Forgotten 90s Country Songs, Artists is a series that reflects on my favorite country songs during the fifth generation. Country music became a worldwide sensation because of the stadium acts and neotraditional sound. The combination of these elements created for an exhilarating live experience and more of a pop sound that appealed to a bigger audience. Garth Brooks and George Strait were the top two headliners of this era.
What Defines A Forgotten 90s Country Song, Artist?
I’m either focusing on artists who had a limited amount of radio hits or songs whose Billboard Country Airplay chart peak was outside the top three. I’d guess that these songs haven’t played on most radio stations in at least 20 years. These aren’t the popular 90s country songs that radio stations still play to this day. Some of these songs were almost completely off radio stations within two years of chart peak. The artists may have never been heard from again.
The Forgotten 90s Country Songs, Artists series is not about Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Clint Black, and all the acclaimed singers whose careers have spanned decades. This series is to recognize the more popular songs from singers such as Mindy McCready, Michael Peterson, John Berry, BlackHawk, Kevin Sharp, Mike Reid, and Lionel Cartwright.
Michael Peterson “From Here To Eternity” (1997)
Song Information, Video, Chart Data
“From Here To Eternity” was the second release from Michael Peterson’s debut mainstream album, Michael Peterson. Robert Ellis Orrall and Peterson wrote the song. This was his first and only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The song peaked at No. 1 for one week on December 13, 1997. The album had four other top 40 hits: “Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie (No. 3)”, “Too Good to Be True (No. 8)”, “By the Book (No. 19),” and “When the Bartender Cries (No. 37).”
YouTube won’t let me embed the video so here’s the digitally remastered cut from October 2021. This comes from his official YouTube channel that has fewer than 2,800 subscribers. That low number is nowhere near indicative of the quality of music that he has put out. The video has 40,000 views. If this were a new release in October 2021, then it’d have closer to 4,000,000.
Why I Love “From Here To Eternity.”
The two most popular country wedding songs during the late 1990s were Mark Wills “I Do (Cherish You)” and Lonestar‘s “Amazed.” American vocal group 98 Degrees remade “I Do (Cherish You)” a year after Wills peaked at No. 2 in 1998. In 1999, “Amazed” spent an incredible eight straight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Airplay chart. Jo Dee Messina’s “Lesson in Leavin’” spent seven straight weeks at No. 2. I was always more of a “What About Now” type of guy but that’s for another time.
Peterson’s wedding classic always drew me near. The song captures the perfect embodiment of a proposal whether it’s asking one’s hand in marriage or saying “I do” at the wedding altar. The chorus sounds like something a man should say after they bend down on a knee to propose. The vocal is perfect from the low notes during the verses to the higher notes during the last chorus.
I just turned 36 years old. My theme song is still “Love’s Great;” however, if I ever get married, then I’m rocking “From Here To Eternity” to the altar.
“From Here To Eternity” landed at No. 9 on my Top 50 favorite country music songs of the 1990s. I could’ve placed this anywhere between No. 5-11. I feel like I should’ve put it at No. 7 but it is what it is. This is a fantastic song from a spectacular album so give it a listen.
The Rest of the Michael Peterson Album
The other big hit from this album was “Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie.” I always got a kick out of the clever writing from that single. “That’s What They Said About the Buffalo” is an underrated ballad that compares the Great Plains Bison returning from the brink of extinction to a lover who wants to make one last effort to save his or her marriage. I’d encourage everyone to give this entire album a listen because the whole thing is great from Track No. 1-11. There isn’t anything that’s even close to a bad song on it.
Where Is Michael Peterson Now?
Peterson cites on his official website that his music has reached No. 1 on 15 different occasions on the country and contemporary Christian music charts. The Imperials “Taking Your Love For Granted” was his first No. 1. The last time that one of his songs charted on Billboard Airplay was 2002. He still releases new music and performs at military benefits.
Check out his website to learn more about a music career that started in 1975. A few of his career milestones include having two songs in movie soundtracks, 3,000 career performances / speaking engagements, and performing / speaking in 22 different countries / territories. Below is his official Twitter page.
