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Earl Thomas Conley

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ETC WAS THE BEST

I saw Earl Thomas Conley in Renfro Valley KY in 2015. It was a great show and I had 2nd row seats for 2016 there for last year also. That concert was canceled because a medical problem. I think this guy is great and cant wait to see him again. This man should be in the Country Hall Of Fame if anybody should be. He is one of the last real Country Bands. Hope he's doing well and cant wait to see him again, He's the Best. Lou

He was drunk or on some type of medicine. He was forgetting what he was singing and would not even look at the audience. His band appeared to be embarrassed. He even left the stage at one time for about 20 minutes. We had 2nd row seats and was looking for a great show because he was a great talent at one time. It's a shame to see him in that condition. I would not recommend this show to anyone

So sorry but was disappointed. Hope future concerts will be better

Loved it. Front row seats. ETD gave a great concert. Would love to see others at Hard Rock. My husband and I will definitely be back.

Earl Thomas Conley was drunk

it was the worst. He forgot words, stumbled around, don't know how he didn't fall off the stool.

Earl Thomas Conley was drunk in Biloxi!!!!!!!!!!

I drove almost 700 miles round trip to go to this concert. The event was a huge disappointment. Earl Thomas Conley was so drunk he could barely stand up and didn't much of the time. He even had trouble sitting on the stool that was brought out for him, and he was so drunk he had to have help putting down his guitar. The band tried to cover for him, but there was just so much they could do. The music was much too loud, so even when Earl Thomas got it together enough to sound good, his voice was barely audible. It was evident that most of the audience was not enjoying the concert, as there was a constant parade of people coming and going (apparently to the bar) the whole time. I have been a fan for many years and had never been able to see him in concert. He is a talented songwriter, and his voice is among the best. I listened to some of his music on the way back home the next day and wished he could have provided just a hint of that talent during the concert. I realize he is way past his prime, but if he is going to perform, he owes it to the fans to give them his best. He did not do it. What a shame!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVED Earl Thomas Conley

I had waited for a long time for ETC to come to our area. He was amazing! We had made t-shirts with a ETC logo to wear to the concert. One of his producers took pictures of us wearing them. Thoroughly enjoyed his music and brought us back to "true country music" PLEASE BRING HIM BACK!!!!

Band was fantastic but played way too loud to hear the singing. Conley seem to be in a daze and kept talking to band members. Left at break which I have never done in a concert.

Earl Thomas Conley brought back memories.

His voice isn't what it used to be and he struggles physically on stage, but he remains one of the greatest singer songwriters of all times. Really enjoyed the nostalgic trip and had forgotten all of his great songs.

Voice is going..

Earl seemed kinda "out of it" Granted he is 70+ years old, but seemed almost drunk. His voice is not what it once was, it was not BAD, but it isn't great. I was very disappointed he did not sing Heavenly Bodies as one of the songs. Also there was a problem at the venue letting folks in, we were in line for 30 minutes, and just sat down as Earl came on stage.

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Earl Thomas Conley

Latest setlist, earl thomas conley on july 24, 2010.

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Country Singer Earl Thomas Conley Dead at 77

By Stephen L. Betts

Stephen L. Betts

Earl Thomas Conley, who enjoyed a nearly unbroken streak of 18 Number One hits in the Eighties — including “Holding Her and Loving You,” “Angel in Disguise” and the duet with Emmylou Harris “We Believe in Happy Endings” — died in Nashville early Wednesday morning, following a battle with a condition similar to dementia. He was 77.

An influential singer who also wrote or co-wrote the bulk of his hits, Conley was memorialized in a Twitter post by Blake Shelton , who wrote: “My heart is absolutely destroyed today… Earl was my all time favorite singer, hero and my friend. Prayers to his family. We will all miss you deeply my brother. Now go rest….”

A native of the steelworking town of Portsmouth, Ohio, Conley, the third of eight children, was 14 when his father was laid off from his railroad job, due to the phasing out of steam engines. Taken in by his older sister Joyce, who encouraged his talent for art, Conley nonetheless turned down an art-school scholarship and joined the Army instead. While stationed in West Germany for two years, he became interested in country music. Conley was 21 when his sister was killed in a car accident. Moving back to Ohio, he sang gospel music with his aunt and uncle and made frequent trips to Nashville. After relocating to Huntsville, Alabama, he worked in a steel mill and would soon meet music publisher Nelson Larkin.

