On this day (October 15) in 1984, the Judds released their debut full-length album Why Not Me. The LP reached the top of the country chart and produced three No. 1 singles. The album also brought the duo CMA, ACM, and Grammy Awards. More importantly, it established them as torchbearers of traditional-leaning country music.
When the Judds signed a record deal with Curb in 1983, traditional-sounding country music was not in style. At the time, Nashville’s biggest labels were pushing the slick, pop-leaning “urban cowboy” sound. With a large portion of the market longing for something more identifiably country, it is no surprise that their debut single was a hit.
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“Had a Dream (For the Heart)” reached No. 17 in 1983. When they released their debut EP, Wynonna & Naomi, in February 1984, it reached No. 8 on the country chart. Then, they released “Mama He’s Crazy” and scored their first No. 1.
After the success of their first batch of songs, the mother-daughter duo went back to the studio to assemble their first full-length offering.
The Judds Launch a Long String of Hits
The Judds released the album’s title track as its lead single in late September 1984. It soared to the top of the country chart and stayed there for two weeks. A little less than a month later, they released the album. It had a three-week run at No. 1 in February 1985.
The title track was more than a chart success. It also brought the duo some of their first awards. It won the ACM Award for Song of the Year in 1984. The next year, it took Single of the Year at the CMA Awards. A year later, it brought the Judds the Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
[RELATED: 42 Years Ago, the Judds Scored Their First No. 1 With a Song Inspired by a Soap Opera]
The LP’s other singles, “Girls Night Out” and “Love Is Alive,” also reached the top of the chart. The same could be said for most of their other singles. By the end of the decade, they had notched 14 No. 1 singles. They were still going strong when Naomi Judd stepped away from the duo due to health issues in 1991.
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