resp ...
, and Emmylou Harris were among the contributing vocalists, the latter doing so on a cover of her own "Diamond in My Crown". Loveless also included a number of traditional Christian songs such as "Children of Abraham", which she sang ''
a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
''.
Loveless chose to include Christian material on the project as she had previously sung "
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...
" with Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris while on tour with them.
The album's lead single was a cover of Harlan Howard's "
Busted". Keefe praised individual tracks such as this and the rendition of "
I'm Working on a Building", but otherwise thought the album lacked the "focus" of its predecessor.
Although she largely retired from performing in 2009, Loveless has sporadically contributed to other artists' albums. She provided vocals to the track "Dear Diamond" on
Miranda Lambert
Miranda Leigh Lambert (born November 10, 1983) is an American country singer and guitarist. Born in Longview, Texas, she started out in early 2001 when she released her self-titled debut album independently. In 2003, she finished in third place o ...
's 2010 album ''
Four the Record
''Four the Record'' is the fourth studio album by American country music singer and songwriter Miranda Lambert. It was released on November 1, 2011, by RCA Records Nashville. This was her first studio album to be released from that label after a ...
''. The same year, she joined with
Danica Patrick,
Caitlyn Jenner, and
Michael Strahan
Michael T. Strahan ( ; born November 21, 1971) is an American television personality, journalist, and former professional football player. He played his entire 15-year professional career as a defensive end for the New York Giants of the Nation ...
in a program started by
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
titled Drive, which was done to raise awareness of
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. The main symptoms include shortness of breath and a cough, which may or may not produce ...
. Loveless chose to join the program as her sister Dottie had died of the disease.
She also appeared on albums by
Angaleena Presley
Angaleena Loletta McCoy Presley (born September 1, 1976) is an American country music singer-songwriter. She is a member of the country trio Pistol Annies, which was formed in 2011 with Miranda Lambert and Ashley Monroe, and has released two sol ...
,
Elizabeth Cook
Elizabeth Cook (born July 18, 1972) is an American country music singer and radio host. She has made over 400 appearances on the Grand Ole Opry since her debut on March 17, 2000, despite not being a member. Cook, "the daughter of a hillbilly s ...
,
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964) is an American singer, actress, author and television personality. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single " She's in Love with the Boy," which became a number one hit on the ''Billboard'' c ...
, and
Carly Pearce.
In October 2022, Loveless was one of several performers at Kentucky Rising, a benefit concert held at
Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center is an arena located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Since its opening in 1976, it has been the centerpiece of Central Bank Center (formerly Lexington Center), a convention and shopping facility o ...
to raise funds for victims of flooding in Kentucky. Other performers at the venue included
Chris Stapleton, Dwight Yoakam,
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...
, and
Tyler Childers
Timothy Tyler Childers (born June 21, 1991) is an American singer and songwriter. His music is a mix of neotraditional country, bluegrass, and folk. He released his breakthrough album ''Purgatory'' in August 2017. Childers has released five stu ...
. A month later, Loveless and Stapleton performed "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" together at the
56th Annual Country Music Association Awards.
Musical style
The editors of ''Country Music: The Encyclopedia'' describe Loveless as having a "straight-from-the-heart, strong yet vulnerable vocal style", which they compared favorably to Loretta Lynn and
Kitty Wells
Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...
. The same entry noted that Loveless had commercial success with both upbeat songs and ballads, and stated that she "may not be one of the more flashy personalities around; nevertheless, the songs she chooses to sing and the way she chooses to sing them are some of the best of what modern 'traditional' country music is all about."
Steve Huey of Allmusic wrote that she "rose to stardom thanks to her blend of
honky-tonk
A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano (tack piano) ...
and
country rock, not to mention a plaintive, emotional ballad style...but most critics agreed that she truly came into her own as an artist when she moved to Epic in the early '90s."
According to ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Country Music'', she attributed her vocal tone to her upbringing in areas of Kentucky known for bluegrass music.
