Randy Gurley is an American country singer who performed in the US and the UK. She had several hits on the US country charts from 1977 to 1979. She recorded for the ABC Records and RCA Records labels. She is most likely remembered for her version of "True Love Ways".
Background
Randy Gurley was an artist who had the good fortune to be recognized within the music industry before she had a hit on the charts.
[ Country Music Magazine, January 2, 1979 - (page unknown) BULLET AWARDS: VOCALISTS OF THE YEAR, Runners Up, Randy Gurley] ABC's actions with her were something of an exception to the trend that they were following by not signing acts that they felt could not develop into a substantial album selling artist. They would normally establish an artist with a single first.
Jim Foglesong who was ABC's president in Nashville felt that Gurley had a unique talent that could go far. Making an exception with her, they released an album and a single almost at the same time.
[ Billboard, May 20, 1978 - Page 58 Country, Singles Still Rule the Rising Country Market]
Label Execs Strive To Up LP Sales *Continued from page 1
She was born circa 1963 in Salem, Massachusetts, and grew up in Maine and California. She was singing from the age of sixteen. She apparently was on the verge of giving up singing. However, she borrowed money and headed to Dallas to stay with a friend and try to get her career going. It was there that she came into contact with a young public relations specialist called David Van Cronkhite.[ Country Music Magazine, September 1979 - Page 8 Randy Gurley's Wearing Cinderella's Slipper And It Seems To Be A Perfect Fit by BOB ANDERSON] He is the man who was credited with discovering her. It was Cronkhite who took her to see veteran producer Owen Bradley and have him interested in producing her as an artist. He then took her to Tulsa where she met Jim Halsey to get him interested in handling her career.[ Country Music Magazine, January 2, 1979 - (page unknown) BULLET AWARDS: VOCALISTS OF THE YEAR, Runners Up, Randy Gurley]
Gurley's hits include "True Love Ways" in 1977 and "Don't Treat Me Like a Stranger" and "If I Ever", both in 1979.[ MusicVF.com - Randy Gurley Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography] She was a Cash Box Country Album place Winner (New Female Vocalists section) in 1978[ Cash Box, December 30, 1978 - Page 50 Country Album Winners Poll, New Female Vocalists] and a Country Music Magazine Bullet Award runner up the following year.[ Country Music Magazine, January 2, 1979 - (page unknown) COUNTRY MUSIC MAGAZINE'S BULLET AWARDS, Vocalist Runner- UP, Randy Gurley]
She was on the ABC Nashville roster that also included Tom Bresh, Roy Clark, John Conlee, Narvel Felts, Freddy Fender, Barbara Mandrell, The Oak Ridge Boys and Tommy Overstreet etc.[ Billboard, July 1, 1978 - (page unknown) Country, SALES INCREASE 25%, ABC Nashville Upswing Follows Roster Cutback By GERRY WOOD] She was also a touring support act for The Oak Ridge Boys. She had also hired Vickie Carrico as her backing singer.[ CultScoop Magazine - THE BIG VOICE FROM NASHVILLE Vickie Carrico]
As of July 1977, Randy Gurley was being managed by DVC, Inc. headed by David Van Cronkhite.[ Cash Box, July 22, 1978 - Page 34 Country, Bill Williams Leaves E/A And Joins DVC Management Firm by Bob Campbell]
Career
1977
Randy Gurley recorded the Carol Bayer Sager / David Wolfer song "Heartbreaker" which was produced by Harold Bradley. Backed with "Louisville", it was released on
ABC Records/
Dot Records 17728 in 1977. It was a recommended single in the Country section of the November 12 issue of
Billboard.
[ Billboard, November 12, 1977 - Page 100 Billboard's Top Singles, Country, recommended][ Music Week, February 4, 1978 - Page 41 abc RECORDS, SINGLES, ABC 4200 RANDY GURLEY/Heartbreaker/Louisville]
According to the December 9, 1977 issue of Radio & Records, her single was added to the playlist of KLAK in Denver, Colorado.[ Radio & Records, Volume 5 Number 46 Friday, December 9, 1977 - Country Regional Adds, West , KLAK Denver, CD]
1978
On February 14, 1978, Randy Gurley was set to headline at her first major show at the Palomino club in
North Hollywood.
