80's Ladies

80's Ladies
Studio album by K. T. Oslin
Released	June 30, 1987 (1987-06-30)[1]
Studio	The Music Mill, Nashville, TN
Genre	Country
Length	33:51
Label	RCA
Producer	Harold Shedd
K. T. Oslin chronology
80's Ladies (1987) This Woman (1988)
Singles from 80's Ladies
"Wall of Tears" Released: January 9, 1987[1] "80's Ladies" Released: April 24, 1987[1] "Do Ya" Released: September 11, 1987[1] "I'll Always Come Back" Released: January 8, 1988[2] "Younger Men" Released: 1988 (UK)[3]
Alternative cover
Cover of the vinyl version of the album

80's Ladies is the debut studio album by American country music artist K. T. Oslin, released on June 30, 1987, by RCA Records Nashville. The album was her first release on a second major label, propelling her to success into the mainstream country genre after her first failed attempt with Elektra Records, two singles released in 1982. She had signed with RCA at 45 years old.

Commercially, the record topped the Billboard country chart, along with peaking at number 68 on the main Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting album in her discography. It was certified platinum in the United States by the RIAA and gold in Canada. Five singles were released from the album, with one being released in the UK. Its self-titled single has been praised by fans and critics, eventually winning Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 1987 Grammy Awards and becoming the first woman to win "Song of the Year" at the Country Music Association Awards. The song also earned Oslin the top female vocalist award at the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM) and won the ACM award for music video of the year. The album garnered many major award nominations throughout 1988, and highly favorable reviews from music critics. Following the album's release, Oslin embarked on tours with Alabama and George Strait.

Background

Between the late 1970s and the early 1980s, K. T. Oslin wrote songs that brought her to the attention of a performance rights group, SESAC. At the same time, she also sang on Guy Clark's eponymous album.^[4] Diana Petty, a Nashville executive for SESAC, advised Oslin to sign a major label contract. By 1979, Oslin was signed with Elektra via a "singles-only" contract, with Petty's support.^[5] Only two singles were issued on the label, which were both commercial failures. The song "Clean Your Own Tables" was on the charts for "about a minute and a half ... [and] died a fiery death", Oslin recalled.^[6][7] She was dropped by the label in 1982 and returned to New York, which she found her work unsatisfying. She continued to write songs, and was named "Most Promising Country Music Writer" by SESAC that same year.^[8] She made her appearance on a live radio broadcast in 1984 to try to connect with more musicians.^[9] Oslin fell into a depressive state due to her commercial losses and later said that she had suffered "several '4 a.m. anxiety attacks'".^[7] Petty's positive words of encouragement followed Oslin's extensive work with Judy Rodman, Dottie West, Gail Davies, and The Judds.^[4][7]

Eventually, the support led Oslin to make another effort to regain a recording contract. By the beginning of 1986,^[10] she had borrowed $7,000 from her aunt, lost 40 pounds, and temporarily acquired a Nashville nightclub, inviting music executives to a one-time live showcase, expecting phone calls from them afterwards.^[7] "The next morning, I sat waiting for the phone to ring. It did not", she recounted.^[7]

Through her musical connections, Oslin contacted Nashville producer Harold Shedd, who had recently been successful recording Alabama.^[7] Shedd convinced Oslin to record three of her original tunes, and he eventually became her full-time production collaborator.^[7] Through Shedd's connections with RCA Nashville, including Alabama's contract with the label, Oslin met RCA executive Joe Galante, who believed that Oslin had potential due to her outstanding songwriting and voice.^[9] At age 45, Oslin was signed officially to RCA in 1986.^[4]

