Ronnie Milsap facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ronnie Milsap
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Milsap in 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ronald Lee Millsaps |
| Born | January 16, 1943 Robbinsville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Genres | Country, doo wop, blue-eyed soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1963–present |
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Ronnie Lee Milsap (born Ronald Lee Millsaps; January 16, 1943) is an American country music singer and piano player. He is famous for his unique blend of country, pop, and R&B music.
Ronnie Milsap was one of the most popular and important country music stars in the 1970s and 1980s. He was almost completely blind from birth. Despite this, he became a very successful "crossover" singer. This means his songs were popular with both country and pop music fans.
Some of his biggest hits include "It Was Almost Like a Song", "Smoky Mountain Rain", "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me", and "Any Day Now". He has won six Grammy Awards. He also had 35 songs reach number one on the country music charts. Only George Strait, Conway Twitty, and Merle Haggard have had more. In 2014, he was chosen to join the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Contents
Career
Early Life and Music Beginnings (1943–1971)
Ronnie Milsap was born on January 16, 1943, in Robbinsville, North Carolina. He was born with a condition that made him almost completely blind. His mother left him when he was a baby. His grandparents raised him in the Smoky Mountains. When he was 5, he went to the Governor Morehead School for the blind in Raleigh, North Carolina.
At school, teachers noticed his amazing musical talent. When he was 7, he started formally studying classical music. He learned to play several instruments, becoming very good at the piano.
When he was a teenager, Ronnie became interested in rock and roll music. He formed a band called the Apparitions with his friends. He often honors musicians like Ray Charles, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley who inspired him.
Ronnie received a scholarship to Young Harris College. He planned to become a lawyer. But he also joined a popular R&B band called the Dimensions. In 1964, he decided to leave college and focus on music full-time. He met Joyce Reeves and they got married in 1965.
In 1963, Ronnie recorded his first song, "Total Disaster." It became popular in the Atlanta area. In 1965, he signed with Scepter Records. He worked with other soul musicians like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. He had his first hit song, "Never Had It So Good," in 1965.
Later, Ronnie moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He worked as a musician for producer Chips Moman. He played on songs for Elvis Presley, including "Don't Cry Daddy" and "Kentucky Rain". In 1971, he released his first album, Ronnie Milsap.
Becoming a Country Star (1973–1975)
In 1972, Ronnie met country music star Charley Pride. Charley heard Ronnie sing and told him to try country music. Ronnie moved to Nashville and signed with RCA Records in 1973.
His first country song for RCA, "I Hate You," became a top 10 hit. In 1974, he toured with Charley Pride. He had two number one songs: "Pure Love" and "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends". The second song won him his first Grammy Award. In 1975, he had more number one hits with "(I'd Be) A Legend in My Time" and "Daydreams About Night Things".
Big Hits and Crossover Success (1976–1992)
From 1976 to 1978, Ronnie Milsap became one of country music's biggest stars. He had seven number one songs in a row. These included the Grammy-winning "(I'm a) Stand by My Woman Man" and "What a Difference You've Made in My Life".
His most important song during this time was "It Was Almost Like a Song" in 1977. This song was a huge success. It topped the country charts and also became a hit on the pop music charts. This showed that his music appealed to many different listeners.
In the early 1980s, Ronnie's music started to sound more like pop songs. This led to even more crossover success. From 1980 to 1983, he had eleven number one songs in a row. His song "Smoky Mountain Rain" was a number one country hit and also reached the Top 20 on the pop charts.
Other big crossover hits included "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me", "I Wouldn't Have Missed It For the World", and "Any Day Now". These songs were number one on the country charts and also very popular on pop and adult contemporary charts.
Between 1985 and 1987, Ronnie had many more number one country songs. These included "She Keeps the Home Fires Burning" and "Snap Your Fingers". He also had a Grammy-winning duet with Kenny Rogers called "Make No Mistake, She's Mine".
In 1989, "A Woman in Love" became his last number one song. He continued to have Top 10 hits until 1991. In 1990, he released his autobiography, Almost like a Song. By the mid-1990s, his songs were played less often on the radio.
Life Today (Since 1993)
Even though his songs are not played as much on the radio now, Ronnie Milsap is still a beloved country music artist. In 2000, he released a two-CD set called 40 No. 1 Hits. He was also featured on TV shows like Biography and CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music.
In 2004, Ronnie released Just for a Thrill, an album of American pop and jazz songs. It earned him a Grammy nomination. In 2006, he returned to country music with the album My Life.
In 2009, he released Then Sings My Soul, an album of hymns and gospel songs. One song, "Up To Zion," became a number one hit on the southern gospel charts. His album Country Again came out in 2011, returning to a more traditional country sound.
In 2013, Ronnie performed at the memorial service for country legend George Jones. In 2014, he released a new album called Summer #17, which featured classic pop and R&B songs. That same year, Rolling Stone magazine listed his song "Smoky Mountain Rain" as one of the 100 greatest country songs.
In 2016, Ronnie was one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country". This song celebrated 50 years of the CMA Awards. In 2019, he released Ronnie Milsap: The Duets, an album with many famous artists like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.
Ronnie continues to record new music. In 2021, he released A Better Word for Love. He also reissued his Christmas album. In 2022, he recorded a duet with Michael Feinstein and started a new podcast called "Music and Milsap." He was also inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.
Ronnie Milsap celebrated his 80th birthday in 2023. He announced that he would be retiring from touring, but he plans to keep recording music and doing his podcast.
Amateur Radio Operator
Ronnie Milsap is also an Advanced-class amateur radio operator. His call sign is WB4KCG. This means he can use a special radio to talk to people around the world.
Personal Life
Ronnie Milsap married Joyce Reeves in 1965. They had one son, Ronald "Todd" Milsap. Sadly, his son, Todd, passed away in 2019. His wife, Joyce, passed away in 2021 after a long illness.
Discography
Industry Awards and Honors
Academy of Country Music
- 1982 Top Male Vocalist
- 1985 Song of the Year – "Lost in the Fifties Tonight"
- 1988 Instrumentalist of the Year, Keyboards
- 2002 Pioneer Award
Billboard
- 1980 No. 1 Country Song of the Year – "My Heart"
- 1985 No. 1 Country Song of the Year – "Lost in the Fifties Tonight"
- 1974 Male Vocalist of the Year
- 1975 Album of the Year – A Legend in My Time
- 1976 Male Vocalist of the Year
- 1977 Album of the Year – Ronnie Milsap Live
- 1977 Entertainer of the Year
- 1977 Male Vocalist of the Year
- 1978 Album of the Year – It Was Almost Like a Song
- 1986 Album of the Year – Lost in the Fifties Tonight
Country Music Hall of Fame 2014 Inductee
- 1975 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends"
- 1977 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "(I'm a) Stand by My Woman Man"
- 1982 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me"
- 1986 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "Lost in the Fifties Tonight"
- 1987 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "Lost in the Fifties Tonight"
- 1988 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals – "Make No Mistake, She's Mine" (w/ Kenny Rogers)
Music City News Country
- 1975 Most Promising Male Artist
Miscellaneous Achievements
- 40 No. 1 hits, 35 of which reached the top spot on the Billboard chart; the remaining 5 topped other trade charts, including Cashbox
- Over 35 million albums sold
- Inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1976
- Inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2002
- Awarded the Career Achievement Award by Country Radio Seminar in 2006
- Awarded the 2007 Rocketown Legend Award
Other Honors On December 2, 2020, six miles of U.S. 129 in Graham County, North Carolina, was named Ronnie Milsap Highway.
See also
In Spanish: Ronnie Milsap para niños
