The 1977 Ronnie Milsap No. 1 That Turned a Smoky Barroom Encounter Into One of Country Music’s Great Cheating Songs

By the mid-1970s, Ronnie Milsap had already established himself as one of Nashville's most distinctive new stars.

He had a soulful voice, remarkable command of the piano and an instinct for songs that could cross the boundaries between country and pop.

Then, in 1977, he recorded a sweeping romantic ballad that pushed his crossover success to another level.

“It Was Almost Like a Song” became a No. 1 country hit—and one of the recordings that defined Milsap's rise.

Music Became His World Early

Milsap was born in North Carolina in 1943 with a congenital condition that left him almost completely blind.

As a child, he attended the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh.

There, his musical abilities became increasingly apparent.

He studied classical music and learned several instruments, particularly piano.

But his interests extended well beyond classical training.

Rhythm and blues, gospel, country and rock and roll all became part of his musical vocabulary.

Ray Charles Became an Important Inspiration

One figure proved especially important: Ray Charles.

Milsap admired Charles' ability to cross musical boundaries rather than remain trapped inside a single genre.

The connection became personal when Milsap met Charles as a young musician.

Milsap later recalled that Charles encouraged him to pursue music professionally.

For a young blind pianist fascinated by soul and country, that encouragement carried enormous weight.

Nashville Finally Recognized What He Could Do

Milsap worked professionally for years before his country breakthrough.

He performed in clubs and sessions and even played piano on Elvis Presley's “Kentucky Rain.”

Eventually, he moved to Nashville and connected with RCA Records.

His career accelerated rapidly.

By the mid-1970s, songs such as “Pure Love,” “Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends” and “Daydreams About Night Things” had already carried him to the top of the country charts.

Then Came a Song With a Bigger Sound

“It Was Almost Like a Song” was written by Hal David and Archie Jordan.

David was already legendary as Burt Bacharach's longtime lyric-writing partner, responsible for the words to numerous classic pop songs.

For Milsap, the composition offered an opportunity to move beyond conventional country production.

The arrangement was lush.

The melody was expansive.

And Milsap's vocal gradually moved from tenderness toward heartbreak.

It sounded like country music reaching toward sophisticated adult pop.

1977: Another No. 1—But This One Traveled Further

Released in 1977, “It Was Almost Like a Song” reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.

But its success didn't stop there.

The record crossed into the mainstream Billboard Hot 100, reaching the Top 20, and also performed strongly on the adult contemporary chart.

For Milsap, this was a crucial development.

He wasn't merely one of country's biggest new stars anymore.

His voice was reaching pop listeners as well.

The Song Helped Define the Milsap Formula

Milsap became particularly skilled at making country music that could cross formats without losing its emotional center.

Piano remained central.

So did his soulful vocal phrasing.

But orchestration, pop melodies and polished production allowed his records to travel beyond traditional country radio.

That versatility became increasingly important as country entered the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Then the Hits Became Almost Relentless

Milsap's run of success was extraordinary.

Records including “What a Difference You've Made in My Life,” “Only One Love in My Life,” “Smoky Mountain Rain,” “(There's) No Gettin' Over Me,” “Any Day Now” and “Stranger in My House” kept him near the top of the charts.

Across his career, Milsap accumulated 35 No. 1 hits on Billboard's country chart.

That placed him among the most successful country performers of his generation.

He Refused to Let Genre Boundaries Control Him

Part of Milsap's importance lies in the music he absorbed before Nashville fame.

He wasn't exclusively a country musician who later discovered pop.

Soul, R&B, gospel and rock had always been there.

That background made his crossover records feel natural.

When synthesizers and contemporary production became more common in country during the 1980s, Milsap could embrace them without losing the voice at the center of the record.

Country Music Eventually Honored the Entire Journey

Milsap collected major industry honors throughout his career, including multiple Grammy Awards and numerous CMA awards.

In 2014, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The recognition acknowledged not only his extraordinary chart success but also his role in expanding what mainstream country music could sound like.

Almost Like a Song—But Completely Ronnie Milsap

The title contains an interesting understatement.

For Milsap, music wasn't “almost” anything.

It had shaped his entire life.

A blind child studying piano in North Carolina grew into a musician who absorbed Ray Charles, played on an Elvis Presley session and eventually dominated the country charts.

In 1977, “It Was Almost Like a Song” captured that versatility perfectly.

It was country.

It was pop.

It was sophisticated and deeply emotional.