Production and composition

After signing with the label, Oslin immediately commenced songwriting, creating five new tracks. Recording sessions for 80's Ladies took place at The Music Mill from early to late 1986 in Nashville, Tennessee, where the rhythm tracks and vocal overdubs were done. Harold Shedd served as the album's sole producer. The recording was done digitally using a 32-track X850 Mitsubishi PCM tape recorder.^[11] Oslin provided lead vocals and played keyboards on the album. Additional keyboards were contributed by David Briggs, known for his extensive work with Nashville musicians, and Gary Prim. Guitar parts were recorded by Bruce Dees, Steve Gibson, and Brent Rowan, with Rowan also playing acoustic guitar. The track "Dr., Dr." notably features guitar overdubs. Drummers Eddie Bayers, Larrie Londin, and James Stroud contributed to the rhythm section, alongside bass parts recorded by Mike Brignardello and Larry Paxton. Sam Levine played saxophone on the album, with his contributions being particularly notable on the track "I'll Always Come Back". Terry McMillan, who is also a solo artist with the song "Love is a Full Time Thing", provided the harmonica tracks. Backing vocals were added by Joe Scaife, while Costo Davis played synthesizers. The album was engineered by Jim Cotton and Joe Scaife, with assistance from George W. Clinton and Paul Goldberg. The album was mixed and edited by Milan Bogdan, and mastering was done by Hank Williams.^[11]

Music and lyrics

80's Ladies' sound has been described as a "blend of pop and southern-blues-and-rock".^[10] AllMusic journalist Rodney Batdorf describes it as "a new voice in country music",^[12] crediting Oslin's voice as a narrator for "a whole generation of women about the social changes".^[13] Lyrically, the album's material appears to be largely autobiographical, about Oslin's career in music, but Oslin denied that it was only about her: "It's indeed not my life story – it's everybody's life story".^[14] Oslin said that the songs were about experiences of people that she knew: "I do write from a personal point of view. I see what my friends are going through ... how they react to relationships. I learn from watching people and try to put it in terms that music fans would find interesting."^[10]

The song "Wall of Tears", which was written by Richard Leigh and Peter McCann, was produced as a cover song.^[11] About "I'll Always Come Back", a song Oslin wrote, she remarked that it was inspired by Little Bo-Peep (About a little girl and some sheep/That she could not find/They'd told her not to worry/They'd come back) and a boomerang (Well there's a wooden wonder from a way down under/They call a boomerang/If you handle it right/It'll come back) that was composed as a quiet love song.^[15][11]

Oslin's title track starts as a piano riff that is comparable to those of Jackson Browne.^[16] According to Oslin, it took her approximately a year to write the lyrical arrangements, starting it off as a "little [show] piece"; she did not initially envision it as a single, let alone a hit song.^[17] Rich Kienzle noted in Oslin's 2002 RCA Country Legends compilation that the song "captured the feelings of middle-aged women everywhere".^[18] Oslin herself stated that the lyrics were inspired by her best friend's photo showing her ten-year-old daughter looking identical to the friend at the same age. The song describes the long friendship of two people who have known each other since childhood, then implies various scenes and "picture[s] the friends having lunch and talking about old times".^[15]

The song "Do Ya" is a eulogy for the relationship of a couple who have been married for five years,^[19] although Oslin suggested that the relationship on which the song was based actually spanned about thirteen years.^[15]

"Younger Men", "Dr., Dr." and "Lonely But Only for You" were written earlier, between 1982 through 1985, before Oslin revived her solo career.^[11] "Younger Men" was written by Oslin and was described as "a woman of forty checking out younger guys".^[20][15] Jerry Sharpe from The Pittsburgh Press said that the song "reverses the role about middle-aged men trying to regain youth through a fling with young women".^[21] The song dates back to 1982, a follow-up to her first single, "Clean Your Own Tables", which failed commercially. It was re-recorded for 80's Ladies.^[22] "Lonely But Only for You", written by Oslin in collaboration with Rory Bourke and Charlie Black (the song was Black's sole contribution to the album), was originally composed for actress Sissy Spacek and featured on her 1983 album Hangin' Up My Heart. Spacek's version peaked at number 15 on Billboard's Hot Country songs and number 10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.^[23] The composition of "Dr., Dr." was "bluesy, brazzy and jazzy" and refers to a songwriter going to see a doctor about a broken heart.^[24] Initially titled "How Many Loves Have I Got Left", which appeared as the B-side of the 1982 version of "Younger Men", the song title was changed to match the chorus parts.^[25]

