Ronnie Milsap
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Ronnie Lee Milsap (born Ronald Lee Millsaps; January 16, 1943) 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 and pianist. He was one of country music's most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s. Nearly completely blind from birth, he became one of the most successful and versatile country "
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
" singers of his time, appealing to both country and pop music markets with hit songs that incorporated pop, R&B, and rock and roll elements. His biggest crossover hits include " It Was Almost Like a Song", "
Smoky Mountain Rain "Smoky Mountain Rain" is a song written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in September 1980 as the first and only single from his ''Greatest Hits'' compilation album. Th ...
", "
(There's) No Gettin' Over Me "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" is a song written by Walt Aldridge and Tom Brasfield, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in June 1981 as the first single from the album '' There's No Gettin' Over Me''. Kn ...
", "
I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World" is a song written by Charles Quillen, Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the album '' T ...
", " Any Day Now", and " Stranger in My House". He is credited with six
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 ...
and 35 number-one country hits, third to
George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, he was credited for ...
and Conway Twitty. He was selected for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2014.


Career


Early life (1943–1971)

Milsap was born January 16, 1943, in
Robbinsville, North Carolina Robbinsville is a town in Graham County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 620 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Graham County, county population 8,861. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town ...
. A
congenital disorder A birth defect, also known as a congenital disorder, is an abnormal condition that is present at birth regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can ...
left him almost completely blind from birth. Abandoned by his mother as an infant, he was raised in poverty by his grandparents in the Smoky Mountains until he was sent to the
Governor Morehead School Governor Morehead School (GMS), formerly North Carolina State School for the Blind and Deaf, is a K–12 public school for the blind in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the era of de jure educational segregation in the United States, it served blind peo ...
for the blind in
Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the List of North Carolina county seats, seat of Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County in the United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most ...
, at age 5. During his childhood, Milsap developed a passion for music, particularly the late-night radio broadcasts of country music,
gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...
, and
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
. When he was 7, his instructors noticed his musical talents. Soon afterward he began studying classical music formally at Governor Morehead and learned several instruments, eventually mastering the piano. When he was 14, a slap from one of the school's houseparents caused him to lose what very limited vision he had in his left eye. With the national breakthrough of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
in 1956, Milsap became interested in
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
music and formed a rock band called the Apparitions with fellow high-school students. In concert, Milsap has often paid tribute to the musicians of the 1950s who inspired him including
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
,
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...
,
Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made ...
, and Presley. Milsap was awarded a full college scholarship and briefly attended
Young Harris College Young Harris College is a private Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college in Young Harris, Georgia, United States. History Origins The school was founded in 1886 by Artemas Lester, a circuit-riding Methodist minister who wanted to ...
in
Young Harris, Georgia Young Harris is a city in Towns County, Georgia, Towns County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The population was 899 at the 2010 census. Young Harris is home to Young Harris College, after which it was named. Geography Young Harris ...
, with plans to become a lawyer. During this time, Milsap joined a popular local R&B band called the Dimensions that played gigs in the Atlanta area, and became a regular attraction at the rough and rowdy Royal Peacock Club. In the fall of 1964, Milsap declined a scholarship to law school and left college to pursue a full-time career in music. He met Joyce Reeves one night at a dinner party during this period, and the two were married in 1965. In 1963, Milsap met Atlanta disc jockey Pat Hughes who became an early supporter of his music career. Milsap recorded his first single, "Total Disaster/It Went to Your Head", which enjoyed some local success in the Atlanta area. The single sold 15,000 copies with the help of Hughes, who played the record on his radio show. Around this same time, Milsap auditioned for a job as a keyboardist for musician
J. J. Cale John Weldon "J. J." Cale (December 5, 1938 – July 26, 2013) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and sound engineer. Though he avoided the limelight, his influence as a musical artist has been acknowledged by figures such as Mark Knop ...
. In 1965, Milsap signed with New York-based
Scepter Records Scepter Records was an American record company founded in 1959 by Florence Greenberg. History Florence Greenberg founded Scepter Records from the $4,000 she received after she sold Tiara Records and the Shirelles to Decca Records. When the Shire ...
, recording several obscure singles for the label over the next few years, and working briefly with other soul musicians like Ray Charles and
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
. Also in 1965, Milsap scored his first hit with the
Ashford & Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...
-penned single, "Never Had It So Good", which peaked at No. 19 on the R&B chart in November of that year. It would be his only successful single during his time with Scepter. Milsap cut another Ashford & Simpson tune, "
Let's Go Get Stoned "Let's Go Get Stoned" is a song originally recorded by The Coasters in May 1965. It was written by Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Josephine Armstead. Ronnie Milsap recorded it in October 1965 as a B-side to the single, "Never Had It S ...
", that was relegated to a
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
. In the late 1960s, after moving to
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
, Milsap worked for producer
Chips Moman Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman (June 12, 1937 – June 13, 2016) was an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is known for working in R&B, pop music and country music, operating American Sound Studios and producing hit albums lik ...
and became a popular weekly attraction at the Memphis nightclub T.J.'s. During this time, Moman helped Milsap land work as a session musician on numerous projects including several recordings with Elvis Presley such as "
Don't Cry Daddy "Don't Cry Daddy" is a 1969 song recorded by Elvis Presley written by Mac Davis. The song was paired with "Rubberneckin'" and both peaked at number six in the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in January 1970. Concept The song takes pla ...
" in 1969 and "
Kentucky Rain "Kentucky Rain" is a 1970 song written by Eddie Rabbitt and Dick Heard and recorded by Elvis Presley. It was recorded at American Sound Studio and features then session pianist Ronnie Milsap. Other musicians on the record include Bobby Wood on ...
" in 1970. That same year, Milsap made the lower reaches of the pop charts with the single "Loving You Is a Natural Thing". He recorded and released his debut album, ''Ronnie Milsap'', on Warner Brothers in 1971.


