There are Country Music Classic's and then there are Country Music Signature songs.  Songs that, when you hear them (or even see the title), you immediately identify it with one country artist.

'Stand By Your Man'?  Tammy.

'Coal Miner's Daughter'?  Loretta.

'Okie From Muskogee'?  The Hag.

'He Stopped Loving Her Today'?  You know who that is!

In the summer of 1971 there weren't a lot of people that knew the name Freddie Hart.  By the end of that year every country music fan knew who he was.

'Easy Loving' might be called Freddie's 'last gasp' at having a huge country music hit.  Although Freddie had several what might be called 'modest' hits, his record label, Capital, was going to release Freddie from his contract.  It just wasn't happening.

Then, thanks largely to a radio DJ in Atlanta, a song called 'Easy Loving' caught fire...and did it ever blaze!

The self-penned song went to #1 on the Country Chart in September of 1971, and spent 3 weeks at the top of the chart (interestingly, Tom T. Hall's 'The Year Clayton DeLaney Died' interrupted Freddie's first and second week at #1).

'Easy Loving' launched Freddie into Country Music stardom, as he followed it with five consecutive #1 hit's and became one of the most beloved artist's in Country Music.  And 'Easy Loving'?  Yes, you can't think of that great love song without remembering the great Freddie Hart.

And a final note:  At the time of this writing, Freddie (a former Marine veteran) is 87 years young!  Thank You Freddie for a great song and so many great country classics!

 

 

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