All through school he sang; assemblies, pep rallies, talent contests and then the day jobs; carpet salesman, shoe salesman, grocery clerk. These were the dues he was paying but his guitar was never far from him. As day turned to evening, Ken Mellons could be found singing in small clubs around Nashville. And those dues can take their toll but Ken Mellons could not be deterred. One of his strongest motivators was at a talent contest he didn't win. His idol, the late great Keith Whitley, was a judge, and while Ken did not win he took away a prize which has constantly reinforced his belief in himself. Whitley signed the top of a popcorn box, which Ken still has, with the words, "keep singing." Mellons still visits Whitley's grave whenever he needs to contemplate or reinforce his dream.

It's no wonder that the timber of Ken's voice reflects the hurt and heartache that was so much a part of the soulful sounds of Whitley. In a voice which is unmistakably his own, Mellons still pays homage to the great traditionalists who came before him like Haggard, Jones, Vern Gosdin, and John Anderson.

While the legends have been important to Mellons' development, he still acknowledges the faith of his parents in their belief in him, as well as the encouragement and support of his young bride, Stephanie, whom he married in 1995. Also with him, sharing his hopes and dream has been Jerry Cupit, his producer, friend, and confidante. And then there's Bud Wendell, one of the most influential men in the development of country music, who happened to hear ken singing and arranged for his first appearance on the Grand Ole'Opry: Just a moment in the overall scheme of things but so important and probably, at this stage of his career, probably no one more important than Mike Curb, president of Curb Records, who heard the sincerity and determination in Ken Mellons, and stepped forward to make sure the dream did not die. "Ken Mellons has proven himself to be an outstanding country performer both in concert and on record," said Mike Curb. "He has developed a great relationship with country radio and we are proud to have him on Curb Records."

And Ken is doing his part to keep the dream alive. His Curb Album is the result of a great deal of intense soul-searching, writing, touring extensively, listening to the people out there, trying out his new compositions on them, re-writing some, discarding others, making sure his effort is the finest effort possible.

Ken Mellons is a country singer, pure and simple, whose voice has been shaped by the sounds of yesterday, but he's been able to take those sounds, blend them into what's happening today, and present country music with something that's brand new and dynamic. He's been on this quest practically his entire young life and nothing will deter him.