"Carolina in the Pines" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Michael Martin Murphey. It was released in August 1975 as the second and final single from the album Blue Sky - Night Thunder. It peaked at number 21 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and number 25 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart in late 1975.[1] The song was re-recorded with John McEuen on banjo and released in May 1985 from his compilation album The Best of Michael Martin Murphey. The re-release peaked at number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and at number 11 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart in mid-1985. Bluegrass band The Special Consensus recorded the song on their 2002 album, Route 10.

"Carolina in the Pines"
Single by Michael Murphey
from the album Blue Sky – Night Thunder
B-side"Without My Lady There"
ReleasedAugust 4, 1975 (original release)
May 6, 1985 (re-release)
GenreCountry
Length4:08
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Michael Murphey
Producer(s)Bob Johnston
Michael Murphey singles chronology
"Wildfire"
(1975)
"Carolina in the Pines"
(1975)
"Renegade"
(1976)

Background

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"Carolina in the Pines" addresses Martin's wife whose actual name was Caroline: "I tried to write a love song about my wife without trying to relegate her to a secondary position as a supporter of me. I tried to make it about her as an individual. That's what [she and I] try to do in life."[2] Caroline Hogue was the second of Murphey's five wives: the couple had married in 1973 and would divorce in 1978.

Critical reception

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Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it "a countryish tune in a distinct John Denver vein."[3]

Personnel

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Chart performance

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Original release

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Chart (1975) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary 4

Re-release

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Chart (1985) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4] 9
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 11

References

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  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  2. ^ Daily News: 16. July 6, 1975. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ Billboard, August 16, 1975
  4. ^ "Michael Martin Murphey Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.