As the daughter of two influential country music artists—June Carter and Carl Smith—it only seems natural that Carlene Carter would inherit her parents’ talents. It’s never easy growing up in the shadow of a famous family member, but it didn’t take long for Carter to forge her own path as a gifted singer/songwriter.
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Her debut self-titled album was released in 1978, but Carter enjoyed the peak of her commercial success during the 1990s. Since then, she’s continued to record and perform, releasing nine studio albums, with her most recent LP, Carter Girl, arriving in 2014.
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In honor of her 68th birthday today (September 26), take a trip back to the 1990s and revisit three Carlene Carter songs that took country music by storm.
1. “I Fell In Love”
Released in 1990, Carter kicked off the new decade with the groovy and upbeat single “I Fell In Love.” She penned the song, her first Top 5 hit on country radio, with Perry Lamek and former members of Tom Petty‘s band the Heartbreakers, Howie Epstein and Benmont Tench.
2. “Come on Back”
Sent to country radio just a few months after “I Fell In Love,” Carter’s pleading track “Come on Back” became another quick hit with listeners. The heartbreaking, self-penned tune became one of the best-selling singles of 1991, climbing to No. 3 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart.
3. “Every Little Thing”
Carter’s most recognizable single, “Every Little Thing,” is an infectious and playful love song that continued the multi-talented artist’s domination of country radio during the early 1990s. She teamed up with seasoned guitarist and songwriter Al Anderson to create the track, which became the lead single from Carter’s well-received seventh record, Little Love Letters.
Photo by Marina Chavez, Courtesy of the artist
