Spotlight Artist: Ronnie Milsap

Mustang 1071 is shining the spotlight on Ronnie Milsap! This weekend, starting Friday at 5:00 pm, Mustang is playing a double shot of his hit songs every hour. Download the free Mustang app to stay connected. Listen at work or while you work out. Make instant requests.

Ronnie Milsap is one of country music’s most successful artists. Milsap’s music rose to the top of the charts in the 1970s and 1980s. He has released 35 number-one hits. He has the third most recorded hit songs in country music ranking just behind George Strait and Conway Twitty.

Ronnie Milsap was born in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. His grandparents sent him to a school for the blind at the age of five. At this school, his teacher noticed early on that he possessed a natural talent for music. Soon, he started to take classical music courses. He learned seven different instruments. As a kid, he loved listening to radio broadcasts of live music. After Elvis took over the music industry, Ronnie Milsap formed a rock and roll band.

Eventually, Ronnie Milsap moved to Memphis and got a job at a nightclub. His popularity grew. He then headed to Nashville and met Charley Pride at one of his gigs. Charley Pride encouraged him to focus on country music. Ronnie Milsap began working with the Charley Prides team and soon landed a recording deal with RCA.