By Brenda Cannon Henley
Many of our well intentioned New Year’s resolutions go by way of triple Grammy winner, K T Oslin’s popular lyrics. We honestly intend to put these high powered goals into effect, and really stick to them, but we’ll begin in earnest, come next Monday. I liked Oslin the first time I ever heard her sing 80’s Ladies. She was different. She didn’t really fit the country mold, and yet, she wasn’t straight up pop either. She was sassy, sarcastic, smooth as silk, and swiftly pushed the envelope to get acclaim in the dog eat dog world of music.
Oslin surprised a lot of folks with her humble beginnings and rising to claim a sizable place in the annals of music history. She borrowed money from a loving aunt to snag her first good record deal and hung on to break several barriers for female entertainers.
She made music history by becoming the first middle-aged woman to rise to stardom in Nashville. Oslin was 45 years old when she scored a smash hit with the female anthem “80’s Ladies” in 1987. The song made her the first female songwriter in history to win the CMA’s Song of the Year prize. She was the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 1988.
Oslin also earned four Academy of Country Music honors, as well as her three Grammys. In 2014, she was inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame. She was voted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.
Oslin died in Nashville on December 21, where she had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease since 2016. She was diagnosed with COVID-19, but it is unclear whether this contributed to her death.
She was born Kay Toinette Oslin in Crossett, Arkansas on May 15, 1942, but she grew up in Houston, Texas. Oslin started out singing folk music in a trio, and spent some time in stage shows, successful musicals, jingles, and ads before breaking out as a successful, top-selling artist.
K.T. Oslin
“80’s Ladies” made her a star and fans loved her. She epitomized the rise to fame for middle aged women who had long been left in the slow lane. Her pushy attitude declared, “We aren’t going to take this any more.”
She followed “80’s Ladies” with back-to-back hits and “Come Next Monday” was her fifth true chart hit. In this song, Oslin declares her good intentions about changing her ways. But, like many of us, she went ahead and added a caveat – She’d start it all – Come next Monday.
I’m goin’ to bed early
I won’t talk dirty for a week or two
Goin’ on a diet
Just like sugar, honey
Come next Monday
I’m gonna give up on you.”
Oslin went on to accomplish much more in her career, including seeing her songs recorded by other artists, TV roles, movies, guest appearances, and writing. Her career was sidelined by heart surgery and later, Parkinson’s.
I am going to miss this brash, bright, original who was truthful enough with her pen and her life to admit that it would probably be next Monday before she’d get around to her good intentions.
Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at (409) 781-8788, or
[email protected]
[Jan-4-2021]
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