"Two Hearts", written by Oslin and Bourke, has a "self-assertive theme" about a "lonely K. T." offering comfort to a lonely stranger in a bar.^[26] A re-recorded version of the song was featured on Oslin's 1990 album Love in a Small Town.^[27] It was released as a single prior to the album's release, reaching number 73 on the US Country chart.^[28][1]

"Old Pictures" was written by Oslin and Jerry Gillespie. They were convinced at first that it was "a Kodak jingle" tune. They worked on the lyrics for a couple of years.^[15] "Old Pictures" deals with a woman reminiscing over her photographs of her close relatives and her loved ones.^[21] The Judds later recorded the song for their Heartland album, not long before Oslin released the song.^[29][15]

Release and promotion

Promotional single airplay ensued on country radio stations during the beginning of 1987. The album was slated to be released in March of that year, but was delayed to June for unspecified reasons.^[30] 80's Ladies was released on June 30, 1987, by RCA Nashville and BMG Music.^[1][31] The album debuted on the US Billboard Top Country chart at number 15^[32] on August 8, 1987,^[33] the highest-ever debut chart position for a female country artist, surpassing Loretta Lynn's debut at number 18 in January 1964 with Loretta Lynn Sings.^[34] 80's Ladies peaked at the top spot on the country chart for one week on February 27, 1988.^[35] The album debuted at number 145 on the US Billboard chart on December 12, 1987,^[36] before peaking at number 68 on March 26, 1988.^[37] The album was on the country chart for 148 weeks.^[35] It sold almost 400,000 copies by February 1988,^[38] and by March 22, it was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies in the US. It was certified platinum on May 23, 1989, for 1,000,000 sales.^[31] Despite the album having only charted in the US, it was eventually certified gold in Canada for selling over 50,000 copies in that country.^[39] With the success of 80's Ladies, Oslin became "the oldest breakthrough artist in country music history".^[40]

Oslin showcasing as a debut artist in 1987.

"Wall of Tears" was released as the first single on January 9, 1987, and reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, staying on the chart for 15 weeks.^[1][28] Her second and most successful single, "80's Ladies", was released on April 24, 1987, and reached number seven on the Billboard Country Singles chart, staying for 21 weeks on that chart,^[28] and reached number four on RPM's Canadian Country Tracks,^[41] becoming the hit that made Oslin the first woman to win "Song of the Year" at the Country Music Association Awards (CMAs).^[42][43] The song also earned Oslin a nomination at the Academy of Country Music Awards.^[44] The song won Oslin the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1988.^[45]

"Do Ya" was released on September 11, 1987,^[1] and peaked at the top spot on the Billboard Country Singles chart^[28] and was number three in Canada.^[41] It was Oslin's longest-charting single at the time, with 25 weeks.^[28] The song also received multiple nominations at the CMAs.^[42] "I'll Always Come Back" was released on January 8, 1988 (February 5 according to RCA),^[1][2] and again earned the top spot on both the United States^[46][28] and Canada charts.^[41] "Younger Men" was released in 1988 as a single in the UK.^[3]

Music videos were produced for "80's Ladies" and "I'll Always Come Back". Both were produced by Marc W. Ball and directed by Jack Cole and John Lloyd Miller.^[47] The video for "80's Ladies" won ACM's "Country Music Video of the Year", and "I'll Always Come Back" was nominated for the same award.^[44]

Touring

In September 1987, Oslin began assembling a tour, supported by her backing band, to promote her debut album across the southern and eastern sections of the United States.^[48] The tour began in mid-January 1988^[49] and continued throughout the year as an opening act for Alabama and George Strait.^[2][50][51] Oslin also co-opened and performed with Restless Heart, Merle Haggard, and Randy Travis. The tour ended in October 1988, two months after the release of her second album.^[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[12]
Chicago Tribune	(favorable)[52]
Christgau's Record Guide	B[53]
The Christian Science Monitor	(favorable)[54]
High Fidelity	(favorable)[55]
The Indianapolis Star	(favorable)[24]
MusicRow	[56]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	[57]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[58]

