More than two decades after his death, country music fans are about to hear a previously untold chapter of Gary Stewart’s remarkable career.
The singer, known as the “King of the Honky-Tonks,” built a devoted following with hits including “Drinkin’ Thing,” “Out of Hand” and the No. 1 country single “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles).” Now, a new archival collection titled One Track Mind will showcase 16 previously unreleased recordings made between 1967 and 1972, giving listeners a rare glimpse at Stewart before he became one of country music’s most distinctive voices.
Set for release on July 17 through Delmore Recording Society, One Track Mind features early songwriting demos, home recordings and other archival performances preserved by producer Mark Linn and Stewart’s close friend Tommy Schwartz.
Among the newly released songs is “Woman Will Tear the Heart Right Out of a Man,” which is now available as a preview of the upcoming collection. Another early release, “Iron Bar Motel,” debuted last month.
The recordings capture Stewart during his early years as a songwriter after arriving in Nashville from Fort Pierce, Fla. Working with songwriting partner Bill Eldridge, he penned songs that would later be recorded by artists including Del Reeves, Cal Smith, JackGreene and Nat Stuckey. But according to the album’s producers, no one sang them quite like Stewart himself.
The CD and streaming editions will also include four bonus tracks, including rare country interpretations of Motown favorites. Stewart recorded demo versions of the Four Tops’ “Baby I Need Your Loving” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” along with Stevie Wonder’s “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday,” while working with Motown’s Jobete publishing company in 1970.
Those recordings ultimately helped catch the attention of producer Roy Dea, who signed Stewart to RCA Records. The partnership launched a string of country hits throughout the 1970s and cemented Stewart’s place as one of the genre’s most influential artists.
Interest in Stewart’s life has continued to grow in recent years. Earlier this year, author Jimmy McDonough published the biography Gary Stewart: I Am From the Honky-Tonks, which chronicles the singer’s life through interviews with family members and country music stars such as Willie Nelson and Tanya Tucker.
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