Larry Gatlin telephoned Johnny and during the course of the conversation, Larry said, “John, other than me and Ray Price, you’re the best singer in country music – why aren’t you cutting records?” Gatlin offered to produce a session with Duncan and one single came out of it called “Jo And The Cowboy” in the Fall of ’75. This was not a stellar hit by any stretch of the imagination (peaking at only #26), but it was a very important record. It introduced the world to Janie Fricke.
“Jo And The Cowboy” also set a precedent by making Fricke an integral part of several key Johnny Duncan records from that point on. Duncan resumed his career with Sherrill and the first single issued – Kris Kristofferson’s “Stranger” – was a Top Five hit, although Johnny was still not satisfied. He needed a number one record to make his resurgence “legitimate,” as he put it. Johnny didn’t have long to wait, as the follow-up, “Thinkin’ Of A Rendezvous,” turned the trick and sent him to the top of Billboard’s country singles chart for his first of three times on December 11, 1976.
It was ironic that “Thinkin’ Of A Rendezvous” would be Johnny Duncan’s first chart-topper. Years earlier, the song’s co-writer Sonny Throckmorton had recorded a few songs in a New Mexico studio. The first one he cut had been written by Duncan. With “Thinkin’ Of A Rendezvous,” the two men had reversed roles.