John Conlee

About This Show

In the face of passing fame and passing time as careers have come and gone at whirlwind speed from the national spotlight, John Conlee has remained firmly rooted in the heart of country music buyers like a fine, well rooted oak tree. Release of his latest project “Classics”—featuring 19 of his greatest hits plus three new songs—has been embraced by yet another new generation of music lovers for whom traditional country music never goes out of style.
The new album features digitally re-mastered versions of his biggest hits. Songs such as his signature “Rose Colored Glasses,” “Lady Lay Down,” “Backside Of Thirty,” “Common Man,” “I’m Only In It For The Love,” “Friday Night Blues,” and “I Don’t Remember Loving You,” –like fine wine all have only gotten better with age. Not to mention the technology that captures every fiber of John’s well woven rich tapestry of a voice. “Some things never go out of style, and a good country voice, I’m glad to say is one of them” noted Conlee in a recent interview. “I think we can look at George Jones and see what a timeless voice sounds like.” Like George, John has been blessed with a voice that doesn’t quite sound like anyone else—it’s been something that has helped him endure a lot of passing fads in the music business. Since hitting with “Rose Colored Glasses” in 1976, John Conlee’s career has been anything but a passing fad. Born and raised in the rich farmland of Kentucky, John grew up close to the earth and those that make their living from it. It’s a loyalty that has carried over into his career. Through his efforts the Family Farm Defense was created in the mid-‘80’s and John became Honorary Chairman. When Willie Nelson announced his plans to stage Farm Aid, John volunteered his services. He has since participated in nine Farm Aid concerts and assisted in raising over 13 million dollars to aid the American farmer. Following “Glasses,” John struck gold again—this time with “Lady Lay Down,” which reclined in style at the #1 spot. He matched that success just a short few months later with “Backside of Thirty,” which also reached the top of the charts. With two more hits in rapid succession—“Before My Time,” and “Baby, You’re Something,” the Academy Of Country Music presented John Conlee with their coveted “Best New Male Vocalist” Award in 1979.

As the ‘80’s dawned, John’s success made him one of the most consistent male artists of the decade. Early in the decade major chart toppers such as “Friday Night Blues,” and “She Can’t Say That Anymore,” rode him through the era of the “Urban Cowboy” changes that swept the artist landscape.
In a decade of dashing young men in cowboy hats, Conlee more than held his own. “John Conlee’s voice
makes him the tallest, darkest, most handsome man in country music,” noted a national reviewer. Obviously, record buyers by the droves came out in force to agree. As the ‘80’s progressed, John scored major hits with a Red Lane song—“Miss Emily’s Picture,”—following it with his version of “Busted”— a hit for Johnny Cash and Ray Charles in the 60’s and the song that has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for Feed The Children. John hit his high-water mark—pulling off a remarkable four #1 hits in a row. “Common Man,” “I’m Only In It For The Love,” “In My Eyes,” and “As Long As I’m Rockin’ With You” all topped the charts as successive releases. To further add some potent ingredients to his mix as a young country music singer on the way to legend, John added additional gems: “Working Man,” “Old School,” “Got My Heart Set On You,” (which stayed on the charts a remarkable 5 months), “The Carpenter,” “Domestic Life,” and “Mama’s Rockin’ Chair,” forever wrote his name in the history book of country music. RIAA gold certification of his “Greatest Hits” album is among the accolades that line the walls at the Conlee farmhouse.

Personally quiet and soft spoken, John is a loyal man of deep passions. Bud Logan, a former member of Jim Reeves’ band, ‘The Blue Boys,’ has enjoyed a relationship as John Conlee’s producer that has encompassed an entire career filled with hits. Likewise, his manager, Dave Roberts, has been onboard from the beginning of his success until today along with Steve Sechler as road manager/ lead guitarist and Diane Cash, promotion and office manager. John has enjoyed the fruits of his success. He today continues to be in demand for concert dates, as well as being an always popular addition to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry—where he was bestowed the honor of membership in 1981—the fulfillment of the ultimate dream he held as a farm boy back in Kentucky. For relaxation these days, he goes back to the “farm”—this time his own pristine 32 acre spread outside of Nashville that’s become home to John, his wife Gale and their three children—Rebecca, Jessica, and John. Call it focus. Call it insight. Let’s just call it country music’s ‘good fortune’ that John Conlee continues to have 20/20 vision through those “Rose Colored Glasses” of his.