If ever there was a country star who mastered the art of pretending to do very little while keeping audiences spellbound, it was “Gentle Giant” Don Williams. His death in September 2017 stole from us an artist of leisurely, old-school charm who represented much more than his signature hits like “You’re My Best Friend” and “I Recall A Gypsy Woman.”
Seventeen list headings
Between 1974 and 1991, the man from Floydada, Texas racked up an extraordinary 45 Top 10 country hits total. Seventeen of them made it to number 1. We go back to the early summer of 1987, when his album New Moves for Capitol, named for its nod to a more pop-oriented sound for the Music Row traditionalist, produced his fifth single.
The typically laid back and gently in love “I will never be in love again” it entered the country chart at number 68. It was the third highest debut of the week, behind Exile’s “She’s Too Good To Be True” and Lyle Lovett’s “Why I Don’t Know.”
“I’ll Never Be In Love Again” was written by Bob Corbin and produced by Williams with Garth Fundis, who had earned a reputation as one of Music Row’s most trusted producers since arriving in Nashville earlier in the decade. 1970. The single rose steadily to the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Singles, eventually peaking at number 4 to become 35th of those 45 top tenners.
The song also recorded an impressive 26 weeks in the nation’s bestsellers, which at the time was the best span of Williams’ career. He would repeat it with his next hit, “I wouldn’t be a man,” which came out in October 1987. There were two more singles that recorded more six-month runs for Don, 1989’s “I’ve Been Loved By.” Best “and” Only while I have you “from the nineties.
Follow the All Time Greatest Country Hits playlist.
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