SiriusXM’s Jeremy Tepper Dies At 61

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Jeremy Tepper

Jeremy Tepper, Program Director for SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Outlaw Country and Willie’s Roadhouse, has passed away at age 61.

“Jeremy Tepper was a beloved member of SiriusXM. With an unwavering dedication to music and an innovative spirit, Jeremy profoundly influenced us all,” said SiriusXM in a recent Instagram post. “His contributions to our organization, particularly in shaping the identity of Outlaw Country and Willie’s Roadhouse, are beyond measure. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”

 

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“We lost an amazing friend here at SiriusXM,” echoes Outlaw Country radio host Sunny Sweeney. “[Jeremy] was like my big brother, the best boss I’ve ever known and a completely irreplaceable piece of Willie’s Roadhouse and Outlaw Country. Some of you may not know him by name, but please know that Jeremy Tepper will be so greatly missed and has left a gigantic hole in our world. He was a magical human being [who] was so passionate and knew more about music than any other person I’ve ever known. He had absolutely impeccable taste and knew all the deep cuts. He was the independent artist’s knight in shining armor.”

Willie Nelson’s publicist Elaine Schock adds, “Jeremy was a good friend and we had lots of adventures working with Willie for about twenty years. This just hurts my heart. I’m sick of getting it punched with these blindsides. I will miss him terribly. I was going to see him in a few weeks. I’m so sad for his family–and for myself to be honest. Jeremy was one of the good ones.”

A visitation will take place on Monday, June 24 from 2–6 p.m. CT at Greenwich Village Funeral Home in New York City, NY.

Nashville Pop Pioneer Buzz Cason Passes

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Buzz Cason. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Buzz Cason, a key figure in Nashville’s emergence as a music center, passed away on Sunday, June 16, at age 84.

He made his mark as a studio owner, music publisher, artist, songwriter, session vocalist, record producer and industry leader. Cason founded Nashville’s first rock & roll band, co-wrote the pop evergreen “Everlasting Love,” was a hit recording artist, founded Creative Workshop studio, sang national ad jingles and was an ombudsman for Nashville music.

Born James E. Cason, he was a Nashville native who formed The Casuals as a high-school student in 1956. This was Nashville’s first rock & roll band. The group had a regional hit in 1957 with “My Love Song for You,” then became the backup group for the first global pop star, Brenda Lee, in 1958-70. The Casuals continued to record its own singles for Monument, Mainstream, Kem, Sound Stage 7, Minaret, Scarlet and other labels in the 1960s.

In addition to recording with The Casuals, he formed a doo-wop harmony group called The Statues. The group charted with “Blue Velvet” in 1960. Cason’s solo vocal pop hit was 1960’s “Look For a Star,” released as by “Garry Miles.” The Casuals continued to tour with Lee, but Cason left the group in 1962. He briefly relocated to L.A., where he co-produced The Crickets with Leon Russell. Then he toured with the group in 1964, while producing artists for Liberty Records.

Cason returned to Nashville in 1965 and became a member of Ronny & The Daytonas. He co-wrote the group’s hit 1965 ballad “Sandy.” He then formed a duo with “Ronny,” who was Bucky Wilkin. They recorded as “Buzz & Bucky” for the Amy and Monument labels. Throughout this same period, Cason also recorded as a solo artist for Caprice, Janus, DJM, Mega, Warners and Capricorn, among others. He issued Buzz as an LP in 1977. Two years later came his Caught Up in a Dream collection. By then, he had established himself as a hit songwriter. In addition to “Sandy,” Cason was behind “Tennessee” (1962, Jan & Dean), “Soldier of Love” (1963, The Beatles), “Popsicle” (1966, Jan & Dean), “Rainbow Valley” (1968, Love Affair), “Ann Don’t Go Runnin’” (1972, Tommy Overstreet), “Love on a Mountaintop” (1973, Robert Knight) and “Another Woman” (1975, T.G. Sheppard).

