THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9409010038
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
MELLONS IS in season.
A summertime novelty about a favorite country subject put singer Ken Mellons on the charts. ``Juke Box Junkie,'' the tale of a man and his Wurlitzer, hit the Billboard chart at No. 48 and is now at 41 and climbing.
It is from Mellons' first Epic album - well, actually, it's his first album. The initial release, ``Lookin' in the Same Direction'' fared fair, but the juke box piece is garnering the attention.
Mellons has been getting a lot of attention since April as opening act for Billy Ray Cyrus. He'll be in that comfy slot again at 1 p.m. Sunday, as opener for Mr. Achy Breaky at the American Music Festival at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
``Working with Billy Ray has given me great exposure,'' said Mellons, who will be with Cyrus for several more months. ``All his folks treat us real good.''
As was the case with Cyrus, and many country artists, Mellons' first audiences occupied pews.
``I used to sing in church quite a bit when I was growin' up - Church of Christ,'' he said. ``Over the years I got into Southern Baptist - my personal taste. I like to sing with music. Church of Christ is all a cappella.''
Mellons is presenting all his own music on this tour. ``We should get two or three more singles from the album,'' said Mellons, speaking from a highway pay phone in Hopkinsville, Ky., en route to Nebraska. ``The next one will probably be a ballad - possibly, ``I Can Bring Her Back.' ''
Bringing back the very pure traditional country sound is Mellons' goal as expressed in ``Honky Tonk Teachers,'' wherein he pays tribute to men he calls soul singers - Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Hank Williams, Vern Gosdin and the late Keith Whitley.
The most important lesson came from Whitley. ``I'm a member of his fan club. Anyway, he heard me sing - complimented me,'' Mellons said. ``I'll never forget it. It made me that much more persistent.''
Equally persistent as a songwriter, he penned nine of the 10 songs in his album.
``The song is the most important thing no matter who wrote it. My next album will have the 10 best no matter who wrote them,'' Mellons said. ``The good Lord blessed me. He gave me a lot of talent even as a songwriter.''
He was raised in the right place for that talent. He was born in Kingsport, Tenn., but grew up in Nashville where he later hit the nightclub circuit.
Mellons' break came when Bud Wendell, general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, heard him in one of those smoky spots and invited him for some guest appearances.
Producer Jerry Cupit heard him and signed him, enabling him to quit his daytime job as a shoe salesman. Mellons, due to wed his bank teller girlfriend of several years in January, joins the ranks of newcomers coming from every direction.
``Competition makes you do the best you can,'' he said. ``God put me on earth for this. I'm fortunate to be able to do it for a living.'' ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO
EPIC RECORDS
Ken Mellons will open for Billy Ray Cyrus at 1 p.m. Sunday at the
American Music Festival.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE BIOGRAPHY COUNTRY MUSIC by CNB