INFLUENCED
INFLUENCED: Craig Morgan and John Conlee
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and if that’s true, John Conlee should be very flattered when Craig Morgan does his impression of him as Craig sometimes does during his concerts. Morgan, who has seven Top 10 hits including his number one “That’s What I Love About Sunday” which was the most-played country song of 2005, counts John as not only a friend but a musical hero. And, according to CMT.com, Craig names Conlee as an “all-time favorite” and it shows. Often Morgan salutes the singer during his shows with John’s signature hit “Rose Colored Glasses” and in 2008, Conlee surprised him by showing up to join in on the tune and offer Craig an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry (Check out the video here) and then proceeded to induct him into the Opry a month later (Check out Craig’s Opry induction here). So, its safe to say that John Conlee and his music holds a very special place in Craig Morgan’s heart.
Before becoming a Nashville star in the late 1970s and 1980s, John Conlee grew up on a rural 250-acre tobacco farm in Versailles, Kentucky, where he worked hard alongside his family. After stints as a funeral home attendant and mortician and a pop music disc jockey, John began his pursuit of country music stardom when he moved to Music City in 1971. Just five years later, Conlee signed with ABC Records and finally hit the charts with his fourth attempt in 1978 with “Rose Colored Glasses” which he wrote himself. The song would go on to become a Top Five hit and his most well-known. He followed that with two back-to-back number ones with “Lady Lay Down” and “Back Side of Thirty,” a song that had been released as his debut single.
After ABC Records merged with MCA, John’s success continued as his melancholy baritone honeyed songs for the working class like “Friday Night Blues” and “Miss Emily’s Picture,” two of his seven Top 10 hits during a period stretching from 1979 to 1982. During that time, Conlee became a member of the Grand Ole Opry which he joined in 1981. It was in 1983 when John returned to the number one spot with another signature tune “Common Man” which kicked started a string of four consecutive chart-toppers. Conlee maintained as a regular presence in the Top 10, including his last number one 1986’s “Got My Heart Set On You” while he was on the roster at Columbia Records, up until 1987 when his run ended. By that time, he had collected a total of eight number one hits and 15 Top 10s.
Throughout his career, John has been actively involved in helping the plight of the family famer with the Family Farm Defense Fund and events like Farm Aid, which he has performed at nine times. He also champions Feed the Children, an organization that he has contributed over 140 thousand dollars for over the years at his shows during his performance of “Busted.” Today, Conlee is a regular presence at the Grand Ole Opry, continues his charity work and enjoys spending time with his wife Gale and their three children on their farm outside of Nashville.
Image courtesy of Rick Diamond / Getty Images North America
Adapted from "John Conlee." Grand Ole Opry. Gaylord Entertainment, n.d. Web. 23 Jun 2010. <http://www.opry.com/artists/c/Conlee_John.html>.
Nikita Palmer for Citadel Digital © 2010
