Neal McCoy's brand of neo-traditionalist honky tonk brought him a string of
hits in the mid-'90s.
Neal McCoy
was born Hubert Neal McGaughey, Jr. in Jacksonville, TX, to a father of Irish
descent and a Filipino mother. He grew up listening to all kinds of music --
country, swing, rock, disco, R&B -- and first sang in local gospel choirs. His
voice developed into a rich baritone, and he first put it to professional use in
an R&B band; soon, however, he returned to country music, playing bars and clubs
all over Texas. In 1981, he won a talent contest that was attended by
Janie Fricke, and she helped him land a slot on tour as
Charley Pride's opening act. He spent six years in that capacity, and
finally left to pursue his own recording career in 1988, when he released his
debut single, "That's How Much I Love You," under the name
Neal McGoy (the pronunciation of his birth name). Modifying it to the more
common
Neal McCoy, he released his debut album, At This Moment, on Atlantic in 1990.
Despite
Neal McCoy's growing reputation for exciting, freewheeling live shows, neither it
nor the follow-up, 1992's Where Forever Begins, sold all that well.
However,
Neal McCoy's fortunes took a turn for the better with his third album, 1994's No
Doubt About It. Both the title track and "Wink" topped the country charts, and
"The City Put the Country Back in Me" went Top Five, helping No Doubt About It
sell over a million copies. Suddenly a breakout star,
Neal McCoy returned in 1995 with You Gotta Love That, another platinum seller
that produced a total of three number three singles: "For a Change," "They're
Playin' Our Song," and the title track. 1996's Neal McCoy kept his hit streak
going strong, giving him a third straight platinum album and another Top Five
single in "Then You Can Say Goodbye." The following year saw the release of a
Greatest Hits compilation, and
Neal McCoy offered a new album later in 1997 called Be Good At It. Despite
another Top Five smash in "The Shake," album sales dipped below the million mark
for the first time since
Neal McCoy's breakthrough. 1999's The Life of the Party, contrary to its title,
was an album of ballads and soft country-pop tunes, and both it and 2000's
24-7-365 found
Neal McCoy's sales progressively slipping. Taking some time off to recharge,
Neal McCoy returned in early 2003 with The Luckiest Man in the World. ~ Steve
Huey, All Music Guide
Contact Grabow for more information or to book
Neal McCoy for your next corporate or private event.
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