In a review of ''Up Against My Heart'', Alanna Nash described Loveless as having a "wild-and-wounded voice". She also wrote that "
ke neo-traditionalist Emmylou Harris, she isn’t afraid of a sassy country rock beat or progressive lyrics that paint her as a woman who knows what she wants from love".
Nash also noted that Loveless had yet to win any industry awards at the time of the album's release, stating that "her lack of both flamboyance and any desire to play Nashville politics" may have been a factor.
Carole L. Phillips of ''
The Cincinnati Post
''The Cincinnati Post'' was an afternoon daily newspaper published in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. In Northern Kentucky, it was bundled inside a local edition called ''The Kentucky Post''. The ''Post'' was a founding publication and onetime ...
'' stated that Loveless "fus
sthe driving emotional intensity of rock with a throaty tenor".
Geoffrey Himes of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' noted a recurring theme of "loss" and "heartache" in the lyrics of Loveless' songs.
An uncredited article in ''The Courier-News'' of
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Bridgewater Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. The township is both a regional commercial hub for Central New Jersey (home to Bridgewater Commons and different corporate headquarters) and is a bedroom suburb ...
, stated that Loveless was "
essed with a natural honky-tonk moan and heart-on-sleeve vocal honesty". The same article also described "The Lonely Side of Love", "Hurt Me Bad (In a Real Good Way)", and "Can't Stop Myself from Loving You" as more traditional in style than "rock-oriented" material like "Jealous Bone" or "Chains".
Nash described Gordy's production style as "lean but muscular".
Loveless told ''CMA Close Up'' in 1996 that production sessions usually began with Gordy recording just her vocals and an acoustic guitar track to determine her vocal tone for each track before adding in other instruments.
Remz stated in a review of ''Long Stretch of Lonesome'' that Gordy "knows just what to do with his wife's voicelet it rip, but he doesn't overmilk it either."
Loveless told ''The Los Angeles Times'' in 1995 that she looks for songs with "realism" in the lyrics.
She also stated that she did not like recording songs about relationships if they cast men in a negative light; she said she initially rejected "You Don't Even Know Who I Am" for this reason until she realized the song's second verse showed the failing relationship from the male's perspective, as well.
As Loveless almost never wrote songs, she often enlisted Gordy's help in song selection and arrangement.
Legacy
Because of her prolificacy in the 1990s, Loveless has been cited by several publications as having an influence on the subsequent generations of country music. In 2017,
Taste of Country
Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
ranked her the 29th "most powerful woman" in country music, noting the critical success of the ''Mountain Soul'' albums. In the same article,
Lauren Lucas
Lauren Lucas (born in Columbia, South Carolina, United States) is an American country music artist. She is now with the band Farewell Angelina, being one singer out of four signed with a record label. In her career, she has been signed to a dev ...
stated that ''The Trouble with the Truth'' was a "huge influence" on her. Carly Pearce has also cited Loveless as a career influence. The two collaborated on the song "
Dear Miss Loretta
"Dear Miss Loretta" is a song recorded by American country music artist Carly Pearce and features Patty Loveless. It was released on August 3, 2021, as a promotional single from her third studio album '' 29: Written in Stone''. Pearce co-wrote th ...
" from Pearce's 2021 album ''
29: Written in Stone''.
Sara Evans
Sara Lynn Evans (; born February 5, 1971) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is also credited as a record producer, actress, and author. She had five songs reach the number one spot on the ''Billboard'' country songs cha ...
, when discussing her plans to record a follow-up to her 2020 album ''
Copy That'', stated that she wanted said follow-up to have a more traditional country sound. In doing so, she also cited Loveless as one of her favorite artists, and said she wanted her upcoming album to sound like Loveless. Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe had previously compared Evans' voice to that of Loveless in a review of Evans' 1998 single "
No Place That Far
''No Place That Far'' is the second studio album by American country music artist Sara Evans. It was released in October 1998 via RCA Records Nashville. The album's first single, "Cryin' Game", peaked at number 56 on the US '' Billboard'' Hot Co ...