[ Cash Box, February 18, 1978 - Page 38 COUNTRY, COUNTRY ROUNDUP]
Gurley's performance at the Palomino Club was reviewed by Patricia Thomas in the March 11, 1978 issue of Cash Box. Thomas wrote that after the support acts, Gurley came bounding across the dance floor then on to the stage. She started off with the song "Southland" which was described as a rock stomping tribute to the southern neighbors. Thomas said that it was a well-chosen kick off for the set of songs which were written or performed by artists such as the Eagles, Bonnie Raitt and JD Souther. It was the cover of Souther's "Faithless Love" which was singled out as a fine performance. Some songs from Gurley's forthcoming album were also performed. In addition to saying that Gurley's 5 feet 1 inch of unaffected personality and vocal style mix well, Gurley's clear voice as her outstanding feature and her cross-over potential was also noted.[ Cash Box, March 11, 1978 - Page 17 TALENT, Randy Gurley - patricia thomas]
Let Me Be the One (album)
Gurley's debut album
Let Me Be the One which was produced by Harold Bradley and
Jim Foglesong was released in 1978 on ABC AB-1067. It was reviewed in the May 6 issue of
Cash Box with the reviewer saying that it bursts with smooth professionalism. The consistency of the material was also noted. The picks were the title song which was referred to as a standout and JD Souther's "Faithless Love" and Steve Young's "Old Memories Mean Nothing to Me". The reviewer predicted a long line of her albums to follow.
[ Cash Box, May 6, 1978 - Page 45 45 / REVIEWS / LP, RANDY GURLEY — Let Me Be The One — ABC AB-1067]
Three songs from the album were recommended by The Gavin Report in the publication's April 28 issue. They were "Only Diamonds Are Forever", "Faithless Love" and "Old Memories".[ The Gavin Report, #1197 April 7, 1978 - -13- (4/28/78), Also recommended from the following LP's:,]
"Let Me Be The One"-Randy Gurley ( ABC) ONLY DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER/FAITHLESS LOVE/OLD MEMORIES
"Let Me Be the One" (single)
The single "Let Me Be the One" was released on ABC AB-12347. It was reviewed by
Record World in the magazine's April 1 issue. It was one of the two Country Picks of the Week, the other being "Two More Bottles of Wine" by
Emmylou Harris. The reviewer referred to Gurley's song as pleasant and easy-going and it would go well with the coming of the spring season.
[ Record World, April 1, 1978 - Page 100 COUNTRY PICKS OF THE WEEK, SINGLE, RANDY GURLEY, "LET ME BE THE ONE"] According to The Country Column in the April 15 issue of
Cash Box, the song had been chosen by American Airlines for all of their aircraft's
In-flight music programming.
[ Cash Box, April 15, 1978 - Page 40 COUNTRY, The Country Column]
- Further activities
During July, she was appearing at the Park Tahoe Hotel in Stateline, NV and was set to wrap up her month-long engagement on the 30th. The next day she was to commence her week-long engagement at the Caravan East, in Albuquerque, NM.
[ Cash Box, July 22, 1978 - Page 37 COUNTRY]
"True Love Ways"
Gurley recorded the
Buddy Holly and
Norman Petty composition "True Love Ways" which was released on
ABC Records AB -12392 in 1978. It was one of the "Singles to Watch in the July 22 issue of
Cash Box.
