Earl Thomas Conley was an American country music singer-songwriter. 18 of his songs during the 1980s reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It marked the most Number One hits by any artist in any genre during that decade except for Alabama and Ronnie Milsap. 

Earl Thomas Conley died on 10 April 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States. She died at the age of 77 years old from complications of dementia. 

Ohio country music singer Earl Thomas Conley died at 77, Blake Shelton Paid Tribute

Source: @blakeshelton

Earl Thomas Conley, born in Ohio, died on 10 April 2019 in Nashville, Tennesse in the United States. He died at the age of 77 from complications of dementia. 

The Grammy-nominated country music singer had 18 singles in the 1980s that reached number one Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. 

Blake Shelton tweeted, "My heart is absolutely destroyed today...I'm sad to report that Earl Thomas Conley passed away very early this morning. Earl was my all time favorite singer, hero and my friend. Prayers to his family. We will all miss you deeply my brother. Now go rest..."

Blake Shelton and Earl Thomas wrote "All Over Me" along with Michael Pyle in 2002. 

Who is Blake Shelton?

What was Earl Thomas Conley Famous For?

• The most Number One hits (18) by any artist in any genre during the 1980s.
• Nominated for multiple Grammys for his single, "Holding Her and Loving You". 

Where was Earl Thomas Conley Born?

Earl Thomas Conley was born on 17 October 1941. He was born to a father Arthur Conley, and a mother, Glenna Ruth. His birthplace is in Portsmouth, Ohio in the United States. He held American nationality. His zodiac sign was Libra. He had 7 siblings, Frances, Rebecca, Steve, Fred, Rhonda, Dora, Joyce. His father lost his job with the railroad when he was 14. He was forced to move with his older sister in Jamestown, Ohio. He was offered a scholarship to an art school. But, he rejected the offer in order to join the US Army. 

While in the Army, he became a member of a Christian-influenced trio, where his musical talent and vocal ability first began. He then decided to consider performing as a serious career option. He started listening to country artists Merle Haggard and George Jones. He first tried songwriting. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1968. He then began commuting from Dayton to Nashville in 1973. He played in clubs in Nashville, Tennesse, at night and worked blue-collar jobs during the day. He met Dick Heard in Nashville. Dick Heard produced country music singer Mel Street. The two collaborated on the song "Smokey Mountain Memories". 

Career

He felt he didn't make any progress in Nashville, he moved to Huntsville, Alabama to work in a steel mill. 

He met record producer Nelson Larkin there. 

Nelson helped him sign with independent record label GRT in 1974. 

He released 4 singles from that label but did not earn him recognition. 

At the same time, he was selling songs that he had written to other artists such as Conway Twitty and Mel Street. 

He returned to Nashville and started writing for Nelson Larkin's publishing house.

He signed a recording deal with Warner Bros. Records in 1979.

He had his first Top 40 hit, "Dreamin's All I Do" in 1981. 

He had his first number one single, "Fire & Smoke" in 1981.

He started getting recognition and success. 

He was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards for his song "Holding Her and Loving You" in 1983. 

He set the record the following year as the first artist in any genre to have four Number One singles from the same album, Don't Make It Easy for Me.

He had a total of 18 number ones between "Fire & Smoke" in 1981 and "Love Out Loud" in 1989. 

In 1986, he became the first-and-only country artist to appear on an episode of "Soul Train". He sang "Too Many Times" with singer Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters.

His record sales began to drop in the 1990s. 

He was dropped from his record label in 1992.

He took 7-year recording hiatus between 1991 and 1997. He had vocal problems, disenchantment with record label politics, road fatigue, and mental burnout. 

He began recording again in 1998. 

He co-wrote "All Over Me" with Blake Shelton and Michael Pyle for Blake Shelton. The single charted in the Top 20 in 2002. 

He had released 10 studio albums. They are Blue Pearl (1980), Fire and Smoke (1981), Somewhere Between Right and Wrong (1982), Don't Make It Easy For Me (1983), Treadin' Water (1984), Too Many Times (1986), The Heart of It All (1988), Yours Truly (1991), and Perpetual Emotion (1998). 

His compilation albums are Greatest Hits (1985), The Best of Earl Thomas Conley, Vol. One (1987), Greatest Hits, Volume II (1990), The Essential Earl Thomas Conley (1996), Love Out Loud (1998), Super Hits (1998), and 16 Biggest Hits (2006). 

He released a live album, Live at Billy Bob's Texas in February 2005. 

His number one songs

"Fire and Smoke"

"Somewhere Between Right and Wrong"

"Your Love's on the Line"

"Holding Her and Loving You"

"Don't Make It Easy for Me"

"Angel in Disguise"

"Chance of Lovin' You"

"Honor Bound"

"Love Don't Care (Whose Heart It Breaks)"

" Nobody Falls Like a Fool"

"Once in a Blue Moon"

"I Can't Win for Losin' You"

"That Was a Close One"

"Right from the Start"

"What She Is (Is a Woman in Love)"

"We Believe in Happy Endings"

"What I'd Say"

"Love Out Loud"

Death

Earl Thomas Conley died on 10 April 2019. She died at the age of 77 years old from complications of dementia. 

Who was Earl Thomas Conley Married to?

Earl Thomas Conley was married twice, to Sandra Sue Smith and Carole Scates. He has 4 children, Ty Conley, Amy Edmisten, Kat Scates, and Erin Scates. No other information regarding his personal life is available. 

What Was Earl Thomas Conley’s Net Worth?

Earl Thomas Conley was one of the successful country music singers of 1980s. Before pursuing his career in country music, he served in the Army. His net worth is estimated at $8 million.