Highway 101

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Highway 101 is an American country music band. Active since the mid-1980s, the band has gone through several rotations in membership, and currently comprises lead singer Nikki Nelson, along with Cactus Moser, Curtis Stone, and Andy Gurley.

Since their foundation, Highway 101 has charted more than fifteen singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, in addition to releasing several major-label studio albums.

History

Highway 101 was formed in 1986, when Chuck Morris, manager of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band decided to build a band around his new discovery, Paulette Carlson. With the help of Carlson, they recruited Cactus Moser, Curtis Stone and Jack Daniels. Although they had a recording deal with MCA Records, they signed with Warner Bros. Records instead. After their first single, "Some Find Love" failed, they returned to the studio and recorded "The Bed You Made for Me", a song Paulette had written. The song was released as a single and reached #4 in 1987, immediately their debut album Highway 101 was released.

Three more singles followed, "Whiskey, if You Were a Woman" (#2), "Somewhere Tonight" (co-written by Rodney Crowell) (#1) and "Cry, Cry, Cry" (#1). After the chart success, Highway 101 was nominated and won the award for Vocal Group of the Year at the 1988 ACM and CMA Awards. Later that year, Highway 101², their second album was released, along with their third #1 single, "(Do You Love Me) Just Say Yes." Follow up singles, "All the Reasons Why" (#5), "Setting Me Up" (a Dire Strait cover) (#7) and "Honky Tonk Heart" (#8) all charted within the Top 10. Highway 101² also included a cover of Buck Owens’ "There Goes My Love" and songs written by Beth Nielsen Chapman ("All the Reasons Why" co written with Carlson, and "Long Way Down"). A repeated performance followed at the 1989 CMA Awards.

In 1989, Paint the Town, their third album was released. "Who’s Lonely Now" the first single, rose to #1 and was co-written by Kix Brooks who would later become part of the duo Brooks & Dunn. "Walkin’, Talkin’, Cryin’, Barely Beatin’ Broken Heart" (#4) and "This Side of Goodbye" (co-written by Moser) (#11) were released as the final singles. At the 1990 CMA and ACM awards, they were again nominated for Vocal Group of the Year but failed to win either awards. They released, Greatest Hits in 1990 along with the single "Someone Else’s Trouble Now" (#14) and soon after Carlson announced that she’d would be leaving Highway 101, in order to purse her solo career.

Highway 101 recruited Nikki Nelson as their new vocalist, their first album together was 1991’s Bing Bang Boom. Their first single was the title track which went to #14 and featured a very playful video that aired on CMT. Three more singles followed, "The Blame" (#31), "Baby, I’m Missing You" (#22) and "Honky Tonk Baby" (#54). They received another nomination at the ACM Awards for Vocal Group of the Year, but didn’t win. In 1992, they parted ways with Warner Bros. Records, Chuck Morris (their manager), Paul Worley (their producer) and Jack Daniels. The New Frontier (1993) was released under Liberty Records. Only two singles were released, "You Baby You" (#67) and "Who’s Gonna Love You", the first Highway 101 single to not make an entry into the Billboard Country Charts.

Carlson and Daniels, would return to Highway 101 in 1996 for the Tenth Year Anniversary. Reunited (1996) and Latest & Greatest (1997) were released under the independent Intersound Records. "Where’d You Get Your Cheatin’ From" and "It Must be Love" were released as singles. In 1998, Carlson and Daniels would both depart Highway 101 once again.

In 1999, Moser who was absent from the Reunion albums returned and with Stone and they reformed Highway 101 with Charlie White and new vocalist Chrislynn Lee. With FreeFalls, an independent record label, Highway 101 released their seventh studio album, Big Sky. The album also included "There Goes My Love", previously recorded with Carlson (1988) and "I Wonder Where the Love Goes", previously recorded with Nelson (1993).

White departed in 2002, and was replaced with Justin Weaver. Lee soon departed as well, and Nelson returned in 2006. In 2007, Weaver departed and was replaced by Andy Gurley. Despite going through numerous personnel changes, Highway 101 has maintained an active force in Country Music and continues to tour.

Members

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Guest singles

References

External links

• Highway 101 official website
• CMT.com: Highway 101
• Billboard.com: Highway 101 singles chart
• Highway 101 album chart