Occasionally I get letters from my wonderful readers telling me what they like about the column or, just as valuable, what they aren’t crazy about. But any correspondence I get from our readers is welcomed.

I recently received a nice handwritten letter from Yvonne, who lives in Indiana. She told me how much she likes the fact that I often speak of “older singers.”

Yvonne, I agree with you about these great classic country stars, and how the lines seemed blurred these days when it comes to country music. For some, those blurred lines are favorable. For me and Yvonne, we like a little more distinction in our country music.

I like some of the pop music out there. I really like some of the older rock-n-roll. And I must admit, on those late nights when I’m traveling home after a long day, I crank up a little Def Leppard just to keep me awake.

But my heart belongs to the traditional sounds of country music, and often I have to dial back the hands of time to find it. That said, I would like to share my thoughts on one of our finest country music stars of the past, Earl Thomas Conley.

I was saddened to learn of his recent passing. During his heyday of the 1980s and ‘90s, this guy was one of the hottest country music performers on the planet. He put more songs at the top of the charts in the 1980s than almost any other artist, with “Fire and Smoke” being his first No. 1 hit.

Conley actually got his start way back in the early 1970s and stayed active, with the exception of a few years, throughout the rest of his life. My favorite Conley song was his 1983 hit “Holding her and Loving You.”

He had such a solid, unique voice. When one of his songs came over the airwaves, we all knew who it was. He had a soulful voice and liked soul music so much he recorded a duet with Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters.

Conley would also become an inspiration to other country music stars. Blake Shelton, whom he had collaborated with, was especially fond of him. In a social media posting sent the day Conley passed, Shelton said, “My heart is absolutely destroyed today … Earl was my all-time favorite singer, hero, and my friend.”

In addition to his musical career, Conley was also an Army veteran. We thank him for his service to our country and his contribution to country music. He made us all sing a little more whenever we heard one of his tunes.

And thanks to you, Yvonne, for your kind letter and your love for the traditional country performers we have enjoyed for so long.

Bluegrass Johnson comes from a long line of country music performers and enjoys a passion for the rhythm and melody. From the hills of Kentucky, he will offer his opinions on a variety of music. Readers with questions or comments may write to Johnson in care of this publication.