Country Stars Align To Honor Ronnie Milsap – ‘It’s Gonna Be Special,’ He Says

Forbes Business Hollywood & Entertainment Country Stars Align To Honor The Legendary Ronnie Milsap Pam Windsor Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Nashville-based music, entertainment, and feature writer. Following Oct 1, 2023, 05:24pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Singer Ronnie Milsap performs at the Grand Ole Opry on October 8, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee.

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[+] (Photo by Frederick Breedon IV/Getty Images for Black & White TV) Getty Images for Black & White TV Nearly three dozen country artists will gather at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Tuesday night to pay tribute to Ronnie Milsap. Performers include Kelly Clarkson, Ricky Skaggs, Little Big Town, Trace Adkins, The Gatlin Brothers, Terri Clark, Phil Vassar, Tracy Lawrence, Neal McCoy, and many others. They’ll honor one of country music’s most successful artists, performing some of Milsap’s many hits from the past five decades.

The six-time GRAMMY winner has charted numerous times, with of his 40 songs going all the way to No. 1. Milsap, who celebrated his 80 th birthday at the Grand Ole Opry in January, is not completely retiring yet, but did announce earlier this year – this will be his final show in Nashville.

Ronnie Milsap celebrates 80th Birthday at the Grand Ole Opry Credit: Mark Mosrie/Grand Ole Opry “I love Nashville and the amazing career my fans have given me,” he says. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. ” He goes on to add, “This is gonna be a great show.

There are so many artists. I’m really looking forward to it. ” MORE FOR YOU How Google’s Pixel 8 Pro Will Change Smartphones Forever A Ukrainian Officer s Captured Russian Tank Wasn t Working So He Called Tech Support In Russia One Star Wars Rebels Design Choice Is Making Ahsoka Hard On The Eyes Performers are excited, as well.

Little Big Town tweeted out, “We can’t wait to celebrate Ronnie Milsap’s legacy. ” While Trace Adkins called Milsap’s voice one of the greatest in country music, and Sara Evans remarked on “saluting this icon as he closes the Music City chapter of his storied career. ” Performer Phil Vassar says Milsap has not only influenced him as a singer and a songwriter, but as a musician.

In the guitar-driven genre of country music, Vassar, like Milsap, plays piano. Singer/songwriter Phil Vassar performs at Nissan Stadium during CMA Music Festival on June 8, 2017 . .

. [+] in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Mindy Small/WireImage) WireImage “He’s one of my absolute heroes,” Vassar says.

“I love that they’re honoring him and am so lucky to be part of it. I grew up with Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Billy Joel, and of course Ronnie Milsap and Charlie Rich were the two country piano players. Ronnie is also an amazing singer, one of the best in the business.

Plus, I’ve had the opportunity to do some things with him through the years and he’s incredibly kind and gracious. ” The night will touch on Milsap’s contributions to country music, while highlighting his massive catalog, with many of his songs ending up as crossover hits on the pop charts. Since the early 70s, the long list of familiar Milsap tunes includes: “Pure Love,” “Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends,” “Daydreams About Night Things,” “It Was Almost Like a Song,” “What a Difference You Made in My Life,” “Smoky Mountain Rain,” “He Got You,” and so many more.

UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1970: Photo of Ronnie Milsap Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images getty The Country Music Hall of Famer, who would go on to achieve monumental success in music, overcame some difficult challenges early in life. Milsap was born on January 16th, 1943. He was blind at birth, something his mother considered punishment for sin.

He was left with his grandparents to raise, and they sent him to the North Carolina State School for the Blind in Raleigh hoping it would offer him better opportunities. There, at the age of eight, he began taking piano lessons. But despite his gift for music, after graduating high school, he went on to Young Harris Junior College with plans to go on to law school.

Fate, however, intervened when Milsap accompanied his roommate one evening, as his roommate headed off to do laundry. They stopped off in a rec room. “I asked him what’s in this room?” Milsap remembers.

