Rising to No. 1 with his 1987 debut album Wild-Eyed Dream, Ricky Van Shelton seemed primed for country music success. And that’s more or less what happened before he all but disappeared from public life in 2006. Shelton landed more than 20 singles on the Hot Country Songs chart throughout his 20-year career, with 10 of those making it to No. 1. On this day (March 20) in 1989, Shelton topped the charts for the fifth straight time with his cover of the Ned Miller hit “From a Jack to a King.”
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In 1957, singer-songwriter Miller recorded the song he penned about a newly married man who can’t believe his luck: From a Jack to a King / From loneliness to a wedding ring / I played an Ace and I won a Queen / And walked away with your heart.
Initially finding little success with “From a Jack to a King”, Miller convinced his label to re-release the song in 1962. This time it was a crossover hit, reaching the top 10 on the country, pop, and adult contemporary charts.
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At the suggestion of his wife, Bettye Witt, Ricky Van Shelton recorded “From a Jack to a King” for his sophomore studio album Loving Proof. The cover gave him his fifth straight No. 1 hit, following “Somebody Lied”, “Life Turned Her That Way”, “Don’t We All Have the Right”, and “I’ll Leave This World Loving You”.
Where is Ricky Van Shelton Now?
Despite two awards from the Country Music Association and one from the Academy of Country Music, Ricky Van Shelton stepped away from the spotlight in 2006.
As his career reached its peak in the early 1990s, so, too, did the pressures from touring and label demands. Admitting to battling substance use, Shelton sought help for recovery. In May 2006, he announced he was hanging up his cowboy hat for good.
“I understand and appreciate the deep devotion that many of you have shown to me during the past 19 years of my musical career,” the Virginia native wrote. “I have not made this decision lightly, and I deeply regret any inconvenience that this may cause to those of you who have already made plans to attend some of these performances.”
He continued, “There are several reasons for this decision, some of them very personal. But I want to assure each of you that Bettye and I are in good health and still love music and everything it stands for… But we have decided that at this time, we need to be close to our families.”
In the 20 years since walking way from country music, Shelton, now 74, has focused on painting and writing children’s books.
Featured image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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