Aired on Treasure Island Oldies – Sep 03, 2023
April 14, 1957, marked the first time a country artist appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.
That night, this soon to become country legend, sang a love ballad that was #1 on both the country and pop charts.
Two years later, he had another love song about a school romance gone wrong. It too made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 …
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This country singer/songwriter/guitarist would grace the country charts 72 times in the thirty year period from 1953 to 1983. Twenty-three of these songs went to #1 and twenty-one of his songs crossed over to the pop charts.
Nicknamed the “Southern Gentlemen,” he was born in Alabama and was brought to Capitol Records in Nashville by Chet Atkins in the early 50s.
In addition to his songs that crossed over to the pop charts, he had a couple of releases that only appeared on Billboard Hot 100.
One of these pop love ballads dealt with high school romance and in spots may remind you of Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool.”
A far cry from his #1 hit, “Young Love,” here is that Southern Gentlemen, Sonny James, who reprimands his “young love,” who has become the “Talk Of The School,” this week’s Tom Locke moment in time.
YouTube video of this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm2CTTqUChM
This “Moments In Time” story is yet another example of a “golden oldie” or forgotten favorite that earned its place in the evolution of Rock & Roll.