Cason became a businessman, too. In 1966, he formed a song-publishing company with fellow songwriter Bobby Russell. They struck paydirt with “Honey” (Bobby Goldsboro), “The Joker Went Wild” (Bryan Hyland), “Little Green Apples” (Roger Miller, O.C. Smith), “Sure Gonna Miss Her” (Gary Lewis & The Playboys), “Bluer Than Blue” (Michael Johnson), “She Believes in Me” (Kenny Rogers) and more. He discovered Jimmy Buffett, cowrote with the future star and published his early songs. In 1984, Buffett brought his entire hit Coral Reefer catalog to Cason for publishing administration.

In 1970, Cason built Creative Workshop in Berry Hill. This established the suburb as an alternative entertainment district to Music Row. There are now more than 40 recording operations in the neighborhood. Among those who have recorded at Creative Workshop are The Faces with Rod Stewart, Olivia Newton-John, The Judds, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, The Doobie Brothers, Leon Russell, Melanie and Dolly Parton.

As a studio vocalist, Cason sang ad jingles for such national brands as R.C. Cola, Schlitz, Ford, Tab, Pabst, Burger King, Mountain Dew, HBO and 7-Up. He was a backup singer on records by Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Kris Kristofferson, Roy Orbison, Janie Fricke, B.W. Stevenson, Donna Fargo, Willie Nelson and Conway Twitty. He was the voice of “Alvin” on several Chipmunks records. As a producer, he worked with Freddy Weller, Dickey Lee, The Glaser Brothers, Buddy Knox and Mac Garden. Cason produced “She Shot a Hole in My Soul” for Clifford Curry in 1967. Released on Cason’s Elf label, it became a “beach music” classic in the Carolinas.

He and Gayden cowrote “Everlasting Love.” Nashville soul singer Robert Knight introduced the song in 1967 on Cason’s Rising Sons record label. It has subsequently become successful for Carl Carlton (1974), Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet (1981) and Gloria Estefan (1995). The song has now logged more than five million plays, according to BMI.Songwriting success continued with “Bar Wars” (1978, Freddy Weller), “Fantasy Island” (1979, Freddy Weller), “A Million Old Goodbyes” (1981, Mel Tillis) and “Timeless and True Love” (The McCarter Sisters, Jeannie Kendall & Alan Jackson). His songs have also been recorded by Charley Pride, Arthur Alexander, Marshall Crenshaw, U2, Pearl Jam, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jerry Reed, Dolly Parton, Rick Nelson, Bobby Vee, Gene Watson, The Fleetwoods, Freddy Cannon, Placido Domingo, The Derailers, Tommy Roe, Hanson, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and David Essex, among others.

Meanwhile, Cason continued to record, himself. During the 1980s, he formed the neo-rockabilly, good-time band B.C. & The Dartz. He established his I’m Into Video production company to create the group’s music videos. Cason was also a race-car driver who competed via the International Motor Sports Association. He formed a team called Music City Racing.

He remained musically active into the new millennium. Cason and Tom Douglas co-wrote “Love’s the Only House,” and it became a top-10 hit for Martina McBride in 2000. In 2004, Cason published his memoir, Living the Rock-n-Roll Dream. His solo albums during this period included Hats Off to Hank (2008), Busload of Love (2009), Surf and Turf (2012), Troubadour Heart (2014), Record Machine (2015), Passion (2017) and his collaboration with Billy Swan, Billy & Buzz Sing Buddy (2018). With his children Taylor and Parker, he issued the album Buzz Cason & Sons 2020. In 2019, The Nashville Film Festival showcased the documentary Berry Hill: From Creative Workshop and Beyond, highlighting his career.

Cason’s death was announced by The Country Music Hall of Fame yesterday (June 16). The museum had honored him in its “Poets & Prophets” series in 2014. He is survived by wife Vickie, daughters Tammy Cason, Kristy Cason and Leah Ball Steen, sons Taylor and Parker, nine grandchildren and a large extended family.

A visitation will take place on Thursday, June 20 from 1–3 p.m. CT at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home in Franklin, Tennessee. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 21, from 1–2 p.m. CT at Forest Hills Baptist Church. Cason’s burial will be private.

Hall Of Fame Songwriter Mark James Passes

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Mark James

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame songwriter Mark James died at age 83 on June 8.

James was behind such enduring hits as “Suspicious Minds,” “Hooked on a Feeling” and “Always On My Mind.” In addition to his many honors in Music City, he was also a multiple Grammy Award winner in L.A. and a 2014 inductee into the national Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York.

