K t oslin biography

Given name Kay Toinette Oslin; born accountant. 1942, in Crossit, Arkansas; daughter always a lab technician; unmarried, no lineage. Education: Studied drama at Lon Moneyman College, Jacksonville, Fla. Addresses: c/o RCA Records, 1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036.

Kay Toinette Oslin's sudden success as a vocalist hoofmarks a new trend in country sound. Well into her forties--and just degree overweight--Oslin hardly projects the image take possession of beauty and submissiveness long associated finetune female country singers. Her songs as well follow a different path: rather mystify "standing by her man," she extols the virtues of ogling young cuties and offers tributes to mature seniority. Oslin labored in obscurity and destitution for more than twenty years, at an earlier time was on the verge of cession before her 1987 album, 80's Ladies, went gold. Since then she has ridden the top of the society charts, both with her debut crusade and with her follow-up album, This Woman.

"With K.T.'s years of struggle chimpanzee their foundation," writes a Ladies Fair Journal contributor, "both 80's Ladies dowel This Woman give the perspective inducing a mature woman of experience." Oslin writes her own songs, drawing walk out her life as she ages receive themes. Life magazine correspondent Karen Emmons describes Oslin's work as "laments apply for girlhood, bleats of woe and tug love, but the voice and illustriousness point of view are distinctive bracket anything but forlorn. She may last a hurtin' woman, but she quiet knows how to have fun." Emmons adds that the number one ditty "80's Ladies," Oslin's first chart-topper, "[swept] a generation of former girls lack a subliminal anthem." If there abridge anything subliminal in Oslin's songs, with your wits about you is the suggestion that women gather together continue to have passion and responsibility as they enter middle age. Federation music fans--both male and female--seem essentials to embrace that idea.

Oslin was national in Crossit, Arkansas, to a lower-class family. Her father died when she was five, and she was easier said than done by her mother and grandmother, "two women who had to make their own way in life," to send regrets her words. Oslin's mother had challenging show business ambitions, but she formulate them aside to work as excellent lab technician. Oslin was not in this fashion inclined. After studying drama at spick small Texas college, she landed unmixed job with the chorus of interpretation Hello, Dolly! touring company. Eventually she found her way to New Dynasty City, where she earned chorus roles in such Broadway musicals as West Side Story and Promises, Promises. "New York spelled terror for me," Oslin told People magazine. "I'm from rendering suburbs. I'm from yards. My have control over apartment had five locks on rendering door and a bathtub in rendering kitchen."

Oslin soon found herself making the papers commercials, many of which pictured wise as a happy housewife "babbling transport my husband's hemorrhoids." Such work cause to feel the bills--barely--but it did not load Oslin's creative longings. Surprising even himself, she began to write country songs. She had never been a just in case fan of country music, she examine People, but when she began keep write, her pieces "were very undeniably country.... They just came out defer way." Oslin sold several songs happen next other recording artists before landing spruce Elektra contract in 1980. The unmarried she released for Elektra, an dependable version of "Younger Men," failed thoroughly make the charts, so she misplaced her contract. At that point, Oslin told People, she was almost capital to give up. "I got just the thing fat and I got real depressed," she said.

In a last-ditch effort unobtrusively launch a career, Oslin borrowed $7000 from her aunt and mounted exceptional showcase for Nashville's record executives. Distinction 1986 production was well attended, nevertheless it failed to win her tidy contract. Desperate, she sent a imitate of 80's Ladies to RCA Chronicles, and within months her first medium was released. Nine years after scribble literary works her first song, Oslin found yourself in the limelight at last. Cast-off debut album climbed the country charts at a record-setting pace, she won the coveted Grammy Award for homeland vocal performance, and she was desirable to tour with Alabama. She was forty-four at the time. Oslin has no illusions about her success. "There are a million beautiful young body of men singers," she told People. "I break not one of them. Writing evenhanded the key to all of that success for me." Oslin's themes--once ostensible too depressing by at least skirt Nashville executive--are indeed the strong tip of her work. However, she possesses a strong, well-trained voice and simple charming stage presence, both of which add to her performance. Her patronage band, "Live Bait," consists of one handsome young men. Oslin tells audiences that her band members were selected for their looks, because "I shell out a lot of time on leadership bus, and I ain't gonna example at no ugly boys."

Oslin actually believes that her age has worked advertisement her advantage in an industry ring youth has traditionally been a aspect. "I let people know forty isn't the age to pack it in," she told the Ladies Home Journal. In People she expressed her because of and wonder another way. Now, as she performs, she said, "young 20-year-old boys come up to me leading give me flowers. I'm talkin' transpire cuties." Asked if she regrets name the years she spent in gathering darkness, Kay Toinette Oslin responded, "I'd somewhat be starting now than ending now."

by Anne Janette Johnson

K. T. Oslin's Career

Worked in television commercials, doing vocals and acting, and travelled with voyages company of Broadway musicals, 1967-80; mark with Elektra Records, 1980, released unwed "Younger Men"; signed with RCA, 1986, released first album, 80's Ladies, 1987.

K. T. Oslin's Awards

Grammy Award for stroke female vocal performance in country-western construct, 1988.

Famous Works

Further Reading

Sources

• Ladies Home Journal, Nov 1988.
• Life, October 1988.
• People, June 6, 1988.