An Album/Song A Week: Gary Stewart - Out of Hand

 What if I told you the best Country album of the 70's was not by Willie, Waylon or Dolly.  But by a journeyman Honky-Tonk singer who finally found success at the age of 40.  Gary Stewart was indeed a Country music journeyman prior to breaking through with the #10 Country single "Drinkin' Thing" in 1974 and a year later with the album Out of Hand.   Stewart had one of the great voices in Country music history.  But newer Country fans may not of heard of him.  But to hardcore traditionalists, he's a hero. 

Before breaking through, Stewart had released records that didn't go anywhere.  But he found more success co-writing Country songs.  Finally in 1973 his future producer, Roy Dea, got RCA to sign him.  Out of Hand sounds unlike anything else you would hear on Country radio in 1975.  Stewart's voice is often described as having a "distinctive vibrato" and it's a wonder.  The album offers up 10 solid slices of honky-tonk music. I would even call some of the songs honky-tonk soul because Stewart's voice definitely had an R&B tinge. In 1970 Motown had Stewart record Country covers of some of their classics.  Honky-Tonk was still a sound you could still hear on Country radio in 1975, but it's peak years were in the 1950's. Which is why Out of Hand stood out in 1975.  I first heard of the album in the early 80's from music critic Robert Christgau's Rock Albums of the 70's book.  But my interest really peaked in the mid-80's when the late great critic John Morthland released the definitive Best of Country Music.  

Out of Hand was a hit.  Three singles from the album went top 10 Country.  Including Stewart's only #1, "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)".  Stewart would go on to release other good albums, but never reached that peak. He had chart hits through the early 80's.  In 2003 Stewart committed suicide less than a month after his wife passed away.

Hardcore Country traditionalists have never forgotten him.  In 2020 the Austin band Mike and the Moonpies released an album of songs co-written by Stewart that were never recorded.