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Sweethearts of the Rodeo

A pair of sisters, Janis and Kristine Oliver, who toiled for about twenty years to become an overnight sensation, who named themselves after the title of a Byrds album.

Songs such as “Blue to the Bone”, “Chains of Gold”, “Satisfy You”, “Midnight Girl/Sunset Town” and a cover of The Beatles’ “I Feel Fine” peppered the charts in the late ’80s.

Their success turned out to be a double-edged sword:  Constrained by studio expectations, the Sweethearts emigrated from Columbia Records to Sugar Hill, enabling them the freedom to return to their roots, including bluegrass and folk, and produce their own records.  They also opened their own clothing store in their home town of Franklin, Tennessee.

Janis was married to country sensation Vince Gill from 1980-1997.  Kristine married Blue Steel guitarist Leonard Arnold.

Their last album was Anthology (2000).

Sweethearts of the Rodeo recordings
I Feel Fine (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)

Sources:

  1. http://www.cbu.edu/~bkarnold/sotr/bio.htm
  2. http://www.sugarhillrecords.com/
  3. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/sweethearts_of_the_rodeo/bio.jhtml
  4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweethearts_of_the_Rodeo