# 23 Mel McDaniel, he took the long road from Okmulgee, Ok to Nashville. His number 1 Hit stayed on the Country Music Chart for 28 weeks. Along with a score of top 10's and 20 hits.

Mel McDaniel from Okmulgee, Oklahoma was honored with a star in the Country Music Hall of Fame's Walk of Fame, a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Mel is best known for his number one hit, Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On, and top 10 hits, Louisiana Saturday Night, Stand Up, Right in the Palm of your hand, Take me to the Country, Big Ole Brew, I call it Love and Real Good Feel Song.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to Oklahoma music legends. I'm your host, Tommy Hinshaw, born in Chicago, Oklahoma. Melvin mcdaniel once said in an interview, there are enough things to this world to keep you bummed out and his fans don't want to hear him singing something that's going to bump them out some more. This is male mcdaniel. Standby for the story. Mel was born in a small town in Macintosh county, Chakota, Oklahoma on September the sixth, 19, 42. He said his musical influence came like many other musicians when he first saw Elvis Presley on television, though he learned the trumpet in the fourth grade, he picked up a guitar around the age of 14, todd himself, a few guitar chords learning the song, Frankie and Johnny, and he entered his own mogi highest school talent show, no word if he won or not. He played in several bands in high school and after graduation, began playing to working as a musician in and around Tulsa nightclubs. While in Tulsa, he recorded several singles for a local label. His first single called lazy me was written and produced by someone who would later become a music legend himself. Jj cale, Mel lift, toss, and headed to Nashville, but again, like many before him, that first trip was unsuccessful, so he set his sights for the north and began performing around Anchorage, Alaska, wildland in Alaska. He garnered quite a bit of success playing in clubs that cater to both the locals and the influx of oil field workers into Alaska. Middle second shot at Nashville was more successful. He landed a job as a demo singer and a songwriter for combined music with the help of a music publisher friend. He was signed to capital records in 1976. His first single was released on capital entitled have a dream on me. However, his career was not an overnight success. It would be until 1981 before males career finally took off due in large part to his top 20 hit, Louisiana Saturday night, one of my personal favorites in 1985. He enjoyed his only number one hit. Babies got her blue jeans on. This song were made on the charge for 28 continuous weeks. The song was much acclaimed and garnered lots of honors. He had other top 10 hits. Let it roll, let it rock. Stand up right in the palm of your hand. Take me to the country. Big Old brew. I call it love and real good field song. He became a member of the Grand Ole opry in January of 1986. It was a frequent guest on the fabled stage. Later he hit the road with his band that he called the Oklahoma Wind and they performed in theaters around the country including a long run and becoming a fixture in Branson, Missouri theaters. He later broke from capital records in 1990 and signed with inner sounds, new label, Branson entertainment. Mel also became an accomplished songwriter fellow Oklahoman Hoyt Axton was the first record and mcdaniel song, which became sort of a hippie anthem. The song was named roll your own. It was later covered by commander cody and Arlo Guthrie, others to sing a Melmac dangle song where conway twitty, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Rodriguez, earl scruggs, and Doug Kershaw, just to name a few. He was honored with a star in the country music hall of fame walkway of the stars in November of 1996. Mcdaniel suffered a fall into an orchestra pit at the Hymen Performing Arts Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. It caused him to suffer through many injuries and numerous surgeries. Unfortunately, he never completely recovered from the accident. The fall effectively ended his touring career. It was said his falling atop his guitar saved his life. Male was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of fame in 2006, along with fellow Oklahoma and Leon Russell male passed away at the age of 68.

Speaker 2: 4:33

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