Charly McClain
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Denise McClain (born March 26, 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee
, United States
) is an American country music singer
, best-known for series of Country hits during the 1980s.
McClain's biggest hits include "Who's Cheatin' Who
," "Sleeping With the Radio On," and "Radio Heart
."
when she was eight; since she was underage for visitation rights at the hospital, she had to communicate with him through a tape recorder. That inspired her interest in recording and she began her musical career at age 12 with her brother Mike in a band called "Charlotte & The Volunteers" for 6 years. Her first appearance was on TV in Jackson, Tennessee, local station WBBJ morning show. By the age of 17 she was a regular on the club circuit and on the local Memphis show "Mid-South Jamboree" from 1973-1975.
McClain debuted in late 1976 with her first single, "Lay Down," which peaked at #67 on the Billboard Country Chart
. McClain's initial singles in 1976 and 1977, from her debut album Here's Charly McClain, failed to chart highly on the Country charts.
McClain's second album, Let Me Be Your Baby, was released in 1978. She hit country's Top Ten for the first time in 1978 with "That's What You Do to Me
," followed by two other Top 25 hits, "Let Me Be Your Baby," and "Take Me Back."
In 1979 McClain released Alone Too Long (1979), which included the Top-20 hits "When A Love Ain't Right" and "You're a Part of Me". The Women Get Lonely album followed in 1980, featuring the Top 10 hit "Men," which peaked at #7 in 1980, and the Top-20 duet with Johnny Rodriguez
, "I Hate the Way I Love It." However, breakthrough success still eluded McClain.
In 1983, McClain hit #1 with her Mickey Gilley
duet "Paradise Tonight
." "McClain's and Gilley's duet partnership became so successful, they released a duet album the following year, "It Takes Believers", which spawned the Top-5 hit, "Candy Man" (#5 on the Billboard Country Chart). "The Right Stuff", which became a Top-20 hit, followed.
McClain also acted, appearing as a guest star on such shows as Hart to Hart
(in 1981 episode titled "Rhinestone Harts") and CHiPs
(in 1983 episode "Country Action"). McClain's lonely life on the road was also chronicled in a 1981 HBO special titled "So You Want to Be a Star."
McClain released another best-selling album, Radio Heart in 1985, after having a series of minor hits in 1984. The album's title track became a #1 Country hit in 1985, McClain's last #1 to date. The album also spawned two other Top-10 hits that year. McClain married former soap star Wayne Massey
in 1984, and their duet "With Just One Look in Your Eyes" reached number five. The third single off the album was also a duet with Massey, "You Are My Music, You Are My Song." The album, Radio Heart peaked at #15 on the "Top Country Albums" chart in 1985.
McClain's success began to subside after 1986. Her 1987 album brought only one Top 40 single, "Don't Touch Me There", which peaked at #18 on the Billboard Country Chart. The album became McClain's last album with Epic; she parted ways with the label the following year. She continued to chart until her last recording came in 1989. She recorded one studio album with Mercury Records
before the end of the decade. Her last charted single was "You Got the Job", which peaked at #65.
McClain has not toured since the early 1990s. As of 2010, Charly is still married to actor-musician-businessman Wayne Massey.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) is an American country music singer
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, best-known for series of Country hits during the 1980s.
McClain's biggest hits include "Who's Cheatin' Who
Who's Cheatin' Who
"Who's Cheatin' Who" is the title of a country music song written by Jerry Hayes and initially recorded by Charly McClain. It was the title track of her 1980 album for Epic Records, released in November 1980 as a single with "Love Scenes" on the B-side, and in early 1981 became her first Number One...
," "Sleeping With the Radio On," and "Radio Heart
Radio Heart (Charly McClain song)
"Radio Heart" is a 1985 single written by Stephen Allen Davis and Dennis Morgan and recorded by Charly McClain. "Radio Heart" was Charly McClain's second number one on the country chart as a solo artist. The single was her final number one and spent one week at number one and spent a total of...
."
Childhood & teen years
Originally named Charlotte, "Charly" was given her masculine nickname by neighborhood friends in Memphis, and she went on to use it when she started playing hotel lounges. McClain's father, Niles McClain, had tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
when she was eight; since she was underage for visitation rights at the hospital, she had to communicate with him through a tape recorder. That inspired her interest in recording and she began her musical career at age 12 with her brother Mike in a band called "Charlotte & The Volunteers" for 6 years. Her first appearance was on TV in Jackson, Tennessee, local station WBBJ morning show. By the age of 17 she was a regular on the club circuit and on the local Memphis show "Mid-South Jamboree" from 1973-1975.