Conley first charted in 1975 with GRT Records, the same year Conway Twitty would have a Number One single with his “This Time I’ve Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me.” A brief stint with Warner Bros. Records was followed by signing to the Sunbird label, where he landed his first Top Ten hit as an artist, “Silent Treatment,” and the 1981 Number One “Fire and Smoke.”

My heart is absolutely destroyed today… I’m sad to report that Earl Thomas Conley passed away very early this morning. Earl was my all time favorite singer, hero and my friend. Prayers to his family. We will all miss you deeply my brother. Now go rest… pic.twitter.com/W75ZVV6fbe — Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) April 10, 2019

Moving then to RCA, Conley would score the 1982 chart-topper “Somewhere Between Right and Wrong.” In 1983, he became the first artist to ever have four consecutive Number One hits from a single studio LP, Don’t Make It Easy for Me , a record that was bested later in the decade by Rodney Crowell’s Diamonds & Dirt . By that time, he was collaborating extensively with songwriter-musician Randy Scruggs, refocusing his efforts on more traditionally based country music. Conley would also break new ground in 1986 with “Too Many Times,” a duet with Pointer Sisters’ singer Anita Pointer, which led to his becoming the only country artist to ever appear on Soul Train . A Number Two hit, it was only his third release from 1982 to 1989 to not reach the top of the charts.

In 1991, Conley was featured on a duet with the late Keith Whitley, “Brotherly Love.” At the same time, he began experiencing financial woes, along with issues with allergies that affected his voice. This led to an extended retirement from the music business. While he would perform occasionally, he didn’t return to recording until the late Nineties, with an album titled Perpetual Emotion . The LP was reissued in 2003 as Should’ve Been Over by Now , by which time he was performing and recording again.

Toby Keith, the Oak Ridge Boys and Chris Young also paid tribute to Conley, the “thinking man’s country singer,” on social media.

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The singer of ‘Fire & Smoke,’ ‘Right From The Start’ and many other country anthems was mourned by such current stars as Blake Shelton and Toby Keith.

Published on

Country star Earl Thomas Conley, a giant of the genre who had 18 No. 1s between 1981 and 1989, died on Wednesday (10) in Nashville at the age of 77. He had been in hospice care.

“We are heartbroken,” Carol Scates, Conley’s partner of 20 years, said. “The light has dimmed but his light will shine on in his music.” Present-day country star Blake Shelton was among those to share his grief on social media. “My heart is absolutely destroyed today,” he wrote.

“I’m sad to report that Earl Thomas Conley passed away very early this morning. Earl was my all time favourite singer, hero and my friend. Prayers to his family. We will all miss you deeply my brother. Now go rest…”|

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Toby Keith wrote: “ An all time great. Earl Thomas Conley passed away today. Huge influence on me. Loved him. Prayers to his family.” His contemporary Steve Wariner added: “ We played many shows together, had battles on the charts and were label mates at RCA. He surely made great records…and left them here for all to enjoy. Rest In Peace my old friend.”

Conley was born in West Portsmouth, Ohio on 17 October 1941. He served in the US Army from 1960-62 and worked in a steel mill in Huntville, Alabama in the early 1970s. His chart breakthrough came in 1975 when, signed to GRT Records, he nudged his way onto the lower rungs of the country chart with ‘I Have Loved You Girl (But Not Like This Before)’ and ‘It’s The Bible Against The Bottle (In The Battle For Daddy’s Soul),’ both of which reached No. 87.

After several other singles that charted modestly in the second half of the 1970s, his first major hit was ‘Silent Treatment,’ which reached No. 7 early in 1981. That was the year of Conley’s first No. 1 with the self-penned ‘Fire & Smoke,’ which he co-produced with Nelson Larkin.

Thus began a remarkable run of success throughout the 1980s which included one sequence of five consecutive No. 1s, another of four and another again of six. These bestsellers included ‘Your Love’s On The Line,’ ‘Angel In Disguise,’ ‘I Can’t Win For Losin’ You,’ ‘Right From The Start’ and ‘We Believe In Happy Endings,’ a duet with Emmylou Harris.

Conley’s total of 40 country chart singles extended into the early 1990s, and his album history included a Greatest Hits set that hit No. 1 in March 1986 and was certified gold.

