Forgotten Classic: Ronnie Milsap’s ‘Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends’

When you've had forty number one hit records it's inevitable that something will get lost in the shuffle. Of course, very few artist's have to worry about that because they have nowhere near forty number one's.

Only George Strait and Conway Twitty have had more number one country hit's than Country Music Hall of Famer Ronnie Milsap. That's right, Ronnie has topped the chart forty times! 

I suppose I was first introduced to this great artist back in 1973 as a, ah, younger man. Ronnie had a Top Ten hit with a great love song with an interesting title, 'I Hate You'. And over the next 25 years or so, there was rarely a week that the name Ronnie Milsap wasn't at or near the top of the charts. That's right, charts, because Ronnie not only dominated the country music chart, he had several songs that 'crossed over' to the pop charts as well.

There not time or space to name every Ronnie Milsap number one hit (and wouldn't any artist love to have that problem!), but for me, Ronnie has not one but two 'signature' hits, two songs that are more than classics. One would be his first number one hit, 1974's 'Pure Love', and the other came along in 1977, 'It Was Almost Like A Song'.

• Ronnie Milsap's Career Defining 'It Was Almost Like A Song'

And it was the follow up to 'Pure Love', another cut off the album of the same name, Ronnie's second number one hit, that to me has become a 'forgotten classic'.

Written by (in my opinion) the greatest songwriter ever, Kris Kristofferson, the tune is a beautiful ballad called 'Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends'. Dozens and dozens of number one hit's would follow, but don't forget this one.