Mark James was born Francis Rodney Zambon in Houston. He learned to play the violin as a child, and switched to guitar as a teenager. His stage name came about in 1960 when local club owners had difficulty pronouncing his birth name.

In the early 1960s, he recorded a series of local singles, including “Jive Note,” “Running Back” and “She’s Gone Away.” But his musical progress was halted by military service in Vietnam. Upon his return, he relocated to Memphis at the urging of singer B.J. Thomas, who had been a childhood friend in Houston. In Memphis, James went to work with producer Chips Moman.

Produced by Moman, B.J. Thomas recorded the first of James’s successful songs, 1968’s “The Eyes of a New York Woman.” The singer followed it with two more James compositions in 1969, “Hooked on a Feeling” and “It’s Only Love.”

Mark James also continued to record, himself. Moman produced his version of “Suspicious Minds” for Scepter Records in 1968. It was not a hit, but Moman took the song to Elvis Presley. Using the same arrangement as the James version, Presley recorded “Suspicious Minds.” It became the superstar’s last No. 1 hit. He also had late-career hits with the Mark James songs “Raised on Rock” (1973) and “Moody Blue” (1976).

In 1973, Mark James issued his self-titled debut LP on Bell Records. Again, it was not a hit. But his songwriting career continued. He teamed up with Johnny Christopher and Wayne Carson to create “Always on My Mind.” Brenda Lee put it out in 1972, but it was not a notable success. Elvis Presley fared somewhat better with the song the following year, scoring a British hit with it.

Brenda Lee returned to the songwriter’s catalog and recorded “Sunday Sunrise” in 1973. It became a top 10 country hit, and Anne Murray had a hit with the song in Canada. Mac Davis scored a big 1974 pop hit with James’s “One Hell of a Woman.”

Also in 1974, the Swedish rock band Blue Swede issued a driving new version of “Hooked on a Feeling.” It became a No. 1 pop smash and an international sensation. In 1976, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter turned “Suspicious Minds” into a big country hit. B.J. Thomas had pop success with “Everybody Loves a Rain Song” in 1978.

John Wesley Ryles brought “Always on My Mind” back as a country hit in 1979. Then Willie Nelson picked it up in 1982. This time, the song became a titanic pop and country success, winning James a pair of Grammy Awards as Song of the Year and Country Song of the Year. It also won the CMA Award as Song of the Year. “Always on My Mind” came around again in 1988 when the British pop band The Pet Shop Boys had a dance-club smash with it in both the U.S. and England.

Dozens of artists have recorded songs from the Mark James songbook. They include Fine Young Cannibals, The Persuasions, Dwight Yoakam, Roger Whittaker, Dee Dee Warwick, Helen Reddy, Johnny Winter, Del Reeves & Billie Jo Spears, B.B. King, Eddy Arnold, Englebert Humperdinck, Cissy Houston, Floyd Cramer, Little Milton, The Stylistics, Charlie McCoy, Vicki Carr, Ray Peterson, The Partridge Family, Ronnie Milsap, Jose Feliciano, The Sweet Inspirations, Percy Sledge, Lou Rawls, The Box Tops, Millie Jackson and Al Hirt.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Mark James attended UCLA’s film scoring program and studied at the American Film Institute. He began to work composing film soundtracks, beginning with 2001’s Trade Day.

Meanwhile, his classic “Hooked on a Feeling” popped up in such films as Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Mark James songs have also been used on the soundtracks of such hit movies as Kramer Vs Kramer, Honeymoon in Vegas, Breathless, Someone to Watch Over Me, Practical Magic and Frequency.

In 2000, BMI named Mark James one of its top songwriters of the 20th century. This placed his name alongside such legendary figures as Elton John and Paul McCartney.

A visitation will take place on Thursday, June 20 at the Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee at 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. central time. A service will follow.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends are encouraged to consider donating to the Songwriters Hall of Fame to support its essential programs and initiatives benefiting songwriters worldwide. James’ family also welcomes messages of condolence, stories and memories at forevermarkjames@gmail.com.

