“Unforgettable Melodies: Ronnie Milsap’s Triumphant Homage to Jim Reeves and the Timeless Anthem ‘Am I Losing You'”

Exploring the Background of the Song: “Am I Losing You”

The composition “Am I Losing You” holds a captivating story behind it. Initially written and performed by the talented Jim Reeves, it gained significant popularity and climbed the charts in 1957, reaching the impressive position of #3. Reeves’ version of the song experienced renewed success in 1960, peaking at #8. However, another artist would later breathe new life into this emotional track.

Ronnie Milsap, a multi-talented musician skilled in both vocals and various instruments, embarked on a musical journey from a young age. His passion for music led him to master the piano, violin, and guitar during his formative years. Interestingly, “Am I Losing You” became the first tune he learned to play on the six-string guitar. The profound connection he felt with the song remained with him throughout his career.

In 1980, Milsap found himself in a challenging situation. Extensive touring had left him little time to review song submissions for a new album. Despite the pressure from his label, RCA, to produce fresh material, he felt the need to take a different approach. During a conversation with Jerry Bradley, the division manager at RCA (and the son of renowned producer Owen Bradley), Milsap expressed his deep admiration for Jim Reeves and proposed the idea of recording a tribute album dedicated to the late artist.

Both Ronnie and Jerry agreed that a tribute album would not only allow Milsap to pay homage to one of his all-time favorite performers but also keep his music in the market without the pressure of finding new songs. Moreover, Jim Reeves had previously been signed to RCA, making the tribute even more significant.

Jim Reeves had an extraordinary journey to stardom. Initially working as an announcer on the “Louisiana Hayride” radio show in Shreveport, Louisiana, he yearned to showcase his vocal talents. An unexpected opportunity arose one night when a scheduled performer failed to appear. Reeves was sent on stage to fill the void, and his captivating singing captivated the audience. This unplanned performance set him on a path to success.

Reeves’ breakthrough came in 1953 with the release of the up-tempo novelty song “Mexican Joe” on the local Abbott label. The track skyrocketed to #1 nationwide, becoming one of the best-selling records of the year. Two years later, RCA Victor signed Reeves, and he embraced the new and smoother “countrypolitan” style known as “The Nashville Sound.” Jim became the leading figure of this genre, producing a series of chart-topping hits that effortlessly crossed over into the pop market, expanding country music’s audience.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Reeves lost his life in a plane crash in 1964 while approaching Nashville’s Berry Field. His untimely death at the age of 39 transformed his career from highly regarded and immensely successful to iconic and legendary. Only three years later, he was unanimously elected to The Country Music Hall of Fame, even before the implementation of the “twenty-five year” rule.

Once the tribute album project received Jerry Bradley’s approval, Ronnie Milsap and producer Tom Collins embarked on bringing the vision to life. The resulting album, titled “Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing,” drew its name from the opening line of Reeves’ 1957 classic, “Four Walls.” Milsap covered ten of “Gentleman Jim’s” hits on the album, including “I Guess I’m Crazy,” “He’ll Have To Go,” “I’m Beginning To Forget You,” and the song that inspired it all, “Am I Losing You,” which had achieved Top Ten success twice during Reeves’ lifetime.

“Am I Losing You” became the sole single released from the tribute album. It soared to the top of Billboard’s country singles chart on May 9, 1981, becoming Ronnie’s 17th number one hit out of his impressive total of 35. The album also featured a couple of original songs dedicated to Jim Reeves: the title track, “Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing,” and “Dear Friend.”

With the release of “Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing,” Ronnie Milsap played a significant role in sparking a Jim Reeves revival. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, RCA had already garnered success by overdubbing young Deborah Allen’s vocals onto some of Reeves’ tracks, creating “duets” that resulted in three Top Ten singles. Encouraged by this achievement, RCA sought to uncover songs recorded by both Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline to create duets between the two artists. Despite the challenge of finding suitable tracks with similar keys and tempos, they managed to release one successful duet, “Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue),” reaching the Top Five in late 1981. Another attempt at a duet, using Patsy’s classic “I Fall to Pieces,” did not achieve the same level of success as the previous collaboration.

Lyrics
Am I losing you
Are my fears coming true?
Tell me what to do
Am I losing you?
Is your love really true?
Is there somebody new?
How I wish I knew
Am I losing you?
Am I too blind to see
What’s been happening to me
Every road has a bend
Will I be sweetheart or friend?
Will the sweet things you do
Be for somebody new
How I wish I knew
Am I losing you?
Am I too blind to see
What been happening to me?
Every road has a bend
Will I be sweetheart or friend?
Will the sweet things you do
Be for somebody new?
Tell me what to do
Am I losing you?