This week in 1983: The U.S. House Of Representatives censured Representatives Daniel Crane and Gerry Studds for sex with congressional pages; Iraq claimed that U.S. weapons are pouring into Iran; Fidel Castro accused the United States of creating "an atmosphere of terror" around Nicaragua; and a blind singer from Robbinsville, North Carolina had his 39th hit record!
There are several stories in the history books about folks who started out as "jingle writers," those people who wrote the jingles or as they sometimes were called - "musical commercials" that we hear on radio and TV.
Ronnie Milsap's 1983 No. 1, "Don't You Know How Much I Love You" was one of those songs. Remember those Lemon Clorox commercials from back in 1989 well the voice on that commercial was the voice of Michael Stewart. Michael and Dan Williams wrote "Don't You Know How Much I Love You."
Milsap commented, "Michael and Dan brought me that song. They played me a master tape that had been recorded by some young group trying to get a record contract and they had recorded the song in a much higher key. So I lowered the key down to where I could sing it I liked the song and recorded it."
"Don't You Know How Much I Love You" was the second single released from Ronnie's "Keyed Up" album and came on the country music charts July 23rd, 1983 and made it to the top of the charts on October 8th.
It was his 39th charted song and his 23rd No. 1. The RCA Victor single was on the charts for 19 weeks. Between 1973 and 2006, Ronnie Milsap placed 64 songs on the country music charts - including 35 No. 1s.
He joined The Grand Ole Opry in 1976 and was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2014.
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