Join me Sunday morning, June 1st, for Janie Fricke on the Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight at 11 a.m.  We get started at 9 a.m. with the 98 Country Classic Show on air at 98.1 FM, online and in the palm of your hand with the RadioPup app for your smartphone. 

Janie Fricke emerged from the shadows of a career as a background and jingle singer to become a very successful solo artist, first charting in 1977 and remaining on the country charts throughout the 1980's.  She had nine number one country singles and she was the CMA's Female Vocalist of the Year in 1982 and 1983.

Janie was a very versatile vocalist with a particular flair for ballads.  In 1975, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she became an in demand background vocalist.  She recorded a couple of duets with Johnny Duncan.  Stranger was recorded in 1977 and followed that up with Come a Little Bit Closer.   Those two songs helped her to obtain a recording contract of her own from Columbia.

She remained with Columbia records for over ten years starting in 1977.  After signing with Columbia, Fricke soon began to dominate the country charts with smash hits such as, Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby, He's A Heartache and many more.  As neo-traditional country music artists  began to become popular in the late 1980's, her country-pop styled music was no longer in style on country radio.

In 1985, she established the Janie Fricke Scholarship at Indiana University to benefit gifted students in the school of music.  Janie continues to be actively involved in the music industry today and spends her personal time with her husband Jeff and their animals.

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