Legenday Mel McDaniel Passes Away

Sad news to post on April Fool’s Day. No joke. Grand Ole Opry star Mel McDaniel passed away Thursday evening at age 68. He had been battling lung cancer for several years.

Mel’s beloved hits include “Louisiana Saturday Night” (1981), “Big Ole Brew” (1982), “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” (1984), “Let it Roll” (1985), “Stand Up” (1985). Additionally, Mel had success with “Gentle to Your Senses” (1977), “God Made Love” (1978), “Right in the Palm of Your Hand” (1981), “Take Me To the Country” (1982) and “I Call it Love” (1983), “Real Good Feel Good Song” (1988) and his cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Stand on It” (1986). His No. 1 hit “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” was nominated for both a Grammy and a CMA Award.

Mel also had a fair share of success as a songwriter. He co-penned “God Made Love,” and Conway Twitty’s 1978 hit “The Grandest Lady of Them All.” The song “Goodbye Marie,” was also from Mel’s library; it was recorded by Bobby Goldsboro in 1981 and by Kenny Rogers in 1986. Hoyt Axton, Doug Kershaw, Livewire and other artists have also recorded Mel McDaniel writings.

Mel McDaniel was born Sept, 6, 1942 in Checotah, OK. Yes, the same Checotah where Carrie Underwood was born. Mel cut his musical teeth in the honky-tonks of Tulsa, and later in the nightclubs of Anchorage, Alaska before moving to Nashville in 1974. In Music City, Mel sang at local Holiday Inn lounges and recorded song demos before signing with Capitol Records in 1976. He remained with the label until 1990. Mel joined the Grand Ol Opry cast on January 11, 1986.

In recent history, Mel made news in 1996 when he was badly hurt after a fall from a stage in Louisiana. His injuries were nearly fatal, and he never fully recovered. Regardless, he continued to perform on his beloved Opry and record; his most recent album being the 2006 release of Reloaded: Tried True and New on Aspirion Records.

Mel once said, “I wanted to be a singer because I wanted to make people feel good with my music.” Night after night, year after year, he achieved that goal on stages and radio dials across America. Mel McDaniel’s music is bound to make people feel good for years to come.

Rumors Going 'Round This Old Town

News From Around The Country
The word around town is that more Idol folk are headed to Nashville. Last season’s 3rd place American Idol contestant, Danny Gokey, has been reportedly spotted in Nashville recently. Sources say that he’s meeting with multiple Nashville record labels, possibly thinking about going country. Danny is currently on the AI Tour singing Rascal Flatts’ “What Hurts The Most” and “My Wish” during his part of the show. And then there’s the fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi. She’s said to be working with both Rascal Flatts and Little Big Town on new music. Kara’s previous songwriting credits have been primarily in other genres. Now grasp this. Jennette McCurdy, from the popular Nickelodeon show iCarly is reportedly going country. She’s seventeen, and she’s reporting on her own blog that she has signed with Capitol/Nashville and is working on an album. The label is not confirming whether or not its true.

On the flip side of the news about those striking while the iron is hot, sad news is spreading that Grand Ole Opry member Mel McDaniel is said to be fighting for his life in a Nashville hospital. The 66-year-old singer is known for hits like “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On,” and “Louisiana Saturday Night.” His wife tells Country Weekly he suffered a heart attack in June and is now in a medically induced coma. The family is asking for prayers.