Just this week we announced my upcoming 2025 Tour which we are calling the “Love In The Hot Afternoon Tour” to celebrate 50 years since my first national single release. I had been on a small, independent label based in Texas and we had released “Love In The Hot Afternoon” (written by Kent Westbury and Vincent Wesley Matthews) where it hit #1 in several states around Texas. A Capitol Records promotion man, Ed Keeley, heard the song and recommended to the Capitol label heads that they sign me and release this record nationally. I was thrilled to be on such a prestigious label and they rush-released the single. If it hadn’t already been #1 on so many prestigious stations, it would have been #1 nationally but it did go to #3 and was also the year’s end #4 over all other songs released in 1975.
I was asked which historic photo to place on the press release and I chose the one on the back of the album cover by the same “Love in the Hot Afternoon”. The album came out in August of 1975 and reached #5 on the Album charts.
This photo used for the press release, with no hat, brought up further discussion on when I started wearing a hat. I don’t know the exact year but I definitely was not wearing a cowboy hat when I signed to Capitol and I only wore one for just a few years. I just never felt I was a “hat act.” So I’ve been a non-hat act for many, many years.
Below are some of my early press images that you may recall. For all the 2025 shows (with more being added), just look at the website tour page for all the details. I hope to see you out at one of the concerts nearest you!