Songwriting Great John Schweers Passes

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John Schweers

Hit songwriter John Schweers has died at age 78.

One of the finest country writers of his generation, Schweers was responsible for such iconic songs as Charley Pride’s “Amazing Love,” Ronnie Milsap’s “Daydreams About Night Things,” Dave & Sugar’s “Golden Tears” and Trace Adkins’ “I Left Something Turned on at Home.”

The songwriter was a native of San Antonio who began playing guitar and writing songs while in high school. During his college years, he performed in a rock group that toured throughout southwest Texas. After graduation, he moved to California to hone his songwriting skills as he played in various bands.

He began to make contacts in Nashville. His first recorded song appears to have been 1970’s “Alabama Bull of the Woods” by Del Reeves. The songwriter’s first charted tune was “Poor Folks Stick Together,” recorded by Stoney Edwards in 1971. Tom T. Hall took note of John Schweers’ talents, mentored him and encouraged him to move to Music City.

Schweers arrived in 1972 at age 26 with $45 in his pocket. Soon after his arrival on Music Row, he was signed as a staff songwriter by Pi-Gem Music, co-owned by Charley Pride. During the next dozen years, Pride recorded more than 20 John Schweers songs. The company’s Tom Collins offered suggestions to help make the fledgling writer’s songs more commercial. Just as Collins and Hall had aided him, Schweers discovered a teenage Dean Dillon and brought him to his publisher.

The first No. 1 hit penned by John Schweers was Pride’s “Don’t Fight the Feelings of Love” in 1973. Pride’s follow-up single was “Amazing Love,” which also topped the country hit parade. In 1975, Nick Nixon charted with the Schweers song “She’s Just an Old Love Turned Memory.” Pride recorded it two years later and turned it into another No. 1 hit.

As Collins evolved into record production, Schweers gained the ears of Barbara Mandrell, Sylvia, Ronnie Milsap and other stars. Milsap hit No. 1 with Schweers’ “Daydreams About Night Things” in 1975. The superstar repeated the chart-topping feat with the Schweers songs “What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down” (1976) and “Let My Love Be Your Pillow” (1977). Milsap recorded 15 John Schweers compositions.

The songwriter’s other No. 1 hit during the 1970s was “Golden Tears” by Dave & Sugar in 1979. During the decade, his songs were also recorded by Eddy Arnold, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, David Wills, Johnny Russell, Mel Street, Susan Raye, Jim Ed Brown and Jeanne Pruett, among others. 16 of his songs made the country popularity charts in the ‘70s.

In 1978, the Triple I record label issued Nashville’s Master Songwriters Sing Their Hits. On it, Schweers performed his versions of “Daydreams About Night Things,” “She’s Just an Old Love Turned Memory” and “Early Fall,” all of which he wrote solo. The album featured him alongside Harlan Howard, Danny Dill and Allen Reynolds, each of whom also contributed three songs.

Success continued in the 1980s. During this decade, Schweers wrote such top 10 hits as Steve Wariner’s “Your Memory” (1981), Janie Fricke’s “Do Me With Love” (1982) and Mandrell’s “No One Mends a Broken Heart Like You” (1986). The songwriter’s 10 charing singles in the decade included recordings by R.C. Bannon, Butch.Baker, David Frizzell & Shelly West (1986’s “It’s a Be Together Night”), Louise Mandrell and Tom T. Hall. Others who recorded Schweers songs during the 1980s included The Oak Ridge Boys, Tanya Tucker, The Kendalls, Don Williams, The Osmond Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Conway Twitty, Jeannie C. Riley and Charlie Louvin.

John Schweers continued to create hits in the 1990s. Two of his biggest were “Born Country,” sung by Alabama in 1992 and “I Left Something Turned on at Home,” sung by Trace Adkins in 1997. His songs were also recorded in the ‘90s by George Jones, Mel McDaniel, Roy Clark, Daron Norwood & Travis Tritt (1993’s “Phantom of the Opry”), Larry Stewart, Neal McCoy and Johnny Rodriguez.