Breakthrough success (1973–1975)

In December 1972, Milsap relocated to
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
after a chance meeting with country music star
Charley Pride Charley Frank Pride (March 18, 1934 – December 12, 2020) was an American singer, guitarist, and professional baseball player. His greatest musical success came in the early to mid-1970s, when he was the best-selling performer for RCA Reco ...
who was in the audience for a Milsap gig at the nightclub Whiskey A-Go-Go on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles. Pride was impressed with Milsap's singing and encouraged him to change course and focus on country music. Milsap began working with Pride's manager, Jack D. Johnson, and was signed to
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
in 1973. He released his first single for RCA that year, "I Hate You", which became his first country music success, peaking at No. 10 on the country chart. In 1974, Milsap toured with Pride as an opening act and had two No. 1 singles: " Pure Love" (written by
Eddie Rabbitt Edward Thomas Rabbitt (November 27, 1941 – May 7, 1998) was an American country music singer and songwriter. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" ...
) and the
Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are "Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Nig ...
composition "
Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" is a song written by Kris Kristofferson and first recorded by Bobby Bare, who included it on his ''Where Have All the Seasons Gone'' album in January 1971. Kristofferson recorded the song with Rita Cooli ...
" which won Milsap his first Grammy. In 1975, he revived the
Don Gibson Donald Eugene Gibson (April 3, 1928 – November 17, 2003) was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson wrote such country standards as " Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoy ...
song " (I'd Be) A Legend in My Time" and scored another No. 1 hit with " Daydreams About Night Things".


"It Was Almost Like a Song" (1976–1978)

From 1976 to 1978, Milsap became one of country music's biggest stars. He scored seven No. 1 singles in a row, including the Grammy-winning " (I'm a) Stand by My Woman Man" and "
What a Difference You've Made in My Life "What a Difference You've Made in My Life" is an inspirational song written by Archie Jordan and first made famous by two artists during 1977: then-teenage Christian music singer Amy Grant and country music singer Ronnie Milsap. Song history ...
". The most significant of this series was " It Was Almost Like a Song" in 1977, a piano-based ballad, which became his most successful single of the 1970s. In addition to topping the
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
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, the song was his first entry on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop music chart since "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" reached No. 95; "It Was Almost Like a Song," reached No. 16. It was also his first song to make the
Adult Contemporary Chart The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...
, stopping at No. 7. While the song was Milsap's only crossover success of the 1970s, he continued to achieve hits on the country music charts for the remainder of the decade.


