Dean Dillon Honored With Tennessee Music Pathways Marker

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Pictured (L-R): Ed Butler, Tennessee State Representative; Mark Ezell, Tourist Development Commissioner; Dean Dillon; Faith and Hope, Dillon’s sisters. Photo: Courtesy of Adventure Anderson County

Legendary songwriter Dean Dillon has been honored with a new Tennessee Music Pathways marker, which was unveiled at a ceremony on Sept. 22.

Returning home to Rocky Top to celebrate, Dillon joined state and local officials for the unveiling of the marker not far from his hometown of Cherry Bottom.

“I like to think my accomplishments were seeded here as I look back on my days,” said Dillon about the special celebration honoring his legacy.

Dillon has penned dozens of hits, having written or co-written songs for George Jones, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and 11 No. 1 hits for George Strait, some of those being “The Chair,” “Nobody in his Right Mind Would’ve Left Her” and “Ocean Front Property.”

After winning a talent contest at Jacksboro High School in Campbell County, he began performing regularly in Knoxville on the Jim Clayton Star Time television show. Dillion graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1973 before hitchhiking his way to Nashville, where he began work as an Opryland performer. He made his first record in 1974, and scored his first chart-topping single in 1979. In 2002, Dillion was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and is a 2013 BMI Icon recipient. The Tennessee native now resides in Colorado.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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