Since 2000, John Schweers songs have been sung by Mark Wiils, George Strait, The Mississippi Mass Choir, Marty Raybon, Con Hunley, Don Everly, Brother Slade, Buck Owens and Joe Nichols, among others. In addition, his songs from 25-50 years ago continue to receive airplay. The songwriter picked up BMI or ASCAP awards in three different decades. Few in country music have demonstrated songwriting success over such an extended period of time.

He has been a six-time nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, but has not yet been elected. His accomplishments are all the more remarkable in that he mainly wrote his songs alone. Of his 12 top 10 hits, only three were co-written (with Byron Hill, Charles Quillen or Billy Lawson). In a songwriting community overwhelmingly comprised of co-writers, Schweers stood out.

John Schweers passed away in the early morning hours of May 28.

He will be honored on Thursday (June 6) at Brentwood Baptist Church. A Celebration of Life event will begin with visitation from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The service will be from 3 to 3:45 p.m. Visitation will resume following the service. The family plans to have a private burial prior to Thursday’s Celebration of Life.

BREAKING: Music Row Champion Pat Rolfe Passes

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Pat Rolfe

Pat Rolfe, one of the first women to head a major publishing company on Music Row, passed away on Friday (May 24) after a battle with cancer. She was 77.

Rolfe began her career at Lamar Fike’s Hill & Range, where she worked with artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow, Eddie Rabbit, Bill Monroe, George Morgan and more. She became General Manager of the company in 1972.

Rolfe remained at Hill & Range until Chappell Music purchased it in 1975. She stayed with Chappell and eventually rose to Vice President, a post she held until 1987 when Warner Bros. Music purchased it. During Rolfe’s tenure, Chappell Music was named ASCAP Publisher of the Year seven times.

After leaving Chappell, ASCAP Nashville head Connie Bradley hired Rolfe as Director of Membership Relations. She stayed at ASCAP, rising to the position of Vice President, until 2010. During her time at ASCAP, Rolfe brought in writers such as Tony Mullins, Deryl Dodd, Trevor Rosen, Hillary Lindsey, Josh Kear, Chris Tompkins, Michael Knox, Gerry House, Tim Ryan, Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and Wynonna Judd.

In 1991, Rolfe and other Music Row leaders Judy Harris and Sheila Shipley Biddy formed SOURCE, an organization focused on fostering relationships and opportunities for women in the entertainment industry. Now the longest-running organization for women in the music industry in Nashville, SOURCE continues to be a tentpole institution for the community.

Rolfe also co-founded the Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament that raises money for charity each year. She was inducted into the SOURCE Hall of Fame in 2012.

Rolfe will be remembered for her commitment to championing and mentoring multiple generations of women in the business. She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Mack; her stepchildren, John (Vanessa), Jim (Mary K) and Dick (Michelle); seven grandchildren; brothers, Jim, Mike, Joe, and Charlie Patterson and sister, Margaret Simmons. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marie and George Patterson, and her brother Jerry Patterson and sister-in-law Ann Patterson.

A visitation with the family will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Green Hills Community Church with the funeral service beginning at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Bonaparte’s Retreat Dog Rescue, the Green Hills Community Church or a charity of your choice.

Country Producer Bud Logan Passes

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Noted Nashville record producer Bud Logan has died at age 83.

Logan is best known for producing 23 top 10 hits for Grand Ole Opry star John Conlee between 1978 and 1988, including such signature songs as “Rose Colored Glasses” and “Friday Night Blues.” He also produced “I Tell It Like It Used to Be” and “Hell and High Water,” which launched the career of Opry star T. Graham Brown.

Born Ira Robert Logan, he was a Tennessee native who first came to prominence as the bass player for The Blue Boys, the backing band of Country Music Hall of Fame member Jim Reeves. After Reeves died in a 1964 plane crash, Logan became the band’s lead singer. The Blue Boys Featuring Bud Logan charted with two RCA singles, 1967’s “My Cup Runneth Over” and 1968’s “I’m Not Ready Yet.”

Logan also recorded as a solo artist, both for RCA (1968-69) and Mercury (1970-71). He formed a successful duo with Wilma Burgess, and the pair had hits with “Wake Me Into Love” and “The Best Day of the Rest of Our Love” in 1974.

