From time to time, music groups come and go, but some leave their mark on the music world. One of the most recent super groups of country music, that has already left its mark and is still leaving it, is Lonestar. Five guys from the great state of Texas came together in the early 90’s to form this collaboration of great musicians and song writers. After their first album, due to creative differences, a mutual decision was made for John Rich to leave the group to benefit all parties involved. Now to this day, the remaining four members continue to create great albums year after year.
In the late fall of 1995, Lonestar released its debut album simply entitled “Lonestar”. The first track released, “Tequila Talking”, didn’t really take off at first. However, over the years since the group’s vast rise to stardom, it seemed to pick up as one of the better songs to date.
That same year, Lonestar released the single that has to this day become the signature song for the super-group. No News” came on to the scene and the group became well- known to country music fans. Rising swiftly to the top of the country charts, the song also made its mark on the pop charts as well.
The third release off the debut album has the group showing a dramatic side to their music. When Cowboys Didn’t Dance” is a satire of the Old West when men rode the range, built campfires, and slept out under the stars, working in dangerous conditions. It really proved to be a nice piece of work.
In 1997 after the group made the line-up change and it was down to just the four remaining members, Lonestar released “Crazy Nights”. The line-up change promised a different sound than the first album and they pulled this off nicely. “You Walked In” had a more pop-ish feel to it than the first album, but it was still tastefully done. This song seemed to be a landmark song for the group and their future.
After finding themselves tearing through the country on tour supporting “Crazy Nights,” Lonestar worked on what would be their next album the 1999 release entitled “Lonely Grill”. This album touched on their most sensitive side. The release of the great love song “Amazed” sent the group to new heights by becoming the best choice for a wedding song by many across the country. This hit would prove to be hard to out do.
Continuing the trend of sappy love songs, with not as much bang for the buck as “Amazed”, the next single “Smile” still found itself moving fast up the country music charts that year. Showing this softer side of Lonestar has proven them a very versatile vehicle in the music business.
In 2001, Lonestar added what it is like to be away from your loved ones for people who travel with their work such as they do every year. I’m Already There” is a song that deals with families missing their loved ones, like an artist on tour or soldiers serving our country overseas. This song gained a lot of meaning later that year when September 11th happened and our country went to war.
After putting out a “Greatest Hits” album, the group finally put out its newest long- awaited album in 2004 entitled “Let’s Be Us Again. The title track from that album was the first release dealing with renewed love, keeping a theme that has worked for the group all these years.
Later that year, Lonestar put out its next single off of “Let’s Be Us Again,” showing they too have a sense of humor and know what it is like to be a housewife for even just one day. “Mr. Mom” deals with losing your job while your wife works a 9 to 5 job, leaving you the dad in charge of everything. This turns out to be the not-so-easy job you initially thinks it is going to be.
This year Lonestar, keeping up with everyone else missing loved ones overseas defending our country, released their latest effort “Coming Home”. The single “You’re Like Coming Home” is quickly proving that the group still has what it takes to make it in the music business. Lonestar is one of those groups that just when you think they are done, they surprise you with yet another great album.
