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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZCONLEE, John(b 11 Aug. '46, Versailles KY) Soulful country singer. Raised on tobacco farm, played in folk trio in his teens, began work as a mortician. Became disc jockey in Fort Knox, to Nashville '71 playing rock records. Began recording for ABC '77, made country chart with 'Rose Coloured Glasses' '78, hit no. 1 same year with 'Lady Lie Down'. Further top five hits incl. 'Backside Of 30' '79, 'Before My Time' '79, 'Friday Night Blues' '80, 'Miss Emily's Picture' '81, 'I Don't Remember Loving You' '82, 'Common Man' '83, 'As Long As I'm Rockin' With You' '84. LPs incl. Rose Coloured Glasses ABC '78; Forever '79, Friday Night Blues '80, With Love '81, Busted '82, In My Eyes '83, Blue Highway '84 all on MCA. He had struck modern subject matter and ballad style for country music fans who now live mostly in suburbs, switched to CBS for Harmony '86, American Faces '87; to ill-fated 16th Avenue Records for Fellow Travellers '89, then faded from charts. Long-time chairman of the Family Farm Defense Fund; still a member of the Opry. |