Country Artists That Didn't "Make It"

[Andy]

Wow, Danielle Peck, that's a name I haven't thought of in ages.

Anyone remember Sara Johns? Of "The One in the Middle" and "He Hates Me."

There's a lot of names in this thread I'm not familiar with. Gonna have to do a lot of Youtubing some time.

[sabre14]

Feb 1, 2016 17:42:01 GMT -5 Andy said:

Anyone remember Sara Johns? Of "The One in the Middle" and "He Hates Me."

Yes. "The One In The Middle" was a rare Billboard only top 40.

Both were great, especially "He Hates Me."

[Deleted]

Oh Danielle Peck, "Bad For Me" remains one of my all time favorites.

[Kentucky25]

Feb 1, 2016 17:27:49 GMT -5 gardyfan said:

Rachel Proctor, Danielle Peck, Wesley Dennis, Anita Cochran come to mind.

Wesley Dennis, "Don't Make Me Feel at Home" is absolutely amazing.

[tim]

Jun 18, 2014 8:51:30 GMT -5 Dustin J. said:

1990's
BUFFALO CLUB ("If She Don't Love You" #9; founded by John Dittrich after Restless Heart broke up; disbanded)
BROTHER PHELPS ("Let Go" #6; were previously members of the Kentucky Headhunters; disbanded)

I always liked these two 90's bands and I still put on "Let's Go" and "Any Way the Wind Blows" by Brother Phelps from time to time. Speaking of 90's bands that didn't make it, Big House is one that I remember. They had a top 30 hit with "Cold Outside" in 1997 but failed to score another hit.

[.indulgecountry]

Sarah Johns' debut album is fantastic. Both of her (sadly underperforming) singles were great and the album has a lot of other great songs on it, too. My favorite is the title track, which I think would've been a good single choice... perhaps better than the ones they did pick. She also reminds me a bit of Ashton Shepherd vocally, who I also love.

[sbp17]

I remember thinking Ronna Reeves would make it big.

[gardyfan]

Feb 1, 2016 20:26:19 GMT -5 Kentucky25 said:

Feb 1, 2016 17:27:49 GMT -5 gardyfan said:

Rachel Proctor, Danielle Peck, Wesley Dennis, Anita Cochran come to mind.

Wesley Dennis, "Don't Make Me Feel at Home" is absolutely amazing.

It should have been a huge hit. 

[rsmatto]

Feb 2, 2016 0:55:25 GMT -5 tim said:

Jun 18, 2014 8:51:30 GMT -5 Dustin J. said:

1990's
BUFFALO CLUB ("If She Don't Love You" #9; founded by John Dittrich after Restless Heart broke up; disbanded)
BROTHER PHELPS ("Let Go" #6; were previously members of the Kentucky Headhunters; disbanded)

I always liked these two 90's bands and I still put on "Let's Go" and "Any Way the Wind Blows" by Brother Phelps from time to time. Speaking of 90's bands that didn't make it, Big House is one that I remember. They had a top 30 hit with "Cold Outside" in 1997 but failed to score another hit.

Monty Byrom, Big House's lead singer, put out a great record last year. "100 Miles South Of Eden."

[Uncle Lumpy]

Theres so many great artists that couldn't catch lightning in a bottle especially in the 90's when there was so many great artists actually making it. Some of these did have a few hits but deserved so much more. I also skipped the ones I noticed already mentioned. And many of these went on to have successful writing careers of course.

Shawn Camp
David Lynn Jones
Clint Danials
Jerry Kilgore
Tony Toliver
Sonya Isaacs
Mark Gray
Clinton Gregory
Lance Miller
Kevin Denney
Perfect Stranger
Paul Jefferson
Kris Tyler
Marsha Thorton
Leslie Satcher
Trinni Triggs
Bobbie Cryner
Dude Mowery
Mark Nesler
Angela Hacker
Tim Mensey
Ruby Lovett
Billy Yates
Keith Palmer
Ricky Lynn Gregg
Dean Miller
Keith Gattis
Jon Randall
Jeff Chance
Chalee Tennison
Dawn Sears
Brad Martin
Clay Davidson
Jessie Hunter
Keith Harling
Daron Norwood

[fe_lipeoliveira]

That's a great thread indeed! Nice to see that a liked a post from 2004 too.
I like most of the females mentioned before and it's sad to see that some of them have actually quit and now have other jobs, while others are still working with music in some way.

The first name that came to my mind was Joanna Cotten. I think she's incredibly talented and her songs were amazing. I know she was touring with Eric Church as a backup singer and she sang background vocals on his albums, but I dont't know about his last one and/or if they're still touring together (or if he's touring at all haha anyway).