80's Ladies was met with positive reviews from country and contemporary music critics. Ralph Novak from People said the album was "as wryly funny, tuneful and all-around enjoyable as country music gets". He described the songwriting as reflecting "a Kristofferson-like blend of cynical and romantic", giving kudos to Oslin's performance.^[52] A review from The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Oslin's music "addresses marriage, divorce, motherhood and middle-age dating in a way" that had not been seen in the country genre "in a long time", and compared the record's title track to Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee", calling it a "rabble-rouser".^[57][52] MusicRow's magazine staff called 80's Ladies "the best sign of country music's renewed health ... new artists who come from nowhere and quickly redefine the field to fit their vision". They praised Oslin's songwriting as "proving how just flexible a rigid form can become in an intelligent writer's hands",^[56] while Billboard's Gerry Wood described the songs as having "sass and sagacity".^[52]

Critic Robert Christgau said that on 80's Ladies, Oslin "asserts herself only when she writes a song all by her lonesome on tracks". However, he called the second half of the album "dreck", describing its dramatic qualities "down to the last overripe chord change". He approved of Oslin's vocal style and concluded the review with a "B" rating.^[53] Country Music People staff praised Oslin's voice as "strong and gusty" and liked her songwriting.^[59] AllMusic's Rodney Batdorf felt that the songwriting "remained the same" but was "given a new viewpoint"; he said that 80's Ladies contained "a few weak tracks", but concluded his review by declaring it "an exciting, fresh change".^[12]

Joe Sasfy, writing for The Washington Post, described Oslin as "a can't-miss country star", saying that her work was "proof that Nashville's future doesn't depend on fiddles and steel guitars so much as on singer-songwriters who can make you feel they're singing your life".^[52] Tulsa World reviewers declared it "the voice of experience", saying that Oslin's songs "are good ones – tough and poetic, full of heartbreak, tenderness and intelligence".^[52] Nashville-based music journalist Robert K. Oermann, writing for Gannett newspapers, described the singer's debut as introducing "a major new recording personality", while praising the title track as "a warm, earthy, good-humored anthem that is 'real' as anything Patsy Cline or Dolly Parton ever sang".^[52] A Stereo Review writer said that the performance was "the real stuff" and that the recording for 80's Ladies was "sparkling". The writer said that "Oslin is really more Southern rock-and-blues than country, influenced more by Chuck Berry than Ernest Tubb". The writer described the production as "topnotch", concluding that the album would be "impossible to ignore".^[60]

Track listing

All songs were written and composed by K. T. Oslin, except where noted.^[11]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Wall of Tears"	Richard Leigh, Peter McCann	3:45
2.	"I'll Always Come Back"		4:08
3.	"Younger Men"		3:06
4.	"80's Ladies"		4:12
5.	"Do Ya"		4:05
6.	"Two Hearts"	Rory Bourke, Oslin	4:10
7.	"Dr., Dr."	Jerry Gillespie, Oslin	3:28
8.	"Lonely But Only for You"	Charlie Black, Bourke, Oslin	3:10
9.	"Old Pictures"	Gillespie, Oslin	4:13
Total length:			34:17

Personnel

Credits are adapted from liner notes.^[11]

Musicians K. T. Oslin – vocals, keyboards David Briggs – keyboards Gary Prim – keyboards Costo Davis – synthesizer Bruce Dees – electric guitar Steve Gibson – electric guitar Brent Rowan – acoustic guitar, electric guitar Mike Brignardello – bass guitar Larry Paxton – bass guitar Eddie Bayers – drums Larrie Londin – drums James Stroud – drums Sam Levine – saxophone Terry McMillan – harmonica Joe Scaife – backing vocals

Technical Harold Shedd – production Jim Cotton – recording, engineering, associate producer Joe Scaife – recording, engineering, associate producer George W. Clinton – assistant engineer Paul Goldberg – assistant engineer Milan Bogdan – digital editing Hank Williams – mastering Design Mary Hamilton – art design Beverly Parker – photography Charlie McCallen – hand tinting Letha Rodman – make-up

