LifeNotes: Alan Jackson’s Son-In-Law Ben Selecman Dies

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Samuel Benton “Ben” Selecman, husband of Mattie Jackson Selecman and son-in-law of country artist Alan Jackson, died unexpectedly Wednesday, Sept. 12, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Selecman, a Nashville resident, had recently suffered severe traumatic head injuries in a fall. He was 28 years old.

Selecman was an East Tennessee (Knoxville) native and University of Tennessee Knoxville graduate. He earned his law degree at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and was employed as an Assistant D.A. by the Nashville-Davidson County District Attorney’s Office.

Selecman married wife Mattie, the oldest daughter of the country singer-songwriter and his wife Denise, last October. In addition to his wife, Selecman is survived by parents Mark and Brenda Selecman, brother Cole Selecman and his wife, Morgan.

 

Country Music World Embraced Burt Reynolds

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By Robert K. Oermann

Few of the obituaries for Burt Reynolds noted that the Hollywood icon was also a “country star.”

The movie great, who died Thursday (Sept. 6) at age 82, only made one country album and appeared just once on the country-music hit parade. But he was massively popular with country fans, incorporated country music into his film soundtracks and cast more than a dozen country stars in his features.

Although Burt Reynolds played many roles, his portrayals of moonshiners, cowboys, outlaws, NASCAR drivers, rebels and other country archetypes became his most famous film characters.

The soundtrack of Reynolds’ breakthrough film, 1972’s Deliverance, yielded the Grammy-winning country hit “Dueling Banjos” by Eric Weissberg. The plots of such Reynolds vehicles as White Lightning (1973), Gator (1976) and Stroker Ace (1983) were rooted in country culture.
Reynolds came to Nashville in 1973 to create Ask Me What I Am as his country LP. Issued by Mercury Records, it was co-produced by Bobby Goldsboro and Buddy Killen. Despite songwriting contributions from Goldsboro, Red Lane, Ed Bruce and Dick Feller, the album was a commercial failure.

Burt Reynolds returned to Nashville in 1975 to film W.W. & The Dixie Dancekings. Its premiere was held in Music City, as well. In it, he portrayed a crook who promotes a country band. The cast included Don Williams, Roni Stoneman, Lorene Mann, Tootsie Bess and several other country personalities.

The film launched the movie careers of Jerry Reed (1937-2008) and Mel Tillis (1932-2017). Both would be featured in several other Reynolds films, and Reed, in particular, would have a successful acting career on his own. Reed’s second feature with Reynolds was Gator in 1976.
Already a sizable movie star, Burt Reynolds ascended to superstardom with 1977’s Smokey and the Bandit. Although panned by critics, it found a massive audience in Middle America and grossed more than $100 million.

Reed again appeared opposite Reynolds in this film. He also co-wrote the movie’s soundtrack and sang its big country hit, “East Bound and Down.”

Also appearing in Smokey and the Bandit was John Schneider, unbilled in a crowd scene. Two years later, he would inherit Reynolds’ redneck/outlaw persona in the smash hit 1979-85 TV series The Dukes of Hazzard. The two became friends in Hollywood, and Schneider succeeded in Nashville via a string of hit country records in 1984-88.

In the 2016 documentary film Bandit, Brad Paisley, John Rich, Toby Keith and others discussed Smokey and the Bandit’s indelible relationship to country music. In the days following Reynolds’ death, Bandit was screened repeatedly by CMT.

Smokey and the Bandit II was issued in 1980. In addition to Reed, Tillis and Don Williams, the cast included Brenda Lee and The Statler Brothers. All five contributed songs to its soundtrack, as did Tanya Tucker, Roy Rogers and The Sons of the Pioneers. Burt Reynolds sang “Let’s Do Something Cheap and Superficial” on the soundtrack, and his single of it made it to No. 51 on the country charts.

The handsome headliner had a long-term relationship with his Smokey movies co-star Sally Field, whom he later described as “the love of my life.” But he also had notable romances with Nashville-bred pop vocalist Dinah Shore (1916-1994), who was 20 years his senior, and with country superstar Tammy Wynette (1942-1998).

The 1981 Reynolds road-race feature The Cannonball Run again featured Tillis. By this time, Burt Reynolds was in the midst of a five-year reign as Hollywood’s top box-office moneymaker. During this same era, he won six consecutive People’s Choice awards as America’s favorite movie actor.