Crossover success (1979–1992)

Milsap's sound shifted toward string-laden pop ballads during the late 1970s which resulted in crossover success on the pop charts beginning in the early 1980s. From 1980 until 1983, he scored a series of eleven No. 1 singles. Milsap's Greatest Hits album, released in 1980, included a new single, "
Smoky Mountain Rain "Smoky Mountain Rain" is a song written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in September 1980 as the first and only single from his ''Greatest Hits'' compilation album. Th ...
", which became a No. 1 smash on the country charts. The single peaked in the Top 20 on the pop music chart and also became the first of two Milsap songs to score No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Other crossover successes included the Top 5 pop single, "
(There's) No Gettin' Over Me "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" is a song written by Walt Aldridge and Tom Brasfield, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in June 1981 as the first single from the album '' There's No Gettin' Over Me''. Kn ...
", and two Top 20 songs in "
I Wouldn't Have Missed It For the World "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World" is a song written by Charles Quillen, Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the album '' T ...
" and " Any Day Now", the latter which lasted five weeks at No. 1 on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''s Adult Contemporary chart. He also had some success with "
He Got You "He Got You" is a song written by Ralph Murphy and Bobby Wood, recorded by American country music artist Ronnie Milsap. It was released in August 1982 as the second single from the album ''Inside Inside may refer to: * Insider, a member of any ...
". All four songs reached No. 1 on the country music charts. Although the series of No. 1 hits ended in 1983, the last song of the series, " Stranger in My House", was still successful on all three charts, peaking at No. 5 on the country music chart, No. 23 on the pop music chart, and No. 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Just a few months later, "
Don't You Know How Much I Love You "Don't You Know How Much I Love You" is a song written by Michael Stewart and Dan Williams, and recorded by American country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Sout ...
" was released, becoming Milsap's last significant entry on the pop music chart, stopping at No. 58. However it, along with others, still became major successes on the Adult Contemporary chart. These successful singles include "
Show Her "Show Her" is a song written by Mike Reid, and recorded by American country music artist Ronnie Milsap. It was released in October 1983 as the third single from the album ''Keyed Up ''Keyed Up'' is the fifteenth studio album by American country ...
", " Still Losing You", and finally, the Grammy-winning song " Lost in the Fifties Tonight" (his last pop crossover success) in 1985. Between 1985 and 1987, Milsap enjoyed a series of uninterrupted No. 1 country singles, enjoying great success at this time with "
She Keeps the Home Fires Burning "She Keeps the Home Fires Burning" is a song written by Mike Reid, Don Pfrimmer and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern ...
", "
In Love Romance or romantic love is a feeling of love for, or a strong attraction towards another person, and the courtship behaviors undertaken by an individual to express those overall feelings and resultant emotions. The ''Wiley Blackwell Encyc ...
", "
Snap Your Fingers "Snap Your Fingers" is a song written by Grady Martin and Alex Zanetis. It was originally recorded by gospel singer Joe Henderson in 1962, whose version peaked at No. 2 on the R&B charts, and at No. 8 on the Hot 100. "Snap Your Fingers" also pea ...
", "
Where Do the Nights Go "Where Do the Nights Go" is a song written by Mike Reid and Rory Bourke, and recorded by American country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United St ...
", and the Grammy-winning duet with
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
, " Make No Mistake, She's Mine". In 1989, Milsap had his last No. 1 song with "
A Woman in Love "A Woman in Love" is a popular song. It was written by Frank Loesser and published in 1955. It was introduced in Samuel Goldwyn's 1955 cinematic adaptation of the Broadway musical ''Guys and Dolls'', for which Loesser contributed three new song ...
", although he still remained successful on the charts. Other Top 10 singles between 1989 and 1991 include "Houston Solution", "Stranger Things Have Happened", "Turn That Radio On", a remake of the 1950s hit "
Since I Don't Have You "Since I Don't Have You" is a song written and composed by Jackie Taylor, James Beaumont, Janet Vogel, Joseph Rock, Joe Verscharen, Lennie Martin, and Wally Lester. It was first a 1958 hit single for the doo-wop group the Skyliners on the ''Bi ...
" (his last adult contemporary hit) and "Are You Loving Me Like I'm loving You". With the help of writer Tom Carter, Milsap wrote and released his autobiography, titled ''Almost like a Song'', in 1990. In 1992, he had a major success with " All Is Fair in Love and War". The song featured rock guitarist Mark Knopfler on lead guitar and peaked at No. 11; his last top-40 country hit, "True Believer," peaked in 1993 at No. 30. By that time, however, Milsap's chart success began to decline.