Scates told CNN that Conley’s talents extended far beyond music. “A lot of people don’t realise he was not just an artist who performed music, but he was a very talented artist who painted and sculpted,” she said.

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Country stars come out to honor Earl Thomas Conley

 today’s top artists remember ‘the shy genius’.

By Preshias Harris

It was an afternoon of memories.  Earl Thomas Conley was adamant about one thing: he did not want a funeral.  But Nashville’s music community could not let Conley’s death prevent a celebration of his life.

The result: The Earl Thomas Conley Memorial on September 10 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater.

Some of Country music’s biggest stars were there to share memories of “ETC” and how his music had affected their own careers. My own memories of Earl Thomas Conley are connected to a different Hall of Fame. The first time I met him was in the 1980s when we both attended an induction ceremony at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.  The last time I ever saw him was when my friend Walt Aldridge was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October 2017. That night, Earl sang his mega-hit “Holding Her and Loving You” that had been written by Aldridge with Tom Brasfield .

 “I mean if you played honky tonks and didn’t do an Earl Thomas Conley slow song you were a fool.” – Luke Bryan

More than thirty years of memories

As the artists took their places on the stage for the Memorial, I realized how much of my thirty-plus years of memories involved these remarkable singers and songwriters in addition to ETC.  There was Luke Bryan and I recalled attending his number one party as a songwriter for “Good Directions” that he co-wrote for Billy Currington before his own singing career took off. Then there was Jason Aldean .  I remembered going to one of his first showcases when there were maybe ten people there. Next to Jason was Joe Diffie , and memories came back to me of taking a friend to see Joe receive a Gold Record for his album Honky Tonk Attitude .  That friend was Michael Martin who would later become Vice President of Artist Relations at ASCAP.

Then John Anderson took his seat on the stage. I had been an intern for him and his label, BNA Records, at the time of his Seminole Winds album.  Then there was Dale Ann Bradley , one of my favorite Bluegrass artists, whom I had interviewed at her induction into the Kentucky Hall of Fame in 2018.  Then on over was Neal McCoy , and I was his intern at Atlantic records after I left my internship at BNA.  Next to Neal was Wade Hayes and I remember meeting him in the late 80s or early 90s when he was playing for a guy named Johnny Lee as a guitarist at the old Gilley’s in Nashville.  All of these stars – and more – talked about Earl Thomas Conley, a unique singer that all of them loved.

“I was just so impressed. I was just staring at Earl’s chest. I was so impressed and I couldn’t get over it.  He was like Superman up there!  And that was my first memory of Earl, staring at his chest!”  – Blake Shelton

Stars remember ETC

Luke Bryan recalled growing up as a kid in South Georgia. “My dad had a Chevrolet pickup with a tape player in it,” he said.  “I would say, for five years, Earl Thomas Conley’s tape never left.  I don’t know if my daddy even listened to the radio.  He just kept that tape in whenever he was in his truck.  That was what was playing.  And so that’s how I found his music and it just continued from there.  Even through playing honky tonks; I mean if you played honky tonks and didn’t do an Earl Thomas Conley slow song you were a fool.”

Blake Shelton revealed that ETC was a very shy man. “He was a very talented guy and I don’t think he ever knew how talented he was.  I remember the first time I went to his house, we wrote a song. Mike Pyle introduced me to him and I couldn’t get over the fact that I was sitting there with my personal hero, my favorite singer of all time of any genre of music.  I just couldn’t get over how normal he was and how didn’t want to hear about that stuff. He just wanted to get past that and let’s just write this song.  He was embarrassed a little bit, I think.” (Shelton, Pyle and ETC wrote “All Over Me,” Shelton’s second single from his debut album.)

‘Pat on the back’ meant so much to Aldean

Jason Aldean recalled a time early in his music career when he met Conley who invited Aldean up on his bus after a show. That made a big impression on him and how he now interacts with emerging artists. “I think for us as younger artists, it kinda teaches us a little bit about how to handle it when you start having success,” noted Aldean. “How to be cool to younger artists that look up to you.  For me, personally, it was just having a sort of having that ‘pat on the back’ from someone like him that early in my career was really cool and it kinda gives you a lot of confidence.”