So his pairing with country superstar Dolly Parton in 1982’s Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was headline news. In the film, Reynolds sang “Sneakin’ Around” as a duet with her. Parton’s remake of “I Will Always Love You” became the soundtrack’s big hit. Whorehouse continued Reynolds’ success streak, becoming a huge box-office hit and winning a best-picture Golden Globe Award.

Jerry Reed co-starred in 1983’s Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, with Reynolds taking a backseat via a cameo appearance. The soundtrack included contributions by Lee Greenwood and Ed Bruce. Mel Tillis reunited with Reynolds for 1984’s Cannonball Run II.

Burt Reynolds next triumphed as a television star. His Evening Shade series of 1990-94 was a major hit. Once again, he offered screen roles to his country-music favorites. During its five-year run, the top-rated Evening Shade featured such guest stars as Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Tammy Wynette, K.T. Oslin, Kenny Rogers and Jerry Reed, as well as Terry Bradshaw.

Similarly, his 1991-92 TV talk show Burt Reynolds Conversations With booked Gill, Parton, Randy Travis and Tanya Tucker as well as Hollywood royalty.

Reynolds and McEntire co-starred in the 1993 TV movie The Man from Left Field. Goldsboro composed the soundtrack music, a job he performed the same year for the TV western movie The Wind in the Wire. This co-starred Reynolds with Randy Travis. The movie star also appeared in the 1993 music video for the Travis tune “Cowboy Boogie.”

The 1997 film Boogie Nights restored Reynolds’ status as a respected actor. The film garnered him his finest reviews since Deliverance, won him a Golden Globe award and earned him an Oscar nomination.

In 2005, Reynolds co-starred in the hit movie update of The Dukes of Hazzard. Willie Nelson and Junior Brown were also featured.

The aging cinema thespian returned to Tennessee to portray a washed-up actor in 2016’s The Last Movie Star. It was shot and premiered in Knoxville and featured the Nashville Film Festival in its plot. Again, his performance was roundly praised by reviewers.

Burt Reynolds had been ill, but his death last week was unexpected. Over the weekend, Parton, Schneider, Travis and McEntire all offered memorial tributes to their fellow “country star.”

Nashville Music Industry Veteran Mike Owens Passes

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Beloved music industry Radio Promotion and A&R professional Mike Owens passed away suddenly on Sunday evening, Sept. 2, from a massive heart attack at age 53. A longtime member of the music industry, he most recently served as VP Creative at Sea Gayle Music.

An admired and respected music industry veteran, Owens first began his career working in radio when he was a teenager in Oklahoma. He became Music Director for powerhouse station KXXY in Oklahoma City, where he was discovered and hired in 1989 by the newly-formed country label Arista Nashville. He served as part of their flagship radio promotion team, where he worked for 11 years. Because of his natural instinct for picking hit songs, Owens was later hired as Vice President of A&R for Universal South Records where he worked for five years, and most recently served for six years as Vice President of Creative for Sea Gayle Music. During the course of his long and celebrated time in the music industry, Owens contributed to the careers of some of country music’s biggest superstars.

“Mike’s passion for songs and knowledge of the music business was unparalleled,” says Chris DuBois, Owner/Managing Partner, Sea Gayle Music. “His career impacted more songwriters, recording artists and industry executives than I could possibly count. Most importantly, he was one of the finest human beings that I have ever known. He will be greatly missed in this community.”

“When I hired Mike I realized that he had a world of knowledge about country music from his years at radio and his absolute love of the format,” says Tim DuBois, Former President, Arista Nashville. “His passion for songs and songwriters made him ideally suited to make the transition from promoting hit records to finding great songs for great artists. He was not only my employee but one of my dearest friends.”

Music For Mike, a benefit concert previously announced and scheduled for Sept. 25 at War Memorial Auditorium, is moving forward as planned. Proceeds will go to the Mike Owens Family Trust. Current and former Arista Nashville artists set to take the stage that night include recent Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Alan Jackson, superstar duo Brooks & Dunn, and critically acclaimed entertainer Brad Paisley, along with Blackhawk, Diamond Rio, Lee Roy Parnell, Pam Tillis, Phil Vassar and Steve Wariner. Backing this line-up is veteran touring band, Sixwire.

Click here to purchase tickets. Donations to the family’s GoFundMe page can be made here.

In 2014, Owens was diagnosed with end stage renal disease and had been placed on dialysis awaiting a donor kidney. His treatment had led to other health issues and mounting medical bills.

He is survived by his wife Radeana Menhusen Owens and their daughter Savannah.

