Additional Coverage:
- 1975 No. 1 Hit, By a 25-Year-Old Singer, Is Still a ‘Low-Rent Rendezvous’ 51 Years Later (parade.com)
In 1975, the Amazing Rhythm Aces made a striking debut with their hit “Third Rate Romance,” a song penned by lead singer Russell Smith that tells the tale of two strangers meeting in a restaurant and ending up in a less-than-glamorous motel room. The track’s vivid storytelling and catchy melody propelled it to No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on the country chart, while in Canada it soared even higher, topping both the country and overall singles charts.
Interestingly, “Third Rate Romance” wasn’t first recorded by the Amazing Rhythm Aces. The song’s origins trace back to 1974, when singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester laid down his version in Montreal for the album Learn to Love It.
Backing Winchester were musicians including Russell Smith and future members of the Amazing Rhythm Aces. A year later, the newly formed band recorded their own take for their debut album Stacked Deck, releasing it as their first single.
The song unfolds a brief, relatable story: a man and woman meet at a restaurant, decide to spend time together, and eventually check into the Family Inn motel. Outside their room, the woman admits nervously that this is a new experience for her and asks if he’s been there before.
His sly response-“a time or two”-provides a cheeky and memorable punchline. Smith’s understated delivery helped the song strike a balance between humor and humanity, making the encounter feel genuine rather than scandalous.
Musically, “Third Rate Romance” showcased the band’s unique blend of country, rock, blues, R&B, and folk, a style they simply dubbed “American music.” The album also featured the crossover hit “Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song),” the band’s only Top 10 country single. The following year, the Amazing Rhythm Aces earned a Grammy for “The End Is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune).”
Despite these successes, “Third Rate Romance” remained their signature track. Nearly 20 years later, it enjoyed a resurgence when country artist Sammy Kershaw covered it on his 1994 album Feelin’ Good Train. Kershaw’s version climbed to No. 2 on Billboard’s country chart and No. 10 in Canada, with Smith himself providing backing vocals-a fitting nod to the song’s enduring legacy.
Over the years, “Third Rate Romance” attracted a variety of artists, including Tom Jones in the 1970s, Rosanne Cash on her 1982 album Somewhere in the Stars, and an early demo by Elvis Costello.
The Amazing Rhythm Aces’ career spanned decades, despite a breakup in the early 1980s and a reunion in 1994. Russell Smith went on to write hits for notable country stars such as Tanya Tucker, Randy Travis, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Ricky Van Shelton before his passing in 2019 at age 70.
Yet it is “Third Rate Romance” that remains Smith’s most enduring contribution-a simple, memorable story of a fleeting encounter that captured the imagination of generations, proving that sometimes, it’s the “third-rate” moments that leave the biggest mark.