Time Flies – Looking back at 1991

We were talking earlier today on the Breakfast Club that it’s been 20 years since the tragic plane crash near San Diego that wiped out most of Reba McEntire’s band and back-up singers. She spoke extensively on it and how it was the saddest day of her life. She’s still coping with it after all this time, but it got me to thinking that, boy, the time really has flown by. 20 years? Wow. What was going on in 1991?

Locally the Bills were in their glory days, but were just coming off that heartbreaking loss to the Giants in Super Bowl 25. You remember ‘wide right.” Guys like Hawerchuk, Foligno, Turgeon, Andreychuk, Malarchuk and Ruutu were playing for the Sabres. You’re gonna hate to hear this but a gallon of gas went for about $1.12.

How about all the changes in country music over the last 20 years? Brooks & Dunn were a brand new act. Their first album “Brand New Man” had just been released.
George Strait had number one songs with “You Know Me Better Than That” and “If I Know Me”. Garth Brooks had 4 songs go to number one – “Shameless”, “Two of a Kind, Working On A Full House”, “Unanswered Prayers” and “The Thunder Rolls”.

Garth Brooks’ “No Fences” was the Country Music Association album of the year. “Friends In Low Places” was single of year, “The Thunder Rolls” was video of the year and Garth was Entertainer of the Year. Garth was also the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year. Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” was the ACM’s album and single of the year.

Alabama was just beginning its second decade of huge hits; “Born Country” came off their second Greatest Hits album.

Vince Gill, Suzy Bogguss, Dwight Yoakam, Restless Heart, Vern Gosdin, Earl Thomas Conley, Highway 101, Pam Tillis, Travis Tritt, Clint Black, The Judds, Ricky Van Shelton and Mary Chapin Carpenter were churning out hits.

I remember the Aud, Melody Fair and Kleinhan’s Music Hall were the big venues for country music.

Clay was in high school in 1991. Me? I was doing then what I’m doing now – working on the morning show here at WYRK. I’d already been married to Shelley for 8 years. Life hasn’t changed all that much for me in the past 20 years, but the world certainly has.