Mel McDaniel A Part Of My Past Has Passed [VIDEO]

It was sad to hear about the passing of one of my all time favorite singers in country music.Mel McDaniel died Thursday from complications related to cancer at 68 years old. When I was just getting started at WYRK in 1996, I met a few guys from Marilla that are huge fans of Mel's music!

Most Saturday nights in the summer we would go hang out on my friend's farm off of Two Rod Rd.He had a huge pasture out back that we called "the mountain." I can remember that a couple of the guys had trucks that were jacked up on lift kits and my friend Scott had an 80's style Chevy with a sweet sound system in it. If he wasn't playing Hank Jr. he was playing Mel McDaniel as loud as it would go! Of course we had a big fire going and cold beer and people would pop in and out throughout the night as they hopped from party to party.I know it sounds like lyrics from most of today's songs. But, it was my first experience with parties out in a field!

Every time I hear "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" or "Big Ole Brew" or "Louisiana Saturday Night," I get taken back to those awesome hot summer nights.Man, those were some good times. I really miss doing that stuff.As I am blogging, I can see the amber red glow of the flames reflecting off of my friend Jim's hay wagon. Can just about smell the wood smoke and see the sparks flying high in the air like a signal to everyone from Marilla to Wales that there is a party on the mountain! I can still hear my friends truck motor turning over when they challenged each other to see who had the loudest exhaust !What is it about music that makes thoughts and memories come back so vividly.When I read on twitter about Mel dying, it was like a part of that whole group of friends died to. Still just shaking my head about it.

For those of you that are fans of the Langford Jamboree, did you know that Mel played it in it's early days?I wasn't at that show. However, that setting, the Langford Tractor pull grounds, is exactly the type of setting that I think fit Mel's style. Every year, that first Saturday in August,when it's crankin hot and there is loud music and pick-up trucks and cold beer and just small town fun, it's exactly like those Saturday's on the "mountain."

On today's show you will hear some of the hits from Mel's career. I hope it brings back some memories for you.