Another all-around great tune, no matter who did it...

Now playing at The Roadhouse, Sirius Ch. 62: the Kendalls, "Thank God For the Radio," a No. 1 hit for them from 1984. Believe it or not, this is the only other song I've heard from them than "Heaven's Just A Sin Away," their monster hit from seven years earlier. The first time I ever heard that song, though, it wasn't the original version, but Alan Jackson's cover from his 1994 cd Who I Am. I was surprised to find Alan's was a cover; one day back in Texarkana not quite 12 years ago, I was listening and heard the Kendalls' original and was like, "Hey, I KNOW that song!" (on 103.9 not long after they switched to classic country from Christian.) I like both recordings of it, though if I had to pick a favorite it'd probably have to be Alan's. His recording would have made a great radio single, I think. I can't help but think it would have been another No. 1, but "Song For The Life" — which, IIRC, was another cover tune, I know it was penned by Rodney Crowell — still did well for him, going to No. 6 in the spring of '95.
Oh yeah, 11:24 am, at Willie's Place, Sirius Ch. 64: Waylon Jennings, "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean," from 1973, if I remember corectly. Been a while since I've heard the original, but I have Waylon's Greatest Hits around here somewhere with that one on it...
11:41 am: George Strait, "Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind," the title track from his landmark 1984 album. I think that would probably have to be my second favorite GS tune after "Let's Fall To Pieces Together." I love all of Strait's stuff, but I think his '80s records produced with Jimmy Bowen were the best, although he's recorded music throughout his career that runs neck-and-neck with those records. The examples that come to mind right offhand are 1996's Blue Clear Sky and It Just Comes Natural from '06. Those two albums as a whole are my personal favorites from Strait's post-Bowen catalog, with Carrying Your Love With Me and One Step At A Time running really close behind.