[ Cash Box, July 22, 1978 - Page 36 45 / REVIEWS / LP, Singles To Watch]
On the week of September 23, 1978, her song "True Love Ways" entered the Record World Country Singles Chart at no. 92.[ Record World, September 23, 1978 - Page 72 RECORD WORLD COUNTRY SINGLES CHART, SEPT. 23 92, SEPT. 16 -, WKS. ON CHART 1] It peaked at no. 90 the following week.[ Record World, September 30, 1978 - Page 96 RECORD WORLD COUNTRY SINGLES CHART, SEPT. 30 90, SEPT. 23 92, WKS. ON CHART 2][ Record World, October 7, 1978 - Page 120 RECORD WORLD COUNTRY SINGLES CHART, OCT 7. 100, SEPT 30. 90, WKS ON CHART 3] It also made it to no. 77 on the Billboard Country chart.[ MusicVF.com - Randy Gurley Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography, 1978 1. 09/1978 True Love Ways by Randy Gurley ]
- Further activities in 1978
It was reported by
Cash Box in the magazine's October 21 issue that Gurley and Roy Head had been in Plymouth, England headlining the first country show with ten to follow. It was for the Westward Television. They had recently returned to the United States.
[ Cash Box, October 21, 1978 - C-28 Country Music Special 1978, 1978: Year Of Many Firsts For The Jim Halsey Company]
With Bonnie Tyler at no. 1, Stella Parton at no. 2, Mary K. Miller at no. 3 and Susie Allanson at no. 5, Gurley came no. 4 in the New Female Vocalists section of the 1978 Cash Box Country Album Winners Poll which was published the magazine's December 30 issue.[ Cash Box, December 30, 1978 - Page 50 Country Album Winners Poll, New Female Vocalists]
1979
"Don't Treat Me Like a Stranger"
It was reported by
Cash Box in the June 30, 1979 issue that
Cliff Cochran, Randy Gurley and Mary K. Miller were three artists that had been signed to the
RCA Records label.
[ Cash Box, June 30, 1979 - Page 31 COUNTRY, MCA Tops Country Divisions With Active Roster Of 33 Acts by Bob Campbell, CBS Runner-Up ] Her single "Don't Treat Me Like a Stranger" had been released on RCA JH-11611 earlier that month. It was written by
Dave Loggins and produced by
Roy Dea. It was one of the
Billboard Top Picks in the Country section.
[ Billboard, June 16, 1979 - Page 87 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Country, RANDY GURLEY -Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger] On the week ending the song debuted in the
Billboard Hot Country Singles chart at no. 98.
[ Billboard, July 14, 1979 - Page 35 Billboard Hot Country Singles, This Week 98, NEW ENTRY] It peaked at no. 97 the following week.
[ Billboard, July 21, 1979 - Page 60 Billboard Hot Country Singles, This Week 97, Last Week 98, Weeks on Chart 2][ Billboard, July 28, 1979 - Page 46 Billboard Hot Country Singles]
- Further activities
It was reported by
Record World in the October 13, 1979 issue that Gurley and fellow RCA newcomer
Steve Wariner had recently performed at LA's Palamino Club.
[ Record World, October 13, 1979 - Red O'Donnell's Year in Review (Continued from page 72)]
According to Record World Country Hotline columnist Marie Ratliff in the October 27 issue, Gurley's song "If I Ever" was getting good attention on radio stations, WWVA, KERE, KSOP, WWNC, WNYN, WBAM, and WSLC.[ Record World, October 27, 1979 - Page 80 Country Hotline By MARIE RATLIFF]
It made its debut on the Billboard Hot Country chart for the week ending October 27, 1979. It spent three weeks in the chart, peaking at no. 92.[ #Records And Charts - 2 If I Ever]
1980s
Gurley was mentioned in the Nashville Scene column of the July 4, 1981 issue of
Billboard. It said to the readers if they were wondering what happened to Randy Gurley and then mentioned that she was back in the studio the next month with
Norbert Putman a well-known pop producer. There was no indication of what direction Gurley would take musically. It was mentioned in the paragraph that with her voice, no matter what direction, the finished product would be commercial.
[ Billboard, July 4, 1981 - Page 62 Country, Nashville Scene]
Discography
[45Cat - Randy Gurley - Discography, USA]
Further reading
External links