Charts

Chart performance for 80's Ladies

1987 weekly chart performance for 80's Ladies

Chart (1987–1988)	Peak position
US Billboard Top Country Albums[35]	1
US Billboard 200[35]	68

Certifications

Certifications for 80's Ladies

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[39]	Gold	50,000^^
United States (RIAA)[31]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release formats for 80's Ladies

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog	Notes	Ref.
North America Europe	June 30, 1987	RCA Nashville BMG	LP, cassette, CD	5924-1-R		[11]
	1990		Cassette, CD	2193-2-R	Contains 1990 Love in a Small Town re-recorded version of "Two Hearts"
Worldwide	2014	Legacy Sony Music Entertainment BMG	Digital download streaming			[61][62]

References

Footnotes

1. "K. T. Oslin Fact Sheet Discography & Awards". RCA, BMG Music. 1990. p. 2.
2. "Success Has K. T. Oslin Doing Double Time". RCA, BMG Music. February 10, 1988.
3. Younger Men (LP Single). K. T. Oslin. RCA. 1988. PB 49531.
4. Oermann, Robert K. & Bufwack, Mary A. 2003, p. 447.
5. Boehm, Mike (October 11, 1991). "SINGER MAKES HITS BY BUCKING CONVENTIONAL NOTIONS". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
6. McGraw, Marjie (March 1987). "K. T. Oslin: Rising Star". Tune-In: 17.
7. Hurst, Jack (July 7, 1987). "K. T. Oslin tries another kind of commercial success". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
8. Kirby, Kip (October 23, 1982). "Ray Twins Two from SESAC". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 42. p. 64.
9. Huey, Steve. "K. T. Oslin's biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
10. Hunt, Dennis (October 30, 1988). "K. T. Oslin's a late Bloomer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
11. 80's Ladies (CD booklet). K. T. Oslin. RCA Records. 1987. 5924-4-R.
12. Batdorf, Rodney. "K. T. Oslin – 80's Ladies review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
13. Moore, Addie (December 7, 2020). "Revisit The Rise of Unlikely '80s Megastar K. T. Oslin". Wide Open Country. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
14. Goldsmith, Thomas (July 11, 1987). "K. T. Oslin captures the '80's Ladies'". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p. 1D. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Oslin, Kay Toinette (1987). "K. T. Oslin 80's Ladies: Cut-By-Cut". RCA Nashville. Bertelsmann Music Group.
16. Friskics-Warren, Bill (December 22, 2020). "K. T. Oslin, Country Singer Known for '80's Ladies,' Dies at 78". New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
17. Shelburne, Craig (December 5, 2011). "Catching Up With K. T. Oslin". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
18. RCA Country Legends: K. T. Oslin (CD booklet). K. T. Oslin. RCA/BNA/BMG Heritage. 2002. 078636512624.
19. Edwards, Joe (September 6, 1987). "From screaming to country singing". The Herald-News. Passaic, New Jersey. Associated Press. p. D-4. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. Maves, Sherry (February 27–28, 1988). "K. T. Oslin becoming country favorite". Freeport, Illinois: Freeport Journal-Standard. pp. 1–2.
21. Sharpe, Jerry (September 13, 1987). "K. T. Oslin scores as one of '80's Ladies'". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. H6. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. Paulson, Dave (December 21, 2020). "K. T. Oslin, '80s Ladies' singer and songwriter, dies at 78". The Tennessean. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
23. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 395. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
24. Remondini, David J. (August 30, 1987). "Singer shows star qualities on LP". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. p. E-7. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
25. Younger Men/How Many Loves Have I Got Left (LP). Elektra. 1982. 7-69959.
26. Baguley, Craig (December 1990). "K. T. Oslin "Love In A Small Town" Album Review". Country Music People. England.
27. Hurst, Jack (December 2, 1990). "EVERYTHING'S OK WITH K. T." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
28. "K. T. Oslin – Hot Country Songs History". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
29. "Country // Album Reviews" (February 28, 1987). World Radio History. Cashbox. p. 36. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
30. "March is the release date set for K. T. Oslin's debut RCA album produced by Harold Shedd (known for his work with Alabama)". Academy of Country Music. Academy of Country Music. March 1987.