Memories bring laughter

I asked the artists what was the first memory that popped into their minds when they were asked to do this Tribute to ETC.

Neal McCoy remembered that he and his wife and Conley and his wife had flown out to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to play in a Charley Pride golf Tournament.  “We were at the airport, the luggage is going around, we’re waiting on our bags,” said McCoy, smiling at the memory.

“There was one bag that had blown completely up. It’s that horror thing that you see your bag and it’s everywhere.  There were garments all over the entire thing. We were standing there and just kinda laughing about it.  And it ended up being Earl’s wife’s bag, and she just looked at Earl and of course the mood went from laughing to ‘Oh sh*t!’ And she didn’t want to get it. She didn’t want any of it. Earl went and got it all!”

Blake: “He’s like Superman!”

Blake Shelton also shared a unique memory about when he was maybe nineteen or twenty and he was already a big fan of ETC.  His friend Mike Pyle was a member of Conley’s band and invited Blake to come to a rehearsal room when Conley and the band would be rehearsing before a tour.

“The first thing I remember was I would watch him take these huge, big gulps of air and his chest would just swell up real big whenever he would go into one of his choruses or whatever,” said Blake.  “As a singer I was going, ‘My God! No wonder he has these huge choruses and these big notes and stuff! Because he has this thing that he does.’ I was just staring at Earl’s chest. I was so impressed and couldn’t get over it.  He was like Superman up there!  And that was my first memory of Earl, staring at his chest!”

Stars perform Conley’s hits

John Anderson said he was proud to call ETC a friend.  He recalled a time when they played together on the old Warner Brothers softball team.  “I went up to Earl and said, ‘Man, did you write ‘Smokey Mountain Memories’? He said, ’Yeah.’ I said. ‘I’m gonna do that song one day.’ And you know what? I am going to do it one day. Today. God bless you, Earl.”  And yes, Anderson finally got to sing “Smokey Mountain Memories” at Conley’s Memorial.

Luke Bryan sang “Once In A Blue Moon” but made the audience laugh when he said, “I chose that one because it’s in the key of C, and as long as I hit the white keys on piano I should do okay. But the funny part about it is that I got the call and I rarely practice adequately. But I start practicing and I’m playing it and I’m feeling it.  And I’m like, Man, I’m gonna pull this thing off.

Luke: “Once In A Blue Moon”

“I woke up this morning and I’m singing these lyrics like I’ve always sung, and Earl sings so quietly, I never really analyzed the lyrics.  I go to my phone and I’m sitting at my piano and I Google the lyrics and the chords. Then I realize I’m playing the wrong chords, and I’ve got a lot of lyrics wrong. So the practice went out the window. But I think “Once In A Blue Moon” is one of his finest achievements.”  Luke didn’t need to worry: he received a standing ovation for his rendition of “Once In A Blue Moon.”

Blake Shelton sang “What I’d Say” and recalled getting the call about the Memorial. “And instantly I said, ‘Put me down for ‘What I’d Say,’ before Luke has a chance to pick it,’” he said with a smile.  “But after sound checking today, I’m wishing I’d chosen almost anything else.  But it’s my all-time favorite Country song and performance.”

Other live performances at the Memorial included “Brotherly Love” (sung by Wade Hayes and Joe Diffie), “Nobody Falls Like A Fool” (Jason Aldean), “Holding Her and Loving You” (Neal McCoy), “With You” (Walt Aldridge), “We believe in Happy Endings” (Dale Ann Bradley), “Fire and Smoke” (Wade Hayes and the ETC Band) and a finale with all the artists singing “Don’t Make It Easy For Me” backed by the ETC Band.

Video tributes to ETC

Between the shared memories and the performances were video tributes from Marty Raybon, Brad Paisley, Steve Wariner, The Oak Ridge Boys, Toby Keith, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins and Little Big Town .

It was an afternoon of love and laughter as today’s top Country artists recalled the unique talent and the major influence that Earl Thomas Conley had on their lives as musicians and as his friends.   As the event drew to a close, I thought that Conley, the shy genius who never really understood his fame and his impact on Country music, would have been shocked to hear the outpouring of admiration for him.

John Anderson summed it up when he said, “Earl was great. He really was.  And his music still is.”

Unless otherwise noted, all photos in this report courtesy of Vernell Hackett.