Services were held on Thursday, Sept. 6 at West End United Methodist Church located at 2200 West End Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. Visitation was from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., with the service beginning at 12 p.m.

Lifenotes: Beloved Music Industry Veteran Roy Wunsch Passes

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Roy William Wunsch passed away in Nashville on Friday (Aug. 31), following a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 75.

Born June 23, 1943, in St. Louis, Mo., the son of Roy P. Wunsch and Ruth Wunsch, Roy is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Sharon, all of St. Louis. He is survived by his wife of almost 30 years and friend of 44 years Mary Ann McCready, by daughter Cynthia Wunsch Bowen (Jay) of Nashville, and son Roy Christopher Wunsch of St. Louis. Roy went to Hancock High School, then attended St. Louis University, where he studied journalism. After working for a summer at a CBS Records distribution center, he left SLU to follow his heart into the music business.

For 30 years he worked with some of the most important artists in American music, and he spent the majority of those years with CBS/Sony Music, one of the best known and most competitive record companies in the world, whose label imprints included Columbia and Epic. Often honored for superior work, Roy received many awards of excellence for his performance in numerous musical genres.

In 1975, CBS placed greater emphasis on its Nashville division, and Roy agreed to lead the team as National Promotion and Sales Manager for Columbia’s sister label, Epic Records. Artists on the label included Tammy Wynette, George Jones, David Houston, Bob Luman, Johnny Paycheck, Joe Stampley and Charlie Rich. Many of those artists made timeless records in collaboration with Epic executive and iconic producer Billy Sherrill.

By 1981, Roy’s street smarts and diverse experience earned him the office of Vice President, overseeing Columbia, Epic and CBS Associated labels. He was the first in Nashville to hold that position. He added many notable recording artists and helped further the careers of Johnny Cash, Sonny James, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Ricky Skaggs and Connie Smith (all now members of the Country Music Hall of Fame). He also worked with significant artists such as Lynn Anderson, David Allan Coe, Johnny Duncan, Janie Fricke and Marty Robbins.

Roy was elevated to second-in-command at Columbia’s Nashville office in 1985, and in 1988 — the year Sony Music completed its acquisition of CBS Records — he was appointed Senior Vice President of Nashville Operations, supporting the careers of Chet Atkins, Bobby Bare, Rosanne Cash, Crystal Gayle, the Highwaymen, the O’Kanes, Dolly Parton, The Charlie Daniels Band, Earl Scruggs, Marty Stuart, Sweethearts of the Rodeo and Ricky Van Shelton.

In 1990, for his skill and influence in Sony’s success, Roy was rewarded with a promotion to President of the Nashville division, the first person ever to hold that post.

Throughout his career, Roy espoused sophisticated marketing strategies that moved away from country music’s traditional imaging and embraced modern styles that reaped greater revenue and grew the audience for country music. Among his earliest achievements was the marketing of Willie Nelson’s classic Stardust album, a collection of pop standards produced by Booker T. Jones that sounded nothing like anything on country radio. Buoyed by hits “Georgia on My Mind,” “All of Me” and “Blue Skies,” the collection sold more than 10 million copies and stands as one of Sony Music Nashville’s most successful albums. A pair of country legends, Merle Haggard and George Jones, had their first gold and platinum albums under Roy’s stewardship.

In the late 1980s, he signed folk-reared singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter to a country recording contract. Though immediately embraced by critics, she failed to reach popular notoriety until a surprise CMA Awards appearance, enabled by Roy, won her broad notoriety. She recorded two highly successful albums followed by the multiplatinum album Come On, Come On, which yielded an astonishing seven hit singles.

Roy chaired the boards of the Country Music Association and the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was an early and ongoing supporter of the W.O. Smith School of Music, which makes affordable, quality music instruction available to children from low-income families. The W.O. Smith Music School transforms lives through music.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008, Roy continued to play tennis, a lifelong passion, until three months ago; to love his dog, Maggie; and to be a loyal and avid fan of the city of St. Louis. He and wife Mary Ann enjoyed a life of great friendship, intense love and grand adventure, including a 30-day trip around the world.

In 2012, he began spending time painting and doing pottery with his artist daughter, Cindy, at her local studio. In December of 2015, a record crowd came to support his efforts, where he sold out his entire first exhibition. The show, called “Color Me Happy,” was a testament to his ongoing and courageous fight. The proceeds of this event went to charity.