".
Personal life
Loveless' first marriage was to Terry Lovelace, drummer for the Wilburn Brothers, in 1973. After marrying him, she altered her surname to Loveless. According to the ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Country Music'', this change came about because she thought it would help to keep her from being mistaken for pornographic actress
Linda Lovelace.
Loveless corroborated this in a 1990 interview with the ''
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'' (''RTD'' or ''TD'' for short) is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, the capital of Virginia, and the primary newspaper of record for the state of Virginia.
Circulation
The ''Times-Dispatc ...
''. She divorced Terry Lovelace in 1986.
Her second marriage was to Emory Gordy Jr. in February 1989. Gordy has served as bassist and producer on nearly all of Loveless' albums.
Gordy had previously played bass in Emmylou Harris' touring band the Hot Band, and has also produced albums by
The Bellamy Brothers
The Bellamy Brothers are an American pop and country music duo consisting of brothers David Milton Bellamy (born September 16, 1950) and Homer Howard Bellamy (born February 2, 1946), from Dade City, Florida. The duo had considerable musical succ ...
,
Earl Thomas Conley
Earl Thomas Conley (October 17, 1941 – April 10, 2019)Wood, Gerry. (1998). "Earl Thomas Conley". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 108. was an American country music singer-songwriter. Between ...
, and
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, among others.
Loveless told ''The Los Angeles Times'' in 1995 that their relationship inspired the title track of ''When Fallen Angels Fly'', as both of them had been in prior relationships and were uncertain if they would successfully develop another until they met each other.
Loveless' brother Roger, who played several key roles in her early career, died at age 72 in June 2022.
Discography
;Studio albums
* ''
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began performing in her teenaged years before signing her first recording contract with MCA Records' Nashville division in 1985. While her first ...
'' (1987)
* ''
If My Heart Had Windows'' (1988)
* ''
Honky Tonk Angel'' (1988)
* ''
On Down the Line'' (1990)
* ''
Up Against My Heart'' (1991)
* ''
Only What I Feel'' (1993)
* ''
When Fallen Angels Fly
''When Fallen Angels Fly'' is the seventh studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless, released on August 23, 1994. It reached #8 on the Top Country Albums charts and was certified Platinum for shipments of over 1,000,000 copies ...
'' (1994)
* ''
The Trouble with the Truth'' (1996)
* ''
Long Stretch of Lonesome'' (1997)
* ''
Strong Heart'' (2000)
* ''
Mountain Soul
''Mountain Soul'' is the eleventh album of original recordings by Patty Loveless. The album was recorded between January and March 2001 and was released on June 26 in the United States. It first charted on the '' Billboard'' Top Country Albums ch ...
'' (2001)
* ''
Bluegrass & White Snow: A Mountain Christmas'' (2002)
* ''
On Your Way Home
''On Your Way Home'' is the thirteenth studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in 2003 on Epic Records, the album produced only one Top 20 country single: a cover of Rodney Crowell's 1992 hit "Lovin' All Nig ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Dreamin' My Dreams'' (2005)
* ''
Sleepless Nights'' (2008)
* ''
Mountain Soul II
''Mountain Soul II'' is the sixteenth and most recent studio album by American country music singer Patty Loveless. The album was released on September 29, 2009. It is a follow-up to her previous album, ''Mountain Soul'', released in 2001. Four o ...
'' (2009)
Awards and nominations
Patty Loveless has won five Country Music Association awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, and two Grammy Awards.
References
External links
*
Patty Lovelessat
Country Music Television
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loveless, Patty
1957 births
20th-century American women
21st-century American women
Amateur radio women
American country singer-songwriters
American women country singers
Country musicians from Kentucky
Epic Records artists
Grand Ole Opry members
Grammy Award winners
Kentucky women musicians
Singers from Kentucky
Living people
MCA Records artists
Musicians from Appalachia
Musicians from Louisville, Kentucky
People from Pikeville, Kentucky
Singer-songwriters from Kentucky