1993–present: Life today

Milsap has remained one of country music's best-loved and most successful artists despite the lack of radio airplay since the mid-1990s. In 1993, he left RCA for Liberty and released the album ''True Believer'' which failed to achieve significant radio airplay, although the title song scored No. 30 on the country chart. In 2000, Milsap resurfaced with a two-CD set, ''40 No. 1 Hits'', featuring a new single entitled "Time, Love, and Money". The new collection earned a gold record although the single failed to score on the charts. In 2000, Milsap's biography was featured by
A&E Networks A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company o ...
's ''
Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...
'' television series. Milsap has also been featured by CMT's numerous shows, including ''40 Greatest Men of Country Music'' and a 2005 episode of Crossroads with Tex-Mex rock group
Los Lonely Boys Los Lonely Boys are an American musical group from San Angelo, Texas. They play a style of music they call "Texican Rock n' Roll," combining elements of rock and roll, Texas blues, brown-eyed soul, country, and Tejano. The band consists of thr ...
. During 2004, Milsap worked with producer Jerry F. Sharell to record his first non-country album since the early 1970s, ''Just for a Thrill''. The project was a collection of American popular/jazz music standards which earned Milsap a Grammy award nomination that year. In 2006, Milsap signed with his former company RCA and returned to a mainstream, contemporary country music style with the album ''My Life''. The first single was "Local Girls" which reached No. 54. In 2009, Milsap released a two-CD set entitled ''Then Sings My Soul'' which featured 24 hymns and gospel songs, including "Up To Zion". "Up To Zion" was co-written by Gregory James Tornquist and Noreen Crayton and became a No. 1 hit on the southern gospel charts. On May 12, 2010, he was part of a Gaither Video Taping. Milsap's studio album ''Country Again'' was released in July 2011. The album was a return to a more traditional country sound. On May 2, 2013, Milsap performed at the memorial service of country legend George Jones, singing the Jones classic "When the Grass Grows Over Me". The service was broadcast live on CMT, GAC, RFD-TV, The Nashville Network, and Family Net as well as Nashville stations. SiriusXM and WSM 650AM, home of the Grand Ole Opry, broadcast the event on radio. On December 27, 2013, it was announced that Milsap would release a new album. ''Summer #17'' was released in March 2014. The album features new recordings of classic pop and R&B songs from the 1950s and 60's. On June 1, 2014, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine ranked "
Smoky Mountain Rain "Smoky Mountain Rain" is a song written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in September 1980 as the first and only single from his ''Greatest Hits'' compilation album. Th ...
" #96 in their list of the 100 greatest country songs. In 2016, Milsap was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "
Forever Country "Forever Country" is a 2016 mashup performed by "Artists of Then, Now & Forever," a one-time gathering of 30 country music artists. The song combines elements of three previous country hits: John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (1971), Willi ...
", a mash-up track of "
Take Me Home, Country Roads "Take Me Home, Country Roads", also known simply as "Country Roads", is a song written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert and John Denver about West Virginia. It was released as a single performed by Denver on April 12, 1971, peaking at number two o ...
", " On the Road Again" and "
I Will Always Love You "I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career, ...
" which celebrates 50 years of the
CMA Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...
. In October 2018, ''Billboard'' announced that Milsap would release a duets album, titled ''Ronnie Milsap: The Duets'' in January 2019. The album was released on January 18, 2019. Milsap released the album ''A Better Word for Love'' in 2021, recorded at Ronnie's Place and released by Black River Entertainment.


