Results: Remembering Groundbreaking Country Singer K.T. Oslin

Though perhaps not renowned now as some other country music personalities who passed on in 2020, K.T. Oslin-who died this December at age 78-was a significant presence in the genre in the late '80's and early '90's. Do you recall Oslin from her heyday on commercial country radio?

Oslin was the first female performer to be awarded by at least one of US country music's trade groups for a song of her own compostion. Furthermore, her hit streak began when she was in her mid-40's, far older than when most singers in her field catch their big break. And her songs often spoke to concerns of her peer group. Would you agree with me that popular music, or at least country specifically, shouldn't be solely the domain of youthful performers and their mindset?

Though unmentioned it in any of the obituaries for her I read, I'd call Oslin a groundbreaker in music videos, too. Pop and rock led the way in the form but, her use of plotlines, costuming and other creativity helped country videos catch up in innovation. Since music videos aren't seen on TV often as they were in the past, do you pay attention to when singers/bands/musicans you like release new clips?

My hunch is that country radio programmers tired of Oslin and her songs' mature themes in the rush of excitement brought to country by "hats acts" such as Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson and the Southern rock influences of Travis Tritt and others around the time of her commercial peak. Have you seen musical acts you enjoy be swept aside as trends within the style they perform change?

Following the leads of ladies like Emmylou Harris and Roseanne Cash, Oslin briefly pivoted to country-adjacent Americana music after radio abandoned her. But, as have Dolly Partion, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, and LeAnn Rimes, she also flirted with electronic club music. Here she is remaking Rosemary Clooney's sprightly "Come On-a My House" to what I'd describe as downtempo Middle Eastern trip-hop. I'm not sure it all gels as intended. How about by you?