If I Ever (Otha Young song)

If I Ever is a song that was composed by Otha Young. It was recorded by Juice Newton & Silver Spur and included on their album in 1976. It was recorded some years later by Randy Gurley, and released on a single in 1979. It became a minor hit for her on the Country chart that year.

Background
The song appears on side one of the 1976 album After the Dust Settles by Juice Newton & Silver Spur. The composer Otha Young played on the album as well. Juice Newton & Silver Spur also released the single as a promo.

History
Randy Gurley recorded the song with Roy Dea handling the production. It was backed with the Johnathon Edwards composition "How Long" and released on RCA PB-11726 in September 1979.

Reception
The single was one of the ten Country Single Picks in the September 29 issue of Record World. The reviewer noted the slow and easy start of the song with it then building into the chorus. Gurley's sweet expressive style was noted with the reviewer saying that it could be her strongest single. It was one of the recommended records in the Billboard Top Single Picks for the week ending September 29. It was also a Single to Watch in the October 6 issue of Cash Box.

Airplay
According to the October 12 issue of Radio & Records, her single was added to the playlist of WBAM in Montgomery, Alabama. In Marie Ratliff's Country Hotline column on the October 27 issue of Record World, it was shown that the single was getting good attention at radio stations, WWVA, KERE, KSOP, WWNC, WNYN, WBAM, and WSLC.

Chart
The song made its debut on the Billboard Hot Country chart on the week ending October 27, 1979. It spent three weeks in the chart, peaking at no. 92.

Subsequent versions
UK country pop singer Barbara Allen recorded a version which appeared on her Staying Power album that was released on Hawk Records LTD. HAW 097 in 1986.