Amateur radio operator

Milsap is an Advanced-class
amateur radio operator An amateur radio operator is someone who uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other amateur operators on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators hav ...
. His call sign is WB4KCG.


Personal life

In 1965, Milsap married Joyce Reeves. They had one son, Ronald Todd Milsap, who was found dead on February 23, 2019, on his houseboat from an apparent medical condition. Ronald Todd's son, who had not heard from his father for the past two days, found the body. Ronald Todd was 49. Joyce Reeves Milsap died on September 6, 2021. She had been battling leukemia since 2014. She was 81-years old.


Discography


Industry awards and honors

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 ...
* 1982 Top Male Vocalist * 1985 Song of the Year – " Lost in the Fifties Tonight" * 1988 Instrumentalist of the Year, Keyboards * 2002 Pioneer Award ''Billboard'' *1980 No. 1 Country Song of the Year – "My Heart" *1985 No. 1 Country Song of the Year – "Lost in the Fifties Tonight"
Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...
* 1974 Male Vocalist of the Year * 1975 Album of the Year – " A Legend in My Time" * 1976 Male Vocalist of the Year * 1977 Album of the Year – " Ronnie Milsap Live" * 1977 Entertainer of the Year * 1977 Male Vocalist of the Year * 1978 Album of the Year – "
It Was Almost Like a Song "It Was Almost Like a Song" is a song written by Hal David and Archie Jordan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in May 1977 as the first single and title track from the album '' It Was Almost Like a Song' ...
" * 1986 Album of the Year – " Lost in the Fifties Tonight
Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...
2014 Inductee
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 ...
* 1975 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends" * 1977 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "(I'm a) Stand by My Woman Man" * 1982 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "
(There's) No Gettin' Over Me "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" is a song written by Walt Aldridge and Tom Brasfield, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in June 1981 as the first single from the album '' There's No Gettin' Over Me''. Kn ...
" * 1986 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "Lost in the Fifties Tonight" * 1987 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "Lost in the Fifties Tonight" * 1988 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals – " Make No Mistake, She's Mine" (w/
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
) Music City News Country *1975 Most Promising Male Artist Miscellaneous achievements *40 No. 1 hits, 35 of which reached the top spot on the ''Billboard'' chart; the remaining 5 topped other trade charts, including Cashbox *Over 35 million albums sold *Inducted into the
Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...
in 1976 *Inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2002 *Awarded the Career Achievement Award by
Country Radio Seminar Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) is a non-profit organization based in Nashville, Tennessee created to promote the growth of country radio and the country music industry through educational programs. Its annual Country Radio Seminar serves as "mark ...
in 2006 *Awarded the 2007
Rocketown Rocketown is a facility with entertainment space, a coffee bar, and indoor skate park, located in Nashville, Tennessee. First opening in Franklin, TN in 1994-95 by Christian artist Michael W. Smith, Rocketown was created as a safe, drug and ...
Legend Award Other honors
On December 2, 2020, six miles of U.S. 129 in
Graham County, North Carolina Graham County (locally ) is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,030, making it the third-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Robbinsville. History The cou ...
, from Yellow Creek near Robbinsville to the Swain County line, was designated Ronnie Milsap Highway.


Bibliography

*


See also

*
List of best selling music artists The following list of best-selling music artists includes those music acts from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization t ...


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Milsap, Ronnie Amateur radio people American country keyboardists American country pianists American male pianists American country singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters Blind musicians Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Living people Country musicians from North Carolina People from Robbinsville, North Carolina Grammy Award winners Grand Ole Opry members Young Harris College alumni 1943 births RCA Records Nashville artists Blind people from the United States Musicians from Appalachia 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American keyboardists 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians 20th-century American keyboardists Singer-songwriters from North Carolina