Country Outlaw David Allan Coe Dies At 86

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David Allan Coe. Photo: Matthew Woitunski via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Talented country star David Allan Coe has died at age 86.

The charismatic performer was known for recording such hits as “Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile”, “The Ride”, “You Never Even Called Me by My Name”, “She Used to Love Me a Lot”, and “Longhaired Redneck.” He notched 63 singles on the Billboard charts.

Coe was a talented songwriter, with artists including Johnny Cash, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Tammy Wynette, The Oak Ridge Boys and many more recording his songs. His biggest hits as a songwriter were “Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone),” recorded by Tanya Tucker, and Johnny Paycheck’s iconic rendition of “Take This Job and Shove It,” which later inspired a movie of the same name.

Coe often spurred controversy with lyrics, with frequent profanities, tales of drug use and sexually explicit material. His rebellious attitude and image garnered him the title of the ‘outlaw’s outlaw.’

Coe was born in Akron, Ohio on Sept. 6, 1939. As a boy, he was sent to the Starr Commonwealth For Boys reform school. Coe would spend the next 20 years in correctional facilities, including three years at the Ohio Penitentiary.

After ending a prison term in 1967, Coe moved to Nashville where he reportedly lived in a hearse which he parked in front of the Ryman Auditorium. While street performing, he caught the attention of the owner of the independent record label Plantation Records, Shelby Singleton, who signed him.

In 1970 Coe released his debut album Penitentiary Blues. In 1971 he signed to Pete and Rose Drake’s publishing company Windows Publishing Company, and when Tanya Tucker’s recording of his “Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)” went to the top of the charts, Coe was signed to Columbia Records. He cut his own version of the song for his second Columbia album, Once Upon a Rhyme, released in 1975.

Once Upon A Rhyme also contained Coe’s biggest hit, “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” written by John Prine and Steve Goodman.

His third album, The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy, was named for the rhinestones suit and a Lone Ranger mask he wore to perform.

Coe would go on to release a handful of more albums throughout the ’70s, including Longhaired Redneck (1976), Human Emotions (1978), Family Album (1978), Compass Point (1979) and Spectrum VII (1979).

In 1980 Coe enlisted producer Billy Sherrill for I’ve Got Something to Say, which included featured vocals from Guy Clark, Bill Anderson, Dickey Betts (of The Allman Brothers Band), Kris Kristofferson, Larry Jon Wilson, and George Jones.

Coe’s 1983 album Castles in the Sand would prove to be a mainstream success for Coe, peaking at No. 8 on the country albums chart. Its success was spurred on by “The Ride,” which spent 19 weeks on the Billboard country singles charts, reaching a peak of No. 4. The song tells the story of a hitchhiker’s encounter with the ghost of Hank Williams, Sr. in a ride from Montgomery, Alabama to Nashville.

1984’s Just Divorced contains Coe’s second biggest chart hit, “Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile”, which rose to No. 2 on the Billboard country singles chart.

Coe’s 1986 album Son of the South featured contributions from fellow country outlaws Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Jessie Colter. His final album for Columbia, a concept album A Matter of Life…and Death, was released in 1987.

Throughout the 1990s, Coe toured throughout the United States and Europe. In 1990 he reissued his independent albums Nothing Sacred and Underground Album on CD, as well as the compilation 18 X-Rated Hits–which were very controversial for racist, misogynist and homophobic lyrics.

In 2003, Coe wrote a song for Kid Rock, “Single Father,” which appeared on Kid Rock’s self-titled album, and was released as a single. He released Rebel Meets Rebel, with Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul, and Rex Brown, in 2006, two years after Darrell’s murder.

Coe is survived by his son Tyler Mahan Coe, who created the country music podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones and the podcast Your Favorite Band Sucks. He is also survived by his daughter, Shelli Coe Mackie. He is preceded in death by his son-in-law, the late Michael Mackie, formerly of Texas band Thunderosa.

Crossroads Music Co-Founder Mickey Gamble Passes

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Mickey Gamble

Crossroads Music Co-Founder and leader Mickey Gamble has passed away.

Under Gamble’s leadership, Crossroads and its associated labels, Horizon Records, Sonlite Records, Mountain Home Music Company and Organic Records, grew from beginnings as an acclaimed Asheville recording operation (Hear Here! Studios) and a Southern Gospel label (Horizon Music Group) to become one of bluegrass and Southern Gospel music’s preeminent issuers.

