Gus Hardin

Gus Hardin (born Carolyn Ann Blankenship; April 9, 1945 – February 17, 1996) was a country music singer. She recorded for RCA Records between 1983 and 1986, releasing two albums and one extended play. In addition to these, she had a hit single with the Earl Thomas Conley duet "All Tangled Up in Love".

Career Carolyn Ann Blankenship was born in 1945 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her rise to country music popularity began in 1983 with her first single for RCA Records, the top 10 hit "After The Last Goodbye." Other hits, such as "Fallen Angel," "I Pass," "Lovin' You Hurts" and "If I Didn't Love You" soon followed, as well as "All Tangled Up in Love," a duet with Earl Thomas Conley. She recorded and released "One of the Boys" and "Mama Knows" by songwriter Kevin Weyl, and "Tornado" by Kevin Weyl and Steve Robertson which is featured in the sound track of the Kevin Pollak film Deterrence.

Hardin married keyboard player Steve Hardin, who was a member of the group Point Blank, and after their divorce kept his last name. Garth Brooks' sister, Betsy Smittle, was one of Gus's band members and did background vocals on Gus's album I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can.

Death On February 17, 1996, Hardin died in a car accident on State Highway 20 west of Salina, Oklahoma, near her home in the Lake Hudson area. A laboratory report listed her blood alcohol level at 0.28 percent. Memorial services were held in Oklahoma and Nashville, Tennessee. Gus Hardin is survived by daughter Toni Jones and granddaughter Chelsea Johnson, both of Sapulpa, Oklahoma.

Discography Albums Title Details Peak positions US Country Fallen Angel Release year: 1984 Label: RCA 63 Wall of Tears Release year: 1984 Label: RCA 64 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Release year: 2001 Label: Rainy Day — "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended plays Title Details Peak positions US Country CAN Country 1983 "After the Last Goodbye" 10 — Gus Hardin "If I Didn't Love You" 26 — "Loving You Hurts" 32 — "Fallen Angel (Flying High Tonight)" 41 — Fallen Angel 1984 "I Pass" 43 — "How Are You Spending My Nights" 52 — "All Tangled Up in Love" 8 8 Wall of Tears 1985 "My Mind Is On You" 79 — "Just as Long as I Have You" 72 52 Wall of Tears 1986 "What We Gonna Do" 73 — Wall of Tears "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos Year Title 1984 "I Pass"