“And he said there’s a ping pong table and a lot of other things, including a piano in the corner. ” Milsap headed for the piano. “And while he went and washed his clothes, I played the hits of the day.

I was singing “Lonely Teardrops” by Jackie Wilson and “Crying” by Roy Orbison, and folks couldn’t believe it. ” He was approached by a guy who invited Milsap to sit in with his band at a gig at the Gainesville (Georgia) Civic Center that Friday night. Milsap did, and afterward began accompanying the band as they played college shows throughout the region.

“And by playing with them, I started realizing music is what I want to do,” he says. As a musician, then a performer, Milsap took a circuitous route to Nashville, ending up first in Atlanta. In the early years, he played several different types of music.

He was laying the foundation for what would become his unique style of incorporating elements from various genres in his songs. In fact, long before he headed to Music Row, his first minor hit wasn’t a country song at all. “I cut that at Scepter in New York,” Milsap says.

“It was called ‘Never Had It So Good. ” I was an R&B singer then. That was the first time I ever heard one of my songs on the radio and it sounded so cool.

” Milsap moved to Memphis next. He got a regular gig at a nightclub called T. J’s and recalls Elvis coming in one night.

“I said, ‘Elvis, you want to get up and sing tonight? I know all your songs. Elvis said no, he’d rather just enjoy the night with friends, and I said that’s cool. Then at midnight, he came around and kissed all the girls, including my wife, Joyce.

” Milsap stops. laughs, then adds, “She didn’t think too much of him. ” Still, he and Elvis would become friends.

“I loved Elvis. Always did. In fact, before that, I had 78’s of all his early stuff at Sun Studios.

” Milsap did some session work at Chip Moman’s Memphis studio where he ended up adding vocals and playing piano on Elvis Presley’s “Kentucky Rain. ” “I got to sing and play on a lot of that stuff,” he says. In 1972, Milsap moved to Nashville and the following year, signed with RCA records.

It was the beginning of his extraordinary career in country music. Country-western star Ronnie Milsap at the Country Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. , in 1977.

Man at . . .

[+] right is unidentified. (AP Photo) Copyright 1977 AP. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Milsap credits his late wife, Joyce, with providing both inspiration and guidance through the years. The two married in 1965.

It’s been difficult since she passed away in September of 2021. (The couple also lost their only son in 2019. ) “I used to run a lot of songs by her,” he says.

“She was a big help to me. I sure do miss her. ” UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – Singer Ronnie Milsap and wife Francis Joyce Reeves attend the 26th Annual .

. . [+] Academy of Country Music Awards on April 24, 1991 at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, California.

(Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd. /Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images There was one song, though, Joyce didn’t like initially. It’s the one Milsap says is probably his favorite of the many he’s recorded: “It Was Almost Like a Song.

” “I listened to a demo of that song and my wife said, ‘Why do you want to listen to that thing? He sounds awful,’” Milsap says, referring to the demo singer. “But when I got home, I worked it up at the house with the arrangement I wanted. And later, when I showed it to her, she said, ‘What’s that?’ I said that’s the song you hated all last year.

” Milsap improved on it even more in the studio. “I cut that at Woodland Studios and Les Ladd was the engineer. And I said, ‘The piano’s not bright enough.

I want the piano as bright as Barry Manilow’s piano. ’ So, Les did a little trick and turned the Dolby off on one of the piano channels and of course it got brighter and was better. ” While the list of songs each artist will be performing at the upcoming tribute show hasn’t been released yet, Milsap knows who’ll be singing “It Was Almost Like a Song,” and can’t wait to hear it.

“I’m really looking forward to hearing Kelly Clarkson sing that song. I think she’ll do great!” He’s excited about the artists who’ll take the stage in his honor. He’s also extremely grateful.

“There are so many artists coming to be part of this. It’s gonna be really special. ” Tickets are still available.

Check with Ticketmaster or Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for more information. All-star tribute to Ronnie Milsap Courtesy of Absolute Publicity Follow me on Twitter . Check out some of my other work here .

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