Lisa Shaffer (Just One) and Star De Azlan (Like a Rose, She's Pretty) and Erika Jo (I Break Things) are other names that popped in my head. I don't know about Lisa, but Erika and Star are out of the business.

[tim]

Feb 3, 2016 10:38:32 GMT -5 Uncle Lumpy said:

Theres so many great artists that couldn't catch lightning in a bottle especially in the 90's when there was so many great artists actually making it. Some of these did have a few hits but deserved so much more. I also skipped the ones I noticed already mentioned. And many of these went on to have successful writing careers of course.

Shawn Camp
Clinton Gregory
Kevin Denney
Keith Harling
Ricki Lynn Gregg
Daron Norwood

I remember these six artists the most out of that list. Shawn Camp's debut album from 1993 was one of my earliest country music influences. If you are not familiar with him as an artist, you are as a songwriter. He went on to write such hits as "Two Piña Coladas," "Would You Go With Me," "Love Done Gone," "How Long Gone," and "River of Love."

I remember Clinton Gregory if only for his electic style as a fiddle player. He was scheduled to play at our local county fair in Nebraska one summer (which are usually dry and muggy) but that particular day it happened to be cold and rainy. I don't think many people showed up to see him that day. Anyways that's my one little memory of him.

Keith Harling is of course best known for "Papa Bear." Great song and while I had his cd once upon a time I've since lost track of it.

Ricki Lynn Gregg - the eccentric guy with the long hair lol. This was around the time that Billy Ray Cyrus was popular so long hair seemed to be the thing for some artists (bands like Confederate Railroad and Pirates of the Mississippi come to mind during this time period).

And of course the late Daron Norwood who I remember for the funny "Bad Dog, No Biscuit." Daron passed away last summer.

[sabre14]

Feb 3, 2016 10:38:32 GMT -5 Uncle Lumpy said:

Brad Martin

I'm still dumbfounded that his singles totally bombed after "Before I Knew Better" (which should have done much better than its peak of #15 on R&R in 2002).

[phil1996]

Flynnville Train

[Uncle Lumpy]

Davis Daniel is another guy that should have made it. He had a great neo- traditional sound and I remember reading about him just taking over at a couple of Fain Fair performances. Apparently he had a high energy , almost theatrical show that had a lot of folks predicting he was going to be the "Next Garth". But radio never really embraced him and he faded away. The last I heard he had moved back to his home state and was selling cars for a living.

[The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷]

Feb 2, 2016 15:59:57 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

Sarah Johns' debut album is fantastic. Both of her (sadly underperforming) singles were great and the album has a lot of other great songs on it, too. My favorite is the title track, which I think would've been a good single choice... perhaps better than the ones they did pick. She also reminds me a bit of Ashton Shepherd vocally, who I also love.

I LOVE Sarah Johns' album! Actually, "Baby My Heart" came on yesterday when I had my ipad on shuffle! LOL

[avalyn]

It's funny over the last few weeks I have gon on a little musical expedition of artists on spotify/Youtube I remember hearing over the years that never materialized. This is what I've got so far:

Roxie Dean
Shannon Brown
The Jenkins
Shelly Fairchild
Meredith Edwards
Amber Dotson
Jessica Harp
Alecia Elliot
Katrina Elam
Kellie Coffey
Sherrie Austin

[.indulgecountry]

avalyn omg yesssssss @ Jessica Harp. Her solo debut album, A Woman Needs, is one of my favorite country records. Her voice and musical style were just amazing. I'm sad she flopped and then gave up recording music.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Feb 5, 2016 12:20:29 GMT -5 Uncle Lumpy said:

Davis Daniel is another guy that should have made it. He had a great neo- traditional sound and I remember reading about him just taking over at a couple of Fain Fair performances. Apparently he had a high energy , almost theatrical show that had a lot of folks predicting he was going to be the "Next Garth". But radio never really embraced him and he faded away. The last I heard he had moved back to his home state and was selling cars for a living.

He kept getting pushed around by Mercury restructurings. Same thing killed 4 Runner, a group I'd like to add. "Cain's Blood" was a masterpiece. (Trivia: 4 Runner had a single written by a then unknown Keith Urban called "That Was Him, This Is Now" which was to be on their 2nd album.

[thy4568]

Feb 6, 2016 11:36:50 GMT -5 Ten Pound Hammer said:

Feb 5, 2016 12:20:29 GMT -5 Uncle Lumpy said:

Davis Daniel is another guy that should have made it. He had a great neo- traditional sound and I remember reading about him just taking over at a couple of Fain Fair performances. Apparently he had a high energy , almost theatrical show that had a lot of folks predicting he was going to be the "Next Garth". But radio never really embraced him and he faded away. The last I heard he had moved back to his home state and was selling cars for a living.