He was also a songwriter. Logan’s songs were recorded by Jean Shepard, Billy Large and Charlie Rich, among others. Ernest Tubb released Logan’s “Till My Getup Has Has Gotup and Gone” as a Decca Records single in 1966.

But it was as a record producer that Logan became best known. In addition to the hits of Conlee and Brown, he produced such country artists as Roy Head, Dana McVicker, Johnny Lee, Shane Barnby, B.J. Thomas and Jeff Knight. He was noted as a mentor to many young singers and songwriters in Music City.

Bud Logan passed away in Nashville on May 13. No funeral services have been scheduled. Arrangements are being handled by Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens.

Larry Garris, Owner Of Corner Music, Passes

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Larry Garris

Larry Garris, Owner of Corner Music, passed away on Saturday (May 11) at age 75 after a brief battle with cancer.

Corner Music, one of Nashville’s longest-operating music stores, has sought to support many artists, A-list musicians, engineers and writers for nearly 50 years.

Originally from Albermarle, North Carolina, Garris came to Music City in the early 1970s as a sales representative for Aria Guitars. In 1976, he opened the store in a small building in the Berry Hill neighborhood, offering brand-name instruments as well as studio and stage gear. Corner Music became a popular spot among recording and touring professionals. Garris, along with his staff and family, were widely credited for the store’s expertise and friendly service.

It relocated to 12th Ave. S. near Music Row and Belmont University in 1982. The store has since earned several sales awards from both national and local music publications. Corner Music will continue operating under the leadership of Garris’ sons, Ben and Kirk Garris, at its current location on Dickerson Pike.

Memorial service details for Garris have yet to be announced.

Banjo Great Jim Mills Passes

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Jim Mills

Award-winning bluegrass musician Jim Mills unexpectedly passed away on Friday (May 3) at age 57. His cause of death has not been shared.

Throughout his career, Mills’ talented banjo playing earned him gigs with Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Barry Poss with Sugarhill Records, Bass Mountain Boys, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton and more. He was a longtime member of Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder band and released solo material as well.

James Robert “Jim” Mills was born and raised the youngest of three boys in Raleigh, North Carolina. He started teaching himself to play banjo at 12 years old. After high school, Mills began pursuing a career in bluegrass full-time with the group Summer Wages. This led to a long career in various bands.

Mills shared his talent from the stage at the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall. He won the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Banjo Player of the Year award six times as well as the IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year for his Bound To Ride album and six Grammy Awards.

Nicknamed “Smilin’ Jim” in the bluegrass community, Mills was known for his friendliness. He was also known for his knowledge of the history of banjos—even writing a book on Gibson pre-war banjos in 2009.

After retiring from the road in 2010, Mills acted as a dealer of rare banjos and guitars and held seminars on the subject.

Mills was preceded in death by his brothers Michael and Alan, father John and mother Shirley. He is survived by his wife Kimberly Mills, his step-mother Mary “Annie” Roberts, mother-in-law Linda Gregory Mills, father-in-law George Neil Mixon, brother-in-law Robert Mixon (Kate) and nieces Hannah and Emma Mixon.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Songwriting Great Wayland Holyfield Passes

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Wayland Holyfield

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Wayland Holyfield died Monday (May 6) at age 82.

During a five-decade career on Music Row, Holyfield created such classics as “Could I Have This Dance,” “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” and “You’re the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had.” He wrote more than 40 top 10 country hits, including 14 No. 1s. His songs were recorded by a who’s-who of country stars, including Reba McEntire, Waylon Jennings, Mark Chesnutt, George Strait, Conway Twitty, Randy Travis, The Judds, Barbara Mandrell, Shenandoah, Mac Davis and Tammy Wynette. He was particularly noted for hits he wrote for and/or with Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Williams.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Wayland Holyfield was raised in a musical family. He studied violin, played bass in the local band The Rebels and wrote songs as a hobby. After graduating from the University of Arkansas, he worked at an ad agency.

Unhappy in his job, he decided to make music his profession. He toured with the singing trio The General Store, then moved to Nashville in 1972. A year later, he had his first hit when Johnny Russell recorded his cowritten “Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer.” In 1975, Holyfield wrote his first No. 1 record, the Don Williams hit “You’re My Best Friend.”