31. "American album certifications – K. T. Oslin – 80's Ladies". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
32. ""80's Ladies" Marks Historical Debut". RCA, Bertelsmann Music Group. Nashville, Tennessee: Bertelsmann Music Group. August 7, 1987.
33. "Billboard US Top Country Albums at August 8, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
34. Ronnie, Pugh (1987). "Dear Randy ... As per your request, I have personally researched the first chart positions for debut albums of female artists in relation to K. T. Oslin's #15 debut of 80's Ladies. You'll be happy to know that in NO INSTANCE that I checked did a female artist's premiere LP debut is in the chart any higher than #18, and that was Loretta Lynn's Loretta Lynn Sings, January 19, 1964 (just the second week the chart existed)". Country Music Foundation. Nashville, Tennessee: Country Music Foundation.
35. "K. T. Oslin Billboard Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
36. "Billboard 200 Chart – Week of 12 December 1987". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
37. "Billboard 200 Chart – Week of 26 March 1988". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
38. Morris, Edward (February 6, 1988). "New Acts Break Through At RCA" (PDF). Billboard Country. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
39. "Canadian album certifications – K.T Oslin – 80's Ladies". Music Canada. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
40. Coyne, Kevin John (December 21, 2020). "In Memoriam: K. T. Oslin (1942–2020)". Country Universe. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
41. "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada – Country Singles". RPM. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
42. "CMA Past Winners & Nominees: K. T. Oslin". Country Music Association. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
43. https://www.grammy.com/news/kt-oslin-obituary
44. "Search winners: K. T. Oslin". Academy of Country Music. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
45. "K. T. Oslin: Artist". Grammy Awards. November 23, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
46. "Hot Country Singles chart for April 23, 1988". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
47. Love In A Small Town (VHS booklet). K. T. Oslin. RCA Records. 1990. 2366-3-R.
48. Lewis, Randy (September 13, 1987). "A Woman's View of Country". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. Calendar 73. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
49. Hurst, Jack (March 13, 1988). "Fanning the fame: K. T. Oslin has a Grammy—and an audience". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. pp. 13:16, 17. Retrieved August 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
50. Gleason, Holly (July 28, 1989). "FANS CAN RELATE TO 'THIS WOMAN'". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
51. Hurst, Jack (October 16, 1988). "K. T. Cleans Up". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
52. "K. T. Oslin '80's Ladies' various publication quotes" (PDF). RCA, Bertelsmann Music Group. 1987.
53. Christgau, Robert. "K. T. Oslin Consumer Guide Reviews: K. T. Oslin". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
54. "K. T. Oslin "80's Ladies" review from The Christian Science Monitor". The Christian Science Monitor. August 1987.
55. Blum, Joe (March 1988). "K. T. Oslin: 80's Ladies" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Vol. 38. High Fidelity. p. 70.
56. "K.T Oslin: 80's Ladies: RCA 5924". MusicRow. August 8, 1987.
57. Tucker, Ken (July 5, 1987). "Pop albums: Rosanne Cash's latest". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 5-I. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
58. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 524.
59. "K. T. Oslin: 80's Ladies". Country Music People. August 1987.
60. "K. T. Oslin "80's Ladies" review". Stereo Review. October 1987. p. 3.
61. "80's Ladies – Album by K. T. Oslin". Apple Music. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
62. "80's Ladies – Album by K. T. Oslin". Spotify. Retrieved August 1, 2024.

Book sources

• Oermann, Robert K.; Bufwack, Mary A. (2003). Finding Her Voice: Women in Country Music: 1800–2000. Nashville, TN: The Country Music Press & Vanderbilt University Press. ISBN 0-8265-1432-4.
• Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.