He kept getting pushed around by Mercury restructurings. Same thing killed 4 Runner, a group I'd like to add. "Cain's Blood" was a masterpiece. (Trivia: 4 Runner had a single written by a then unknown Keith Urban called "That Was Him, This Is Now" which was to be on their 2nd album.

Didn't know that they had a Keith Urban song!!!  That's so cool!  

[CoJoFan]

Someone may have already mentioned this guy but anyone remember Shannon Lawson? Also I thought his song "Goodbye On A Bad Day" should've been a huge hit. Another group that should've made it bigger was Sons Of The Desert. I've always loved their 2 biggest hit songs "Whatever Comes First" and "What I Did Right" (I know they had a #1 hit with Lee Ann Womack "I Hope You Dance") but I'm talking just their stuff. I think "Leaving October" should've at least been a top 20 hit as well.

[sabre14]

Jun 22, 2016 19:03:42 GMT -5 CoJoFan said:

Someone may have already mentioned this guy but anyone remember Shannon Lawson? Also I thought his song "Goodbye On A Bad Day" should've been a huge hit. Another group that should've made it bigger was Sons Of The Desert. I've always loved their 2 biggest hit songs "Whatever Comes First" and "What I Did Right" (I know they had a #1 hit with Lee Ann Womack "I Hope You Dance") but I'm talking just their stuff. I think "Leaving October" should've at least been a top 20 hit as well.

WYRK played "Goodbye On A Bad Day" often; great song. It's a shame he didn't find success at radio with MCA or Equity Music Group after that single cracked the top 30.

He later joined the Muzik Mafia.

[CoJoFan]

Got my iPod playing my country favorites playlist and this gem comes on. "I Got More" by Cole Deggs & The Lonesome. Who remembers them? I have their album and remember liking the song "Girl Next Door" as well.

[sabre14]

Jun 25, 2016 18:36:30 GMT -5 CoJoFan said:

Got my iPod playing my country favorites playlist and this gem comes on. "I Got More" by Cole Deggs & The Lonesome. Who remembers them? I have their album and remember liking the song "Girl Next Door" as well.

"I Got More" peaked at #23 on Mediabase in the summer of 2007 and I liked both of their singles off Columbia Nashville. I'd probably give the edge to "The Girl Next Door".

[thy4568]

Anyone remember Daniele Alexander.  I remember her because not many lady singers wear thick plastic rimmed glasses like her.  She was signed to Mercury Nashville in the late 80s/early 90s.  She scored a top 10 with her self-composed hit "She's There."  I have both her albums and they are quite good; she's a great ballad singer and writer.  Unfortunately, she came and went; and she is now a successful real estate agent in Nashville.

"Daniele Alexander (born December 2, 1954 in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American country music singer. She began her career as a teenager, performing jazz initially before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to sing in casinos. She also charted in the Top 20 on the Billboard charts with the single "She's There", a single from her 1989 Mercury Records album First Move.[2] A second album, I Dream in Color, produced a duet with labelmate Butch Baker in "It Wasn't You, It Wasn't Me," the last chart single for either artist. Alexander exited Mercury in 1991, and later co-wrote two songs on Mila Mason's 1997 debut That's Enough of That."

[Ten Pound Hammer]

I found Daniele's first album at a flea market once, but I've only listened to "She's There". Great song, but it feels like it was a little late in the game. Slick pop ballads like that were more 1983 than 1989.

[thy4568]

Not sure what country music was like in the 80s, but you are right, early 90s country had a more tradition sound (a la Alan Jackson and Garth). I thought Daniele looked really pretty.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Jun 25, 2016 18:40:21 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

Jun 25, 2016 18:36:30 GMT -5 CoJoFan said:

Got my iPod playing my country favorites playlist and this gem comes on. "I Got More" by Cole Deggs & The Lonesome. Who remembers them? I have their album and remember liking the song "Girl Next Door" as well.

"I Got More" peaked at #23 on Mediabase in the summer of 2007 and I liked both of their singles off Columbia Nashville. I'd probably give the edge to "The Girl Next Door".

I think they'd have been bigger if their name didn't sound like "Cold Eggs".

[thy4568]

Another exellent singer and songwriter who didnt make it big. love this album so much. mostly heartbreaking tunes from a tortured soul.

[CoJoFan]

How about James Wesley? Always liked him and he was on Broken Bow who produced great acts such as Jason Aldean And Craig Morgan. Always loved his songs "Jackson Hole", "Didn't I" and my favorite song of his "Real". I've met him twice. Once opening for Jason Aldean and at CMA Fest in Nashville.