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Today we're highlighting the very first song of the '1980s to appear on 4 different Billboard charts, reaching #1 on Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and Country Charts, and # 47 on the Soul Chart.
"Lady" was written by Lionel Ritchie--almost immediately after he left The Commodores for his soon-to-be incredibly successful solo career.
He actually offered the song to his former group, but they turned him down!
That led to some out-of-the-box thinking: Lionel then offered the song to Kenny Rogers, believing that together they could record a version that would be an interesting mix of Country and Soul that would land somewhere in the world of Pop music.
Kenny was the perfect choice: someone who was quickly becoming a country legend...and had also been successful (with The First Edition) as a Pop music artist.
So, with Lionel at the controls producing, and Kenny giving his soulful best in the studio, "Lady" was recorded, added as a bonus track to Kenny's 1980 "Greatest Hits album, and released as a single.
In addition to its chart success in the US, "Lady" became a Top 5 hit in Canada, South Africa and Argentina.
And currently, Billboard has it penciled in at t#60 on their list of the All Time Best Hot 100 Songs!
After "Lady," both Lionel and Kenny continued to score crossover hit after crossover hit for the next several years--both together and separately!
"Lady:" written and produced by Lionel Ritchie and sung by Kenny Rogers--
a dynamic duo with a Great Song of 1980!
Tomorrow: Passionate Rod.
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