With 40 number one hits, Ronnie Milsap is one of country music's biggest and most enduring legends. There's only two artist's in history with more number one's (Yep, you guessed it, Conway at #2 and King George on top), but with a string of number one's like that, there had to be a first, right?

Right.

When I started in radio back in, well, lets just say the 'old days', Ronnie was also getting his start as a major country music artist. It was in 1973 that he had a couple Top Twenty hits, but couldn't quite crack the Top Ten. Still, he was making a name for himself and many of us wondered when he'd have that breakthrough hit.

Well, we didn't have to wait long. The following year Ronnie went to the top with a song that was written by one of the greatest singer/songwriters in country music, the great Eddie Rabbit (who, for some reason isn't in the country Hall of Fame, but that's another story).

Ronnie took Eddie's 'Pure Love' and before long had the entire country singing along with the tune that gave us 'ninety nine and forty four one hundredths percent pure love'! It went to number one in June, 1974 and Ronnie immediately put to rest any thought that he might be a one-hit-wonder. The follow up to 'Pure Love' was another number one, the Kris Kristofferson penned 'Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends', which in turn was followed by the number one smash 'I'd Be A Legend In My Time' and, well, the rest is history.

Yes, Ronnie Milsap is a legend, with 40 number one's, but it all started with the first, so let's all sing along once again to 'Pure Love'.

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