1976 – 1980: Country beginnings
Signed to her first recording contract in 1976, McClain's distinct vocal sound provided an edge in recognizability—as did her appearance.McClain debuted in late 1976 with her first single, "Lay Down," which peaked at #67 on the Billboard Country Chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
. McClain's initial singles in 1976 and 1977, from her debut album Here's Charly McClain, failed to chart highly on the Country charts.
McClain's second album, Let Me Be Your Baby, was released in 1978. She hit country's Top Ten for the first time in 1978 with "That's What You Do to Me
That's What You Do to Me
"That's What You Do to Me" is a single by American country music artist Charly McClain. Released in August 1978, it was the third single from her album Let Me Be Your Baby. The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks...
," followed by two other Top 25 hits, "Let Me Be Your Baby," and "Take Me Back."
In 1979 McClain released Alone Too Long (1979), which included the Top-20 hits "When A Love Ain't Right" and "You're a Part of Me". The Women Get Lonely album followed in 1980, featuring the Top 10 hit "Men," which peaked at #7 in 1980, and the Top-20 duet with Johnny Rodriguez
Johnny Rodriguez
Johnny Rodriguez is an American country music singer. He was the first famous Latin American country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish....
, "I Hate the Way I Love It." However, breakthrough success still eluded McClain.
1981 – 1989: Breakthrough
McClain hit #1 on the Country charts in 1981 with "Who's Cheatin' Who." This brought McClain breakthrough success for the 1980s. In 1981, McClain scored three Top-10 hits off her Surround Me With Love album: the title track, "Sleepin' With the Radio on", and "The Very Best is You". McClain's albums were beginning to become more successful as well. Her "Who's Cheatin' Who" album peaked at #28 on the "Top Country Albums" chart, and her 1981 album, "Surround Me With Love" went to number 9.In 1983, McClain hit #1 with her Mickey Gilley
Mickey Gilley
Mickey Leroy Gilley is an American country music singer and musician. Although he started out singing straight-up country and western material in the 1970s, he moved towards a more pop-friendly sound in the 1980s, bringing him further success on not just the country charts, but the pop charts as...
duet "Paradise Tonight
Paradise Tonight
"Paradise Tonight" is 1983 duet written by Bill Kenner and Mark Wright and recorded by Charly McClain and Mickey Gilley. "Paradise Tonight" would be the most successful of three releases by Charly McClain and Mickey Gilley as a duo. The single went to number one for one week and stayed a total of...
." "McClain's and Gilley's duet partnership became so successful, they released a duet album the following year, "It Takes Believers", which spawned the Top-5 hit, "Candy Man" (#5 on the Billboard Country Chart). "The Right Stuff", which became a Top-20 hit, followed.
McClain also acted, appearing as a guest star on such shows as Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart is an American television series, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy couple who also moonlighted as amateur detectives. The series was created by writer Sidney Sheldon and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg...
(in 1981 episode titled "Rhinestone Harts") and CHiPs
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
(in 1983 episode "Country Action"). McClain's lonely life on the road was also chronicled in a 1981 HBO special titled "So You Want to Be a Star."
McClain released another best-selling album, Radio Heart in 1985, after having a series of minor hits in 1984. The album's title track became a #1 Country hit in 1985, McClain's last #1 to date. The album also spawned two other Top-10 hits that year. McClain married former soap star Wayne Massey
Wayne Massey
Donald Wayne Massey is an American country music artist and actor. He is best known for playing the role of country/rock music superstar Johnny Drummond on the American daytime soap opera One Life to Live from 1980 to 1984. Massey is also known for marrying country music singer Charly McClain,...
in 1984, and their duet "With Just One Look in Your Eyes" reached number five. The third single off the album was also a duet with Massey, "You Are My Music, You Are My Song." The album, Radio Heart peaked at #15 on the "Top Country Albums" chart in 1985.
McClain's success began to subside after 1986. Her 1987 album brought only one Top 40 single, "Don't Touch Me There", which peaked at #18 on the Billboard Country Chart. The album became McClain's last album with Epic; she parted ways with the label the following year. She continued to chart until her last recording came in 1989. She recorded one studio album with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
before the end of the decade. Her last charted single was "You Got the Job", which peaked at #65.
1990 – present: Current music career status
McClain has not recorded a studio album since 1989's self-titled album on Mercury Records and has dropped out of the public eye. Since 1989, several compilation albums of her music have been released, including 1999's Anthology, which included all McClain's chart hits under Epic.McClain has not toured since the early 1990s. As of 2010, Charly is still married to actor-musician-businessman Wayne Massey.