This week we welcome The Kendalls!
Formed in 1969, The Kendalls recorded an album for Stop Records, from which a single was released in 1970: a cover of John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane" (previously a hit for Peter, Paul & Mary). The Kendalls version narrowly missed the top fifty on the U.S. country charts. The duo signed with Dot Records in 1972, and released an album and two singles, "Two Divided By Love", (a cover version of The Grass Roots' pop hit) and "Everything I Own" a cover of Bread's 1972 hit. Eventually, the Kendalls parted with their record label, before signing with the independent Ovation Label in 1977. Their first single for the label, a cover of Kitty Wells hit "Making Believe", made the lower regions of the charts (Emmylou Harris' version of "Making Believe" hit the U.S. Country Charts around the same time). It was the Kendall's 2nd single on Ovation, a "cheating" song called "Heaven's Just a Sin Away", that proved to be their breakthrough. The song topped the country charts and was also a minor crossover pop hit, and won the 1978 Grammy for Best Country Vocal by a Duo or Group. In 1981, after Ovation Records closed, the duo signed with Mercury Records and continued to have hits with "Teach Me To Cheat" and "If You're Waitin' On Me (You're Backin' Up), which both made the country top 10. More hits followed with "Movin' Train" and "Precious Love," which made the top 20. Their last #1 was 1984's "Thank God For the Radio". The Kendalls had many more Top 20 hits in the 80's and early 90's. The also had a supper club in Gulf Shores, Alabama and a theater in Branson, MO.