 Preshias Harris  is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at    www.collegeofsongology.com   Follow her blog at   www.nashvillemusicline.com

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Earl Thomas Conley’s Top 20 Biggest Billboard Hits

In a career spanning decades, Earl Thomas Conley logged an unparalleled run on Billboard's charts. The country artist died Wednesday morning (April 10) at age 77.

By Xander Zellner

Xander Zellner

In a career spanning decades, Earl Thomas Conley logged an unparalleled run on  Billboard ‘s charts. The country artist died Wednesday morning (April 10) at age 77.

Blake Shelton wrote on  Facebook , “My heart is absolutely destroyed today. Earl was my all-time favorite singer, hero and my friend. Prayers to his family. We will all miss you deeply my brother. Now go rest …”

Country Singer/Songwriter Earl Thomas Conley Dies at 77

Conley scored 34 entries on  Billboard ‘s Hot Country Songs chart, 25 of which reached the top 10. Of those, 18 hit No. 1.

Conley first appeared on  Billboard ‘s charts with “I Have Loved You, Girl (But Not Like This Before),” which debuted on July 26, 1975. He was absent from the charts for four years, returning in 1979 with “Dreamin’s All I Do.” His big breakthrough came in 1981, when “Silent Treatment” reached No. 7 on Hot Country Songs, marking his first top 10.

Conley especially dominated between 1983 and 1989, when 16 of his 18 total Hot Country Songs entries reached No. 1 (while his other two entries peaked at No. 2).

He additionally charted 10 titles on the Top Country Albums chart in his lifetime, including one No. 1, his  Greatest Hits  compilation, in 1986.

Here are Earl Thomas Conley’s top 20 biggest hits on the Hot Country Songs chart:

Rank, Title, Peak Pos. (Weeks at No. 1), Peak Date

20. “Don’t Make It Easy for Me,” No. 1 (1 week), April 7, 1984

19. “I Can’t Win for Losin’ You,” No. 1 (1 week), Feb. 28, 1987

18. “Somewhere Between Right and Wrong,” No. 1 (1 week), Dec. 18, 1982

17. “What She Is (Is a Woman in Love),” No. 1 (1 week), June 4, 1988

16. “Too Many Times,” with Anita Pointer, No. 2, Nov. 1, 1986

15. “Right From the Start,” No. 1 (1 week), Oct. 31, 1987

14. “Angel in Disguise,” No. 1 (1 week), July 28, 1984

13. “That Was a Close One,” No. 1 (1 week), July 4, 1987

12. “We Believe in Happy Endings,” with Emmylou Harris, No. 1 (1 week), Oct. 1, 1988

11. “Chance of Lovin’ You,” No. 1 (1 week), Dec. 8, 1984

10. “Nobody Falls Like a Fool,” No. 1 (1 week), Dec. 14, 1985

9. “I Have Love You, Girl (But Not Like This Before),” No. 2, April 9, 1983

8. “Once in a Blue Moon,” No. 1 (1 week), May 3, 1986

7. “Honor Bound,” No. 1 (1 week), April 13, 1985

6. “Holding Her and Loving You,” No. 1 (1 week), Nov. 26, 1983

5. “Your Love’s on the Line,” No. 1 (1 week), Aug. 6, 1983

4. “Love Don’t Care (Whose Heart It Breaks),” No. 1 (1 week), July 27, 1985

3. “What I’d Say,” No. 1 (1 week), Feb. 4, 1989

2. “Love Out Loud,” No. 1 (1 week), June 17, 1989

1. “Fire and Smoke,” No. 1 (1 week), July 11, 1981

Earl Thomas Conley ‘ s  T op 20  B iggest Billboard  Hits are based on actual performance on the weekly Hot Country Songs chart, through the April 13, 2019 ranking. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 50 earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.

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Earl Thomas Conley Concert Setlists & Tour Dates

Earl thomas conley at banita creek hall, nacogdoches, tx, usa.

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Earl Thomas Conley at Prairie Knights Casino & Resort, Fort Yates, ND, USA

Earl thomas conley at cma fest 2011, earl thomas conley at navajo nation fair 2010, earl thomas conley at mississippi watermelon festival, mize, ms, usa.

