'Hearts Are Gonna Roll': Hal Ketchum, RIP Rollingstone Obit, 'Sure Love'

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Hal Ketchum obit. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/hal-ketchum-country-singer-dead-obit-1094771/

- Hal Ketchum, Nineties Country Singer of ‘Small Town Saturday Night,’ Dead at 67. Grand Ole Opry member known for hits like “Hearts Are Gonna Roll” and “Sure Love” succumbs to dementia complications. RollingStone.

Hal Ketchum, the Grand Ole Opry member and hit country singer of “Small Town Saturday Night,” died Monday night at 67 as a result of complications from dementia. Ketchum’s wife Andrea confirmed the news on Facebook Tuesday. “With great sadness and grief we announce that Hal passed away peacefully last night at home due to complications of dementia,” she wrote on Ketchum’s official Facebook. “May his music live on forever in your hearts and bring you peace.”

Born in Greenwich, New York, in 1953, Hal Michael Ketchum began learning the drums as a teenager and joined up with local bands. He first relocated to Florida, then Texas, in the early Eighties and focused more on his songwriting and performing as he worked the Lone Star State’s clubs. In 1988, he released his first album Threadbare Alibis (under his full name) before setting his sights on writing songs in Nashville.

Ketchum released his debut album for Curb Records, Past the Point of Rescue, in 1991. The album produced four country Top 20 singles: the Number Two-charting classic “Small Town Saturday Night,” “I Know Where Love Lives,” his version of the Mick Hanly-penned title track, and producer Allen Reynolds’ “Five O’Clock World.” It would be his highest-selling album, eventually going gold for sales in excess of 500,000...

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1. This is heartbreaking💔

As a teenager I loved him and over played Small Town on a Saturday Night.

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2. I didn't find Ketchum until the 2000s but when I did

it was heaven. Listening to him loudly on the car CD player driving to the beach and all over.

A great songwriter and clear, strong voice, I love tenors. Such a loss.