Never Did Like Whiskey Explained

Never Did Like Whiskey
Type:single
Cover:Billie Jo Spears--Never Did Like Whiskey.jpg
Artist:Billie Jo Spears
Album:I'm Not Easy
B-Side:"No Other Man"
Studio:Jack Clement Recording (Nashville, Tennessee)
Length:2:08
Label:United Artists
Producer:Larry Butler
Prev Title:Sing Me an Old Fashioned Song
Prev Year:1976
Next Title:I'm Not Easy
Next Year:1976

"Never Did Like Whiskey" is a song written by Kenny O'Dell that was originally recorded by American country artist Billie Jo Spears. It was released as a single in 1976 and reached the top 20 of the American country chart and the top 30 of the Canadian country chart. The song was included on Spears's 1976 studio album titled I'm Not Easy.

Background and recording

After signing with United Artists Records, Billie Jo Spears topped the country charts in 1975 with "Blanket on the Ground". During the seventies, she had a series of top ten and top 20 singles on the country charts.[1] Among her successful singles of this period was "Never Did Like Whiskey".[2] Composed by Kenny O'Dell, "Never Did Like Whiskey" was produced by Larry Butler in July 1976 at the Jack Clement Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.[3]

Release, chart performance and reception

"Never Did Like Whiskey" was released as a single in October 1976 on United Artists Records. It was backed on the B-side by the song "No Other Man". It was distributed as a seven-inch vinyl disc.[3] It debuted on the American Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in October 1976. Spending 12 weeks there, it peaked at the number 18 position by December 1976.[4] On the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart, the song reached the number 28 position.[5] Later that year, "Never Did Like Whiskey" was featured on Spears's studio album I'm Not Easy.[6]

In reviewing the I'm Not Easy LP, AllMusic's Greg Adams positively remarked that "Never Did Like Whiskey" was "one of Spears' best cuts, a modern and commercial update of honky tonk music that should have been a much bigger hit than it was."[2] Kurt Wolff of Country Music: The Rough Guide called the song as "bold and carefree".[7]

Track listing

7" vinyl single[3]

Charts

Chart (1976)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)28

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Huey . Steve . Billie Jo Spears Biography . . 28 January 2023.
  2. Web site: Adams . Greg . I'm Not Easy: Billie Jo Spears: Songs, reviews, credits . . 25 February 2023.
  3. Spears . Billie Jo . "Never Did Like Whiskey"/"No Other Man" (Single Information) . . October 1976 . UA-XW880-Y.
  4. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . various.
  5. Search results for "Billie Jo Spears". RPM. 24 January 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20121012175849/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=gmrhouli7kvfvaeu848ka389j0&q1=Billie+Jo+Spears&x=0&y=0. 12 October 2012. dead.
  6. Spears . Billie Jo . I'm Not Easy (Disc Information) . . November 1976 . UA-LA684-G.
  7. Book: Wolff. Kurt. Country Music: The Rough Guide. 2000. Penguin Books. London. 1-85828-534-8 . 454.