• Somewhere Between Right and Wrong
• Your Love's on the Line
• Don't Make It Easy for Me
• Angel in Disguise
• Chance of Lovin' You
• Hard Days and Honky Tonk Nights
• A Woman in Love
• Don't Get Along With the Blues
• Too Hot to Handle
• Holding Her and Loving You
• Once in a Blue Moon
• Brotherly Love

Earl Thomas Conley at Billy Bob's, Fort Worth, TX, USA

Earl thomas conley at tennessee soybean festival 2002, earl thomas conley at southern junction nightclub & steakhouse, royse city, tx, usa, earl thomas conley at chester fritz auditorium, grand forks, nd, usa, earl thomas conley at decatur celebration 1995.

Earl Thomas Conley

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• Fire and Smoke ( 3 )
• Too Many Times ( 2 )
• A Woman in Love ( 1 )
• Angel in Disguise ( 1 )
• Brotherly Love ( 1 )

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Earl Thomas Conley (1941–2019), country music legend

“Holding Her and Loving You” was one of his 18 No. 1 country songs.

Earl Thomas Conley was a country music legend who charted 18 No. 1 songs on the Billboard country charts. His most popular hit songs were “Holding Her and Loving You,” “Right From the Start,” and “What I’d Say.” He broke new ground when he did a duet with Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters on the single “Too Many Times,” which made it to No. 2 on the country charts, with the duo appearing on “Soul Train.” Conley’s music was called, “thinking man’s country.” He was a major influence for many country music stars including Blake Shelton.

We invite you to share condolences for Earl Thomas Conley in our Guest Book .

Died:  Wednesday April 10, 2019. ( Who else died on April 10 ?)

Details of death:  Died at the age of 77 from a condition similar to dementia, confirmed to the Tennessean by his brother, Fred.

Is there someone you miss whose memory should be honored? Here are some ways.

Country stars pay tribute to Earl Thomas Conley: “My heart is absolutely destroyed today… I’m sad to report that Earl Thomas Conley passed away very early this morning. Earl was my all time favorite singer, hero and my friend. Prayers to his family. We will all miss you deeply my brother. Now go rest.” —Blake Shelton on Twitter

“An all time great. Earl Thomas Conley passed away today. Huge influence on me. Loved him. Prayers to his family. –T” —Toby Keith on Twitter

“So sad to hear #EarlThomasConley passed away today. He was a huge influence on my style and songwriting. I studied his records like text books and could play every note of every song. Truly one of the all time greats in country music.” —John Rich of Big & Rich on Twitter

Full obituary:  The Tennessean

Related lives:

• Randy Scruggs (1953–2018), country music artist and producer
• Mel Tillis (1932–2017), country music legend
• Don Williams (1939–2017), the “Gentle Giant” of country music

Senior producer, Legacy.com. Dedicated daily to memorializing notable personalities. After work hours guitarist, DJ, record label owner and New York style pizza aficionado.

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Earl Thomas Conley, Country Star of the 1980s, Is Dead at 77

By Bill Friskics-Warren

• April 11, 2019

NASHVILLE — Earl Thomas Conley, one of the most popular and prolific country singers of the 1980s, died here on Wednesday. He was 77.

Carole Scates, his partner for more than 20 years, said the cause was cerebral atrophy.

Mr. Conley had 24 Top 10 country singles in the ’80s, several of which he wrote or co-wrote, including 18 that reached No. 1. Only two artists that decade topped the country charts more times than he did: the vocal group Alabama, which had 27 No. 1 singles, and the singer Ronnie Milsap, who had 23. All but one of Mr. Conley’s No. 1 hits were recorded for RCA, starting with “Somewhere Between Right and Wrong” in 1982.

Many of Mr. Conley’s songs, among them “Holding Her and Loving You” and “Don’t Make It Easy for Me,” both No. 1 hits, plumbed the complexity of romantic relationships. Abounding with sincerity, his rich, smoky baritone was well suited to his material, which appealed primarily to adult audiences, much like the vintage country and soul music of the 1960s and ’70s.

Mr. Conley’s affinity for soul music was evident on many of his recordings, maybe nowhere as much as on “Too Many Times,” a 1986 duet with Anita Pointer of the Grammy Award-winning Pointer Sisters. That record reached No. 2 on the country chart and earned Mr. Conley an invitation, rare for a country artist, to perform the song with Ms. Pointer on the R&B-themed television show “Soul Train.”

