Mel McDaniel Passes Away at Age 68

On Thursday, we lost one of the great legends of country music, Mel McDaniel. Mel passed away at the age of 68 after losing his battle with cancer.

Like a thousand other teenagers in the ’50s, Mel McDaniel saw Elvis Presley on TV and knew what he wanted to do with his life. But most teens don’t grow up to write songs like “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On,” turn an obscure Bruce Springsteen tune into a country smash, go fishing in Alaska, or become a member of the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 44.

Mel signed with Capitol Records in 1976 and released his first single, “Have a Dream on Me.”  But, his career didn't take off until he released his  big hit - “Louisiana Saturday Night” in 1981 and other Top 10 hits which helped define the ’80s country sound: “Right in the Palm of Your Hand” (which was later covered by Alan Jackson), “Take Me to the Country,” “Big Ole Brew,” and “I Call It Love.”

While on stage in Louisiana in 1996, Mel was nearly killed after falling into an unmarked orchestra pit. Though he was unable to tour for years afterwords, and still walked with the aid of a cane, he did make his return to the stage, and continued to perform and write songs until his final days.

Even with hit after hit of his own and top tunes penned for others, his 1984 chart-topper “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” will always remain his signature song. That song earned Mel, a Grammy and CMA Award nomination and essentially did what Mel always said he wanted to do: “I wanted to be a singer because I wanted to make people feel good with my music.”

Mel, you always brought your passion for music to the stage and I hope you left us knowing that you indeed accomplished what you set out to do, making people feel good with your music. Thank you, on behalf of country music fans around the world.  Your presence will be missed, but you and your music will always remembered.

Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On

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