Diamond Rio’s ‘One More Day’ Marks 25 Years As a Cultural Connector: ‘It Means Something to People’

In the autumn of 2000, songwriter Steven Dale Jones (“Ten Thousand Angels,” “Singles You Up”) played a nine successful Atlanta the nighttime he’d learned that Arista planned to merchandise his opus “One More Day.”

“I retrieve saying, ‘This is going to beryllium a Diamond Rio single, and I anticipation you perceive it truthful overmuch you get bushed of proceeding it,’” Jones recalls.

Twenty-five years since the song’s Oct. 27, 2000, release, “One More Day” has been heard much than 5.5 cardinal times connected the radio, according to BMI, putting it successful league with specified titles arsenic The Beatles’ “Penny Lane,” Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” Eric Clapton’s “Tears successful Heaven” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”

Diamond Rio has ne'er been a set that commands changeless media attention, truthful “One More Day” reached that level done a workman-like route, uncovering its spot successful people’s lives done its utilitarian value: the harmony-drenched chorus has perfect sing-along qualities, it’s an charismatic wedding opus and adjacent much suited for funerals. The opus – and the set – stealthily established a spot successful civilization by assisting radical done large idiosyncratic moments, some successful solitude and with company.

“I tin ne'er explicate it exactly,” Diamond Rio frontman Marty Roe reflects. “You recognize wherefore successful hindsight. You ne'er expect it, ne'er privation it, but determination it is, and it’s a blessing that thing we did has helped radical done each that. It’s a sobering happening to go, ‘Wow, that’s impactful. And I didn’t person thing to bash it.’”

More accurately, everyone who had a relation successful “One More Day” seems to person allowed the opus to find its way. Its way has proven rather timely, too, helping the state process its grief successful the aftermath of a level clang successful 2001, the decease of NASCAR Dale Earnhardt and the tragic nonaccomplishment of beingness successful the 9/11 violent attacks. Even now, its 25^th day coincides with developments for songwriter Bobby Tomberlin (“A Good Day To Run,” “Someday It’ll All Make Sense”): he’s been affiliated with Curb | Word Publishing for 30 years, and helium conscionable published his autobiography, I’ve Lived Country Music.

“How chaotic is that,” Tomberlin says. “You know, nary of that was planned.”

Tomberlin wasn’t planned either. He was fixed up for adoption aft his commencement successful Mobile, Ala., but was fortunate capable to beryllium taken into a safe, nurturing location astatine conscionable 4 months. “The archetypal happening the foster genitor told them erstwhile they picked maine up successful Montgomery was ‘The lone clip this babe cries is erstwhile the vigor is turned off,’” Tomberlin notes. “So it was similar I was consumed with euphony from the precise beginning.”

Tomberlin got into radio, and erstwhile helium picked up a gig astatine WLAY Muscle Shoals, helium met Jones, a indebtedness serviceman astatine a section bank, connected his 2nd time successful town. A decennary later, some of them had relocated successful Nashville, and successful late-1998, Tomberlin was missing immoderate loved ones during the holidays. He wrote portion of an opening verse, concluding it with a privation for “one much time with you.” The adjacent day, helium presented it to Jones astatine a penning appointment, and Jones instantly linked it to a three-note melody he’d been carrying that acceptable the “One More Day” title. Jones shifted from his accustomed guitar to piano, a determination that forced him to support the opus simple.

They finished it that day, and Jones turned successful a speedy demo, and got a speedy response. The Clark Family Experience enactment it connected hold, though they fto it spell a abbreviated clip later. Alabama considered it for astir 3 days, past Mark Wills, and yet it got pitched to Brooks & Dunn, though Ronnie Dunn thought it sounded similar it was best-suited for Diamond Rio.

The set heard it connected the autobus among a slew of imaginable songs, and they...