Services will be at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, 2015 West End Ave. in Nashville officiated by Rev. Father Steiner on Thursday, Sept. 6, at 3:30 p.m. followed by a Celebration of Life at the Fleming Center next door.

A private family burial will be held the following day. Pallbearers will include Charles Batt, Jay S. Bowen, Frank Bumstead, Ron Dawson, Ron Elz, Chuck Flood, Jim Ramsey, Andrew Steed and Adam Steed. Honorary pallbearers include Bill Barnes, Rafael Cambronero, Gene Denonovich, Steve Diaz, Joe Mansfield, Mike Martinovich, Jim McCready, John McCready, Stan Moress, David Steed, Kevin Slovacek and Walter Yetnikoff. In memorium pallbearers include Billy Sherrill, Dave Swengros and Jeff Walker.

The family wishes to express heartfelt appreciation to Gretchen Napier, Julie Ehrlich and Jodi Jackson of Lifelinks; the loving hearts of Jihar Adeny, Lise Brown, Anthony Cuzone, Emily Henry, Ruthie McGonagle Ingram, Dierdre Jenkins, Jim Kemp, Stephanie Kendrick, Mitzi McCormick and Emily Tan; Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Petrie, Dr. Peach, Dr. Karlarkar, Dr. Sharp and Dr. Kirshner; Bonnie Wagner, Stuart Dill; Sarah Prince, Dea Smith; and The Richland West End Neighborhood.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests and appreciates donations to the W.O. Smith School, P.O. Box 121348, Nashville, TN 37212, Attn: The Roy Wunsch “Stardust” Scholarship, wosmith.org; or to Feed My People, 171 Kingston Drive, St. Louis, MO 63125, feed-my-people.org.

Wunsch’s artwork was proudly featured on the cover of the January 2016 issue of MusicRow. He was an avid and early supporter of the publication, becoming the first head of a major label to purchase subscriptions for every member of his staff.

LifeNotes: Mike Kennedy, Longtime Drummer for George Strait, Dies In Car Crash

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Michael Kennedy, the drummer for George Strait‘s Ace in the Hole band for almost 30 years, died Friday, Aug. 31 from injuries sustained in a car accident. He was 59 years old.

The crash with a tractor trailer occurred on Interstate 40 West in Wilson County, Tennessee at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Kennedy’s career also included work with Ricky Skaggs.

Strait said in a statement, “Hard to put into words how much Mike’s passing has affected us all. Our hearts are broken. It’s going to be very strange not being able to look over and see him there in his spot on stage and very emotional as well I’m sure for all of us and also his fans. The band will never be the same. A part of us is gone forever. We all loved Mike and will miss him terribly. He was just as solid a friend to us all as he was a drummer, and that was damn solid. Our hearts and prayers are with his family. The Lord has him now. Rest In Peace my friend.”

 

Hit Songwriter Ronnie Samoset Passes

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By Robert K. Oermann

Friends and family gathered in Bradenton, Florida, on Sunday (Aug. 26) to celebrate the life of hit songwriter Ronnie Samoset.

The veteran Nashville music man died at age 71 on July 29. His death was announced in The Bradenton Herald on Aug. 19. During the acceptance of her ACM Poet’s Award last Wednesday, Matraca Berg memorialized her frequent collaborator from the stage of the Ryman Auditorium.

Samoset’s songs were recorded by Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Linda Ronstadt, Ricky Van Shelton, Tanya Tucker, Diamond Rio, Emmylou Harris, Tom Wopat, Dusty Springfield and Highway 101, among many others.

Among his best known titles are “I’m That Kind of Girl” (Patty Loveless, 1991), “A Jukebox With a Country Song” (Doug Stone, 1992), “(This Thing Called) Wantin’ and Havin’ It All” (Sawyer Brown, 1995), “On Your Way Home” (Patty Loveless, 2003) and the Matraca Berg singles “Baby Walk On” (1990), “The Things You Left Undone” (1990) and “I Must Have Been Crazy” (1991).

The Berg/Samoset song “Lying to the Moon” has been recorded by Robin & Linda Williams, Trisha Yearwood, Purely Wild, Lauren Kennedy and others, in addition to Berg.

His dozens of recorded songs also include cuts by Sammy Kershaw, The Woodys, Johnny Rodriguez, Daron Norwood, Neal McCoy, Michelle Wright, Charlie Floyd, Little Texas, Davis Daniel and Ricochet.

Besides Berg, Samoset’s songwriting collaborators in Nashville included Craig