Country Club #32: Under appreciated

Eddie Rabbitt is an under appreciated country artist.  Perhaps it is his last name, which is his real family name and, unlike John Melloncamp's stage name Cougar, not imposed by a manager. Perhaps it is that he grew up in Brooklyn and New Jersey and, by our geographic stereotypes. Perhaps it is that country music is taken less seriously than other American song moments. should have been a rock-and-roller.  Perhaps it is Rabbitt was an impure country artist, crossing borders, mixing non-country styles, rather than a neo-traditionalist,   Still, he made some very fine music, including some songs which could be considered neo-traditional.

Tom Roland appreciates on allmusic.com

One of country music's most innovative artists during the late '70s and early '80s, Eddie Rabbitt has made contributions to the format that have often gone overlooked. Especially in songs like the R&B-inflected "Suspicions" and the rockin' "Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight," Rabbitt challenged the commonly recognized creative boundaries of the idiom.

And, he was a very successful artist.

In 1976, he started a string of Top Ten hits that ran uninterrupted until 1989. During that time, he had 16 number one singles,

Here is "Suspicions." one of the most un-country songs ever to reach #1 on the country charts.

It's even been covered by Tim McGraw.


Here's "Drivin' My Life Away," one of many songs based on Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business" and Bob Dylan's "Subeterranean Home Sick Blues."

And, here, is "On Second Thought," with a video styled to resemble a country TV show from the 1950s or 1960s.