With a roster that has ranged from traditional Gospel quartets and bluegrass bands through contemporary masters and innovative new groups, Crossroads reflects Gamble’s vision of a larger musical family, rooted in his beloved western North Carolina home. His tireless advocacy for professionalism, his insistence on sound, honest business practices, relentless drive to be informed about, to understand and adapt to developments in the recording industry, and unbounded enthusiasm for the music being made by Crossroads artists earned him the respect, admiration and affection of those with whom he worked to a degree that is rare in any field.

Gamble was a recipient of the Southern Gospel Music Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2019.

“My dad loved music – and its makers – more than anyone else I’ve ever encountered,” says Gamble’s daughter Francesca Dooris. “He was a champion of the arts, of many other forms in addition to music, because of each unique human being behind the creation of a piece. The ubiquitous theme from everyone I’ve spoken with during this time is that he saw the distinctive set of characteristics a person had to give to the world, and pushed him or her to trust that part of themselves relentlessly. He believed in the gift that was the essence of a person, even if they couldn’t see it or hadn’t developed it.

“The music community was truly family to my dad, and he loved each of you in a completely one-of-a-kind way,” she continues. “If he could say one thing to everyone now, it would be that the music must go on. Keep writing. Keep creating. Keep being you and making your art, whatever form it takes.”

No arrangements have been announced at this time.

Music Industry Veteran Cliff Downs Passes Away

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Cliff Downs

Cliff Downs, a respected music industry veteran who spent time as an artist, composer, producer and publisher, died on Friday (April 24) after a long battle with cancer. He was 72.

As part of the 1980s duo Downes & Price with vocalist Jimmy Price, Downs began his career as a pop artist signed to Atlantic Records. He released a self-titled album in 1986 featuring AOR/pop tracks.

Later, Downs found himself in Nashville, beginning what would be a successful career as a songwriter and producer with hits across pop, country, contemporary Christian and jazz. His songs were recorded by artists such as Foreigner, Wynonna, Gabby Barrett, B.J. Thomas, Paul Rodgers, Glen Campbell and jazz artist Richard Elliott.

Additionally, Downs’ scores and songs appeared in major film and TV productions including the TNT movie Red Water, David Zucker’s film An American Carol, Red Dirt Rising and network shows such as Modern Family, MacGyver, General Hospital, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless and Sunset Beach. He won an Emmy for Best Original Song for “When I Think of You” from One Life to Live and received multiple Emmy nominations and awards. Over his career, Downs’ music garnered over 1,000 television placements and was featured in promos for The Voice, American Idol, the Super Bowl, Olympics coverage and more.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. in the chapel at Brentwood Baptist Church (7777 Concord Rd., Brentwood, TN 37027). Visitation will precede the service from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Downs’ honor to The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum or PR Ministries.

Durable ‘Nashville Cat’ Wayne Moss Passes

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Wayne Moss performs at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during his Nashville Cats program in 2009. Photo: Donn Jones, courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

A vital presence on the Nashville music scene for seven decades, Wayne Moss has died at age 88.

He was a first-choice session guitarist, a record producer, the owner of Nashville’s oldest independent recording studio and the co-founder of the seminal country-rock bands Area Code 615 and Barefoot Jerry.

Born in 1938 in South Charleston, West Virginia, Moss spent his teenage years playing in local bands. He made the move to Nashville in 1959. Fellow musicians recognized his talent and began recruiting him to play on Music Row recording sessions.

The first hit song that Moss played on was “Sheila” by Tommy Roe (1962). Moss also played guitar on “Oh Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison (1964) and on Bob Dylan’s acclaimed LP Blonde on Blonde (1966). He also played on R&B star Joe Simon’s 1969 album The Chokin’ Kind and its Grammy Award winning title track.

His work on guitar and/or bass can be heard on the records of more than 30 Country Music Hall of Fame members, including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, The Everly Brothers, Roger Miller, Kris Kristofferson, Eddy Arnold, Willie Nelson, Bobby Bare, Marty Robbins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Grandpa Jones, Porter Wagoner and Charlie McCoy.

Wayne Moss was in the studio band for Dolly Parton’s signature tunes “Jolene” (1973), “I Will Always Love You” (1974) and “Coat of Many Colors” (1971). Moss was also a guitarist on Tammy Wynette’s iconic “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and “Stand By Your Man” (1968). His guitar solo on “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line” by Waylon Jennings (1968) inspired Marty Stuart to begin playing. Moss also played on the Charlie Rich mega hit “Behind Closed Doors” (1973).

Moss was on recordings by such pop artists as Fats Domino, Joan Baez, Carl Perkins, The Beau Brummels, Artimus Pyle, Nancy Sinatra, The Monkees, Ronny & The Daytonas, Al Kooper, Leonard Cohen, Perry Como, Esther Phillips, Simon & Garfunkel and Peter, Paul & Mary, as well as Orbison, Dylan, Simon and Roe. He toured with Rock & Roll and Country Hall of Famer Brenda Lee as a member of her band, The Casuals, in 1959-62. Back in Nashville, he joined The Escorts, one of the city’s earliest rock & roll bands.

He and fellow West Virginia musician McCoy ran a Nashville nightclub called The Sack. When it wen out of business in 1961, they used the venue’s equipment to build a recording studio in Moss’s garage in Madison. Dubbed Cinderella Sound, the small studio has hosted recording sessions by artists including Jackie DeShannon, The Steve Miller Band, Linda Ronstadt, Grand Funk Railroad, The James Gang, Tracy Nelson, Faron Young, The Louvin Brothers and Merle Kilgore. Cinderella Sound was unusual in that it didn’t advertise and wasn’t even listed in the phone book. It has succeeded via word-of-mouth for its entire 65-year existence.

In 1969, some of Music Row’s top session musicians formed the group Area Code 615. Members included Moss and McCoy, plus Mac Gayden, Bobby Thompson, Buddy Spicher, David Briggs, Norbert Putnam, Kenny Buttrey, Ken Lauber and Weldon Myrick. Area Code 615 was a unique fusion band combining elements of rock, jazz, country and funk. It recorded two albums for Polydor Records before most of its members returned to their more lucrative session work.

Moss, Buttrey and Gayden next formed Barefoot Jerry with keyboard player John Harris. The pioneering country-rock group recorded for Capitol, Warner Bros. and Monument. Its disc debut was the 1971 LP Southern Delight. Buttrey and Gayden left. Moss and Harris recruited Russ Hicks and Kenny Malone for 1972’s LP Barefoot Jerry. The lineup expanded into a nine-member ensemble for 1974’s Watchin’ TV and Barefoot Jerry Live (recorded in 1973, released in 2007). Membership varied, but the band continued under Moss’s leadership. The title tune of You Can’t Get Off with Your Shoes On scraped the bottom of the pop charts in 1975. Keys to the Country (1976) and Barefootin’ (1977) rounded out the band’s discography. In addition to being a group member, Wayne Moss produced the Barefoot Jerry records.

Barefoot Jerry was name checked in the Charlie Daniels hit “The South’s Gonna Do It Again” in 1975. Billed as “Barefoot Jerry,” Wayne Moss appeared in the landmark 1981 documentary Heartworn Highways alongside Daniels, Guy Clark, David Allan Coe, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Young and other country “outlaws.”

In the 1980s, Wayne Moss returned to studio work. He spent 15 years in the house band of TV’s Hee Haw. He also had some success as a songwriter. Among those who have recorded his tunes are Hall of Famers The Oak Ridge Boys, Chet Atkins, Brenda Lee and Willie Nelson.

Cinderella Sound continued to be active in the ‘80s, ‘90s and beyond. Jerry Reed, Connie Smith, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Joe White, John Hartford, Kathy Mattea and Mel McDaniel have been among the studio’s dozens of clients. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Gretchen Peters recorded her Mickey Newbury tribute album at Cinderella Sound in 2020.

The Country Music Hall of Fame honored Wayne Moss as a Nashville Cat in 2009. Moss was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Three years later, author Michael Selke published the biography Nashville Cat: The Wayne Moss Story.

Wayne Moss passed away on Monday, April 20. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

Noted Percussionist/Producer/Songwriter Craig Krampf Passes

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Craig Krampf, who drummed on dozens of Nashville recordings, died on April 16 at age 80.

He was formerly the Secretary/Treasurer of Nashville Local 257 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).

Krampf was a West Coast rock artist who migrated to Music City to become a session musician in the 1990s. He also worked as a record producer, notably on Nashville rocker Ashley Cleveland’s 1991 Big Town and 1993 Bus Named Desire collections for Atlantic and on the 1994 album by the Americana act Disappear Fear for Rounder.

His session credits in Nashville included percussion work on records by Tanya Tucker, Dan Seals, The Remingtons, Townes Van Zandt, Radney Foster, The Sky Kings, Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, Ty Herndon, LeAnn Rimes, Jack Ingram, The Randy Rogers Band, The Kinleys, Billy Burnette and Burrito Deluxe. He did percussion and production work on Dolly Parton’s 1987 Rainbow album. He was also a mainstay of Alabama’s recording sessions, appearing on the group’s million-selling Southern Star, Pass It On Down, American Pride, Cheap Seats and In Pictures albums in 1989-95.

Over the years, he also logged session credits with such Nashville pop artists as Webb Wilder, Van Stephenson, Steve Cropper, Jason Ringenberg, Jill Sobule, Will Kimbrough, Newsboys, Bonepony, The Features, Essra Mohawk, Josh Leo, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Tom Kimmel and Jonell Mosser.

The Wisconsin native originally rose to prominence in L.A. in 1965-89, working in the studio with Alice Cooper, Cher, Lita Ford, Paul Stanley, Joan Armatrading, Flo & Eddie, Art Garfunkel, Santana and Warren Zevon, among others. Krampf played on hits such as Nick Gilder’s “Hot Child in the City” (1978), “Only the Lonely” by The Motels (1982), and Melissa Etheridge’s “Bring Me Some Water” (1989) from her debut album that he co-produced.

He was particularly noted for his work with Kim Carnes on her 1980s albums Romance Dance, Mistaken Identity, Voyeur, Café Racers, Barking at Airplanes, Light House and View from the House. Krampf can be heard on the Carnes hit singles “Bette Davis Eyes” (1981) and “Crazy in the Night” (1986).

While on the West Coast, he was a member of such rock bands as Silver Condor, Alien Project, The Robbs and Cherokee. The Robbs were signed to Mercury and were the house band on Dick Clark’s 1965-67 ABC-TV series Where the Action Is.

As a songwriter, Krampf’s biggest hit was with Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie” (co-written with Perry, Randy Goodrrum, and Bill Cuomo), which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s pop chart in 1984. Krampf also co-wrote Perry’s “Strung Out,” which made it to No. 40. He also co-wrote “I’ll Be Here Where the Heart Is” on the Grammy-winning Flashdance soundtrack album of 1983.

Craig Krampf was the father-in-law of WPLN radio producer and WNXP program director Jason Moon Wilkins. He is married to Krampf’s daughter Carrie. Craig Krampf and his wife Susie, who passed away in 2004, were married for 34 years and have three daughters, Carrie, Courtney and Katie.

BREAKING: Hall Of Fame Songwriter Don Schlitz Passes At 73

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Don Schlitz

Don Schlitz, the architect behind many of country music’s most enduring songs, passed away on April 16 at a Nashville hospital after a sudden illness. He was 73.

As a writer of such country standards as “The Gambler,” “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” “The Greatest” and “When You Say Nothing At All,” Schlitz was a member of the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, Schlitz briefly attended Duke University before moving to Nashville at age 20. Arriving with $80 in his pocket, he set to Music Row, and his talent was recognized and fostered early on by greats, including Bob McDill and Bobby Bare.

Schlitz became one of the first performers at the now-iconic Bluebird Café in Nashville. He and friends Thom Schuyler, J. Fred Knobloch and Paul Overstreet originated the Café’s songwriter-in-the-round format in 1985. On Tuesday nights, Schlitz held court at the venue with his “Don For A Dollar” show, charging a cover of $1 each night.

Schlitz’s first-ever cut was Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” setting a incredible standard he would meet for the rest of his career. The then-23-year-old songwriter celebrated a massive crossover hit that traveled far and wide, winning a Grammy for Best Country Song in 1978, and the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year in 1979.

Following his first big hit, Schlitz continued to have stunning success. His 50 top 10 singles have played major roles in the careers of Rogers, Randy Travis, The Judds, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tanya Tucker, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Keith Whitley, Alison Krauss and many others.

Schlitz notched 25 No. 1s in his career. He was the ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year from 1988 to 1991, and won three CMA Song of the Year Awards, two ACM Song of the Year awards and two Grammys across his five decades in music.

Schlitz was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association Hall of Fame in 1993, and he went into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York in 2012. In 2017, Schlitz was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, joining only five other songwriters in the Hall at that time, including Bobby Braddock, Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard and Boudleaux and Felice Bryant.

In 2022, he became the only non-artist songwriter inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in the show’s 100-year history. He commonly performed over the last few years, joking with the audience that they may not know who he was, but they knew his songs.

Don Schlitz is survived by his wife, Stacey; his daughter Cory Dixon and her husband Matt Dixon; his son Pete Schlitz and his wife Christian Webb Schlitz; his grandchildren Roman, Gia, Isla, and Lilah; his brother Brad Schlitz; and his sister Kathy Hinkley.

Saturday night’s Grand Ole Opry performance will be dedicated in Schlitz’ honor.

A Celebration of Life will be held on April 25 at 2:30 p.m. CT in the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (224 Rep. John Lewis Way South). A reception will follow the service.

Songwriters Hall Of Fame Member Chip Taylor Passes

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Chip Taylor. Photo: Beth Gwinn/Getty Images

Singer-songwriter Chip Taylor, a 2016 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, died in hospice care on March 23. He was 86.

Taylor was best known for writing the classic rock hit “Wild Thing,” a chart-topper for the Troggs, and “Angel of the Morning” for Juice Newton. Born James Wesley Voight in Yonkers, New York, Taylor was the younger brother of actor Jon Voight. He got his start in the music world as a singer under the name Wes Voight and made several recordings in the late ’50s and early ’60s, but later realized his true strength might be in writing songs for others. His first big success came when the Troggs recorded “Wild Thing” in 1966, which went to No. 1.

He later penned “Angel of the Morning” which first found success with the 1968 version by Merrilee Rush before Juice Newton covered it in 1981, selling more than a million copies and nearing the top of the charts. Other songs written or co-written by Taylor include Janis Joplin’s “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder),” Cliff Richard’s “On My Word,” “Billy Vera’s “Country Girl City Man” and Johnny Tillotson’s “Worry,” as well as songs recorded by Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare, Emmylou Harris and Anne Murray.

Along with songwriting Taylor also maintained a recording career for decades, releasing about two dozen solo projects, including his most recent release, 2025’s The Truth and Other Things. He founded his own label, Train Wreck Records, in 1997.

He is survived by his daughters, Kelly and Kristian; his brothers, Jon and Barry; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan.

Beloved Artist-Songwriter Ronnie Bowman Passes

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Ronnie Bowman. Photo: Courtesy of Eclipse Music Group

Award-winning bluegrass artist and country songwriter Ronnie Bowman died Sunday (March 22) following a motorcycle accident. He was 64.

A native of Mount Airy, North Carolina, Bowman became one of bluegrass music’s most respected voices, earning widespread recognition both as a solo artist and as a longtime member of the Lonesome River Band. He joined the group in 1990 as a vocalist and bass player, remaining until 2001, and previously performed with The Lost and Found after joining that band in 1987.

Over the course of his career, Bowman received numerous honors from the International Bluegrass Music Association, including three Male Vocalist of the Year awards. His song “Three Rusty Nails” earned both Gospel Performance of the Year and Song of the Year, while “Cold Virginia Night” also took home Song of the Year honors.

Bowman launched his solo career with 1994’s Cold Virginia Night, an acclaimed project featuring Alison Krauss, Del McCoury and Tony Rice that won IBMA Album of the Year. He later released Starting Over (2003) and It’s Gettin’ Better All The Time (2006), further cementing his reputation as a leading artist in the genre.

In addition to his work as a performer, Bowman found major success as a country songwriter. He co-wrote Brooks & Dunn’s No. 1 hit “It’s Getting Better All the Time” with Don Cook, and Kenny Chesney’s chart-topping “Never Wanted Nothing More” with Chris Stapleton.

Bowman also contributed two songs to Stapleton’s multi-Platinum album Traveller, including “Nobody to Blame,” co-written with Stapleton and Barry Bales, which earned the ACM Award for Song of the Year. Continuing their collaboration, Stapleton’s 2025 single “It Takes A Woman,” co-written with Bowman, won the Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance.

His catalog was recorded by a wide range of artists, including Don Williams, Lee Ann Womack, Cody Johnson, Ralph Stanley, Jake Owen and Marcus King.

Born into a musical family, Bowman began singing gospel music at age three, performing in churches across North Carolina and Virginia alongside his four sisters.

In recent years, Bowman continued to record and perform, releasing a self-titled album and collaborating with the Band of Ruhks alongside fellow former Lonesome River Band members Don Rigsby and Kenny Smith. He also frequently performed with Dan Tyminski. In 2021, Bowman extended his publishing deal with Eclipse Music Group.

News of his death prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the bluegrass and country music communities.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Bowman’s wife Garnet and their family shared the following statement: “Ronnie was beloved by so many in our music community, whom he loved so dearly… and we are beyond grateful for all of the love & outpouring toward us already. Right now, as we process, we just covet your prayers. We have no words at this time, but thank you and graciously request that you honor our privacy while we try to put our heads around this and grieve. What we know and hold onto, is that he is with his Savior Jesus in Heaven, although already terribly missed here on Earth.”

Industry Veteran Cliff Blake Passes

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Cliff Blake

Industry veteran Cliff Blake passed away March 16 following a battle with ALS. He was 73.

Blake enjoyed a 47-year career working both in radio and at various record labels. His radio career included time at WZZK/Birmingham, WMZQ/Washington, KFKF/Kansas City and WOKQ/Portsmouth, NE, and he also had stints at Warner Bros., Republic Nashville and Arista throughout his career. He retired as Columbia Dir./Northeast Regional Promotion in 2018, then joined Good Company Entertainment in a regional promotion capacity later that year.

Services for Blake have not been announced, but on March 13, his community in Dover, New Hampshire held a “Cliffabration” parade in his honor, with friends and neighbors gathering in a park and walking past his home holding signs of support. The Blake Family posted on Cliff’s Facebook page, requesting that in his memory people donate to their local arts organization, local library, or the Compassionate Care ALS organization.

Multi Faceted Music Man J. Aaron Brown Passes

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Longtime Nashville music executive J. Aaron Brown died on Saturday (March 14) at age 85.

The Grammy Award winner made his mark in producing, songwriting, publishing and other music ventures. Brown won two Grammys for creating a series of top-selling children’s recordings. He was also a major figure in Nashville’s gospel-music industry for more than six decades.

Born James Aaron Brown, he was raised in Nashville. He graduated from Isaac Litton High School in 1958. Brown began his music career by working with The Oak Ridge Boys in the 1960s. At the time, the group was a an award-winning gospel quartet.

When the Texas-based Word Records established its first Nashville office, Brown was tapped to spearhead the outpost. Between 1970 and 1980, he was the head of the Christian-music giant’s publishing division. During these years, he played an important role in developing, recording and marketing gospel, early CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), worship, and inspirational styles of music.

As a songwriter, he created religious numbers geared to the Southern-gospel field. These were recorded by The Talleys, The Freemans, Little Roy Lewis, Tanya Goodman and other stars of the genre. Along the way, he also produced the songbooks of country stars such as Mel Tillis and the Oaks for Hal Leonard Publishing.

In the 1980s, he became affiliated with New Haven Records, which later distributed albums he produced. In addition, he formed his own song-publishing companies under the umbrella firm J. Aaron Brown & Associates.

In 1986, Brown identified a previously underserved music market and produced A Child’s Gift of Lullabyes. Initially issued on cassette, the album was placed in a Nashville baby store and sold well. Brown gradually expanded the record’s marketing by placing it in specialty baby shops nationwide. Its success led to him writing and producing an entire series of albums geared toward mothers and newborns. They won Grammy Awards in the Best Album for Children category in 1990 (beating the Muppets) and 1996 (beating Pocahontas).

J. Aaron Brown was also a competitive water skier who won national awards and was named to the sport’s Hall of Fame in 2009. He taught water skiing on Old Hickory Lake and Center Hill Lake. Brown is recalled as a fun-loving collaborator and a genial presence in numerous music-industry organizations.

He is survived by his wife Connie McAdams; by his sons Jay Brown and Matthew Brown; by brother Bobby Brown; and by grandson Hamilton Brown. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.