Career
The album was reviewed as "one of the best Americana bluesy collections", and Melloan was labeled "one of Kentucky"s finest folk singer songwriters." Erika Brady, host of National Public Radio"s Barren River Breakdown, described him as "an artist with extreme potential. His voice as a writer is very distinctive, and he"s a good performer."
In 2003, Western Kentucky University President Gary Ransdell encouraged Melloan to record "High on a Hilltop," an anthem written by Melloan celebrating the legacy of the popular basketball coach, Edgar Diddle. Several musicians and singers connected to the university appeared on the project (The Kentucky Headhunters guitarist Greg Martin, Byron House, Beegie Adair, Athena Cage, and Larnelle Harris).
The song and video were aired in East. A. Diddle Arena and Nashville"s Bridgestone Arena (then Gaylord Entertainment Center) before men"s basketball games.
In 2006, the music publication "Country Weekly" described Melloan"s songs, "Angel Choir" and "One Good Country Song," respectively as the best and worst songs on Stephen Cochran"s self-titled album. "Hope" was adopted by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as a theme song for its research and development program