“There was such soul in everything he did,” Joe Galante, who was chief executive of RCA Nashville from 1982 to 1990, said in an interview with The Daily Tennessean.

“You always talk about finding something unique,” Mr. Galante continued. “His voice certainly was that.”

Mr. Conley placed an average of two singles a year on the country charts in the 1980s, on his way to becoming an inspiration to future country hitmakers like Randy Travis and Blake Shelton.

By the early ’90s, with the rise of new stars like Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, sales of Mr. Conley’s records had dropped, and he received less and less airplay, prompting him to take an extended break from touring and recording. He resurfaced again in 1998, and, though he never achieved the kind of success he had in the ’80s, he was active into this decade.

Earl Thomas Conley, the third of eight children, was born on Oct. 17, 1941, in Portsmouth, Ohio, a small town across the Ohio River from Kentucky, to Ruth (Davis) and Arthur Conley. When his father lost his job with the railroad, Earl, then 14, moved in with one of his older sisters.

He was offered a scholarship to attend art school but opted instead to join the Army, where he first began writing songs and singing in public.

After his discharge, Mr. Conley worked for the railroad and in steel mills while traveling to and from Ohio and Nashville to write songs with the producer Dick Heard. Their song “Smokey Mountain Memories” became a Top 40 country hit for the honky-tonk singer Mel Street in 1975.

The next year Conway Twitty had a No. 1 country hit with Mr. Conley’s “This Time I’ve Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me.”

In 1981, after an unproductive stint recording for Warner Bros. Records, Mr. Conley had his first No. 1 hit, a song he wrote called “Fire & Smoke,” released on the independent Sunbird label.

In addition to Ms. Scates, Mr. Conley is survived by his brothers, Fred and Steve; his sisters, Ronda Hodges and Becky Miller; a son, Ty, and a daughter, Amy Edmisten, from his marriage to Sandra Smith, which ended in divorce; two younger daughters, Kat Scates and Erinn Scates; and five grandchildren.

A versatile stylist, Mr. Conley was as much at home with the Appalachian music of his childhood as with rock- and soul-inflected arrangements. He recorded tradition-steeped duets with Emmylou Harris (“We Believe in Happy Endings”) and Keith Whitley (“Brotherly Love”).

“My stuff started with bluegrass music,” Mr. Conley once explained in an interview . “That’s what inspired me, the people that came out of those hills in West Virginia and Kentucky. And, of course, Hank Williams Sr. down in Alabama.

“I was born in ’41, and I was raised up on that early stuff,” he went on. “Coming out of those mountains, there’s a different soul and a different feeling and a whole different deal than what it would be like to come from the city.”

Earl Thomas Conley

Singer and songwriter Earl Thomas Conley was born in rural Tennessee and travelled the world with his US military family, becoming a British rock and more...

Past Events

Here are the most recent UK tour dates we had listed for Earl Thomas Conley. Were you there?

• Jul 12 2018 Shipley, The Live Room @ Caroline Street Social Club Earl Thomas
• 2018 Jan 19 Jan 22 2018 Skegness, Butlins The Great British Rock & Blues Festival Roger Chapman, Nazareth, Atomic Rooster, Frankie Miller's Full House, Dare…
• Jan 19 2018 London, Hideaway Earl Thomas
• 2016 Aug 26 Aug 29 2016 Colne, The Great British R&B Festival The Great British R&B Festival Bernie Marsden, Dave Edmunds, Nine Below Zero, Chris Powers (1), James Hunter…
• Jul 22 2016 Shipley, The Live Room @ Caroline Street Social Club Earl Thomas
• Jul 20 2016 Pershore, The Iron Road Live Earl Thomas
• 2016 Jul 16 Jul 17 2016 London, Walpole Park Ealing Blues Festival Paul Cox Band, Kat & Co, Stellify, Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion, Big Steam…
• Apr 25 2015 Daventry, Woodford Halse Social Club Earl Thomas, Greg Coulson
• 2015 Apr 24 Apr 27 2015 Chichester, South Downs Holiday Village Boogaloo Blues Weekend 2014 Earl Thomas, Sean Webster, The Proof, Giles Hedley And The Aviators, Split Whiskers…
• Apr 20 2015 Oxford, The Bullingdon Earl Thomas

Earl Thomas Conley image © Earl Thomas

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