Spending four decades in the country music industry, Tim Malchak got his start as one-half of the duo Malchak & Rucker. Alongside partner Dwight Rucker, the two men became the first biracial duo to chart a country music single when their song “Just Like That” reached number 92 in 1984. Today, we’re diving into the career of Tim Malchak, born in Binghamton, New York, on this day (June 25) in 1957.
Tim Malchak Has Released More Than 20 Albums
Joining his first band in fifth grade, Tim Malchak began singing folk songs in college before moving to Southern California in the late 1970s, where he worked as an opening act for country-rocker Commander Cody and jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra.
Returning to his home state in 1982, Malchak met health-food restaurant owner Dwight Rucker, who had played jazz fusion in the 1970s and also dabbled in pop music.
Soon after forming Malchak & Rucker, the duo landed an opening gig for progressive-country staple Michael Martin Murphey.
Signing with Revolver Records in Nashville a year later, they scored two minor hits in “Just Like That” and “Why Didn’t I Think of That”.
After moving to Alpine Records, Malchak & Rucker found themselves in the top 70 with their debut for the label, “I Could Love You in a Heartbeat”.
Malchak stayed with Alpine after the duo went their separate ways in 1986, releasing his solo debut, Colorado Moon, the following year.
The title track reached number 37 on the country singles chart. “Colorado Moon” made Malchak the first independent artist to crack the top 40 of the Billboard country charts in many years.
He followed up with two more top 40 singles, “Restless Angel” and “It Goes Without Saying”, off his sophomore solo record American Man.
In 1987, Billboard named Tim Malchak among its Top Ten New Country Artists of that year.
After inking a major record deal with Universal, he released his critically acclaimed third album, Different Circles, in 1989.
However, the record failed to yield any top 40 singles, and Malchak moved to South Carolina in 1992.
Where Is He Now?
Throughout his country music career, Tim Malchak shared a stage with some of the genre’s best, including Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and more. He even performed at 1993’s Farm Aid VI in Ames, Iowa.
These days, he’s mostly a Christian artist. He released his first Christian album, Pathway to Glory, in 2001, the same year he launched Tim Malchak Ministries.
Releasing 12 Christian albums as of 2017, Malchak and his wife, Leslie, tour the southeastern United States with their traveling music ministry.
Featured image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
The post Born 69 Years Ago Today in New York, One Half of the First Biracial Duo to Ever Land on the Country Charts appeared first on American Songwriter.
Author: Erinn Callahan
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