Marty, there IS a "middle ground" but it's NOT in the middle, money-wise, or audience size-wise.

The band Los Lobos had a number one hit record with "La Bamba". That translates into Rock and Roll stardom. It means playing for twenty thousand people in stadiums and arenas at HUGE money. Three years later they were playing the Mariposa festival...as HEADLINERS mind you, but to an audience of two thousand, and at (probably) money they would have laughed at when they were high up the charts.

I certainly remember Suzanne's song "Luca", Tracy's "Fast Car" and Janice's "Society's Child". These were not "Folk hits", they were BIG HITS period, and catapulted the artists to Arena and stadium venues. There IS a big difference between long respected careers and number one pop hits. If any of these artists had another "chart-topper" I'm not familiar with them.

I'm not sure Don maclean fits that category. I believe that after "American Pie" he did reach the top of the charts with "Crying". "Vincent" got a lot of airplay but it never knocked "The Eagles" off their perch.

Perhaps the best example of what you're talking about would be the case of Dan Hill's "Sometimes When we touch". For a year that was one of the biggest sellers of ALL TIME. Simply a monster hit. Prior to that, Dan was playing folk clubs...but during the next two or three years he was able to draw twenty thousand people. He had some much smaller "hits" afterward, but played for one tenth that number of people in concerts.

I remember Norma Tanega!!! Yeuchhh! I hated that song!

Obviously ALL the people named here are EXTREMELY well known in OUR field, but ask a strictly pop or rock fan (of any age) and my guess is they won't have a clue (maybe Los Lobos...but that's all).

Rick's "One hit wonder Trivia":

Who sang (first) "Mountain of Love"

"Hey Baby"

"Shout Shout"

"Ma Belle Amie"

Cheers

Rick