Williams returned to Holyfield’s catalog in 1976 for “She Never Knew Me” and their co-written “Til the Rivers All Run Dry.” Also that year, Crystal Gayle had a major hit with “I’ll Do It All Over Again,” which Holyfield wrote with Bob McDill. In 1977, Charley Pride scored with “I’ll Be Leaving Alone,” co-written by Holyfield with Dickey Lee, his frequent collaborator and lifelong friend. Also in that year, Don Williams resumed his Holyfield association with the No. 1 smash “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend.”

In 1978, Mel Street scored with “If I Had a Cheating Heart.” Next, Holyfield and McDill cowrote the 1979 Ronnie Milsap chart-topper “Nobody Likes Sad Songs.”

Holyfield’s success continued into the 1980s. Janie Fricke hit the top 10 with his “I’ll Need Someone to Hold Me (When I Cry),” again co-written with McDill. Then Anne Murray’s version of the Wayland Holyfield/Bob House song “Could I Have This Dance” was chosen as the love theme for the hit movie Urban Cowboy. Holyfield said that the Grammy-winning, No. 1 hit was his favorite of his many compositions. It remains a popular wedding anthem.

His parade of hits continued with “Never Been So Loved in My Life” (Charley Pride, 1981), “You’ll Be Back (Every Night)” (The Statler Brothers, 1981), “You’re the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had” (Ed Bruce, 1981), “Put Your Dreams Away” (Mickey Gilley, 1982), “Tears of the Lonely (Mickey Gilley, 1982), “Don’t Count the Rainy Days” (Michael Martin Murphey, 1983) and “Your Love Shines Through” (Mickey Gilley, 1983).

Wayland Holyfield was named ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 1982. A 1992 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, he collaborated with such fellow Hall of Fame members as Gary Nicholson, Norro Wilson and Richard Leigh, as well as McDill, Williams, Russell and Lee.

Such 1985 Holyfield hits as “You’re Going Out of My Mind” (T.G. Sheppard) and “Break Away” (Gail Davies), plus 1989’s “(I Wish I Had) A Heart of Stone” (Baillie & The Boys) were followed by 1990’s “Only Here For a Little While” (Billy Dean) and “Down in Tennessee” (John Anderson).

Holyfield was passionate about his home state throughout his life. He wrote “Arkansas (You Run Deep in Me)” for the state’s sesquicentennial in 1986. It was selected as the state song the following year, and he performed it at the presidential inauguration of native son Bill Clinton in 1993.

He was always a forceful advocate on behalf of the songwriting community. Wayland Holyfield was the first Music City tunesmith elected to the national ASCAP Board of Directors. He also served as President of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and as Chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Foundation’s board. He served on the boards of the Recording Academy’s Nashville chapter and the Nashville Entertainment Association. His zeal for songwriters led him to testify before Congress on their behalf.

Wayland Holyfield suffered health problems in recent years, but remained active in the industry, including serving on the board of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He died at home in his sleep. He is survived by his wife Nancy and their children.

A memorial service is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church (4815 Franklin Pike in Nashville). Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the service following at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be sent to Faith Family Medical Center Nashville, Vantage Point Foundation (Veterans Pushing Forward) or Nashville Rescue Mission.

Roy Carter, DelFest & High Sierra Festival Co-Founder, Dies

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Roy Carter

Roy Carter, one of the original founders of the High Sierra Music Festival and DelFest, passed away of congestive heart failure on April 29. He was 68.

Carter got his start in the business doing publicity for clubs and venues, and creating recycling programs for festivals and music events. In 1991 he and three other partners started High Sierra Music Festival in Leland Meadows, California. The festival pioneered featuring rock, acoustic, bluegrass, jazz and folk all together in one weekend.

High Sierra Music Festival nurtured the burgeoning jam scene, helping boost the careers of acts such as the String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon, Yonder Mountain String Band, the Slip, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Umphrey’s McGee and many others. Carter had a keen eye for talent, and was known for booking bands very early in their careers such as Billy Strings, the Revivalists, Avett Brothers and the Lumineers.

Carter is survived by his wife, Carla, and daughter, as well as his sister Anne and brother Bob. In lieu of flowers, Carter requested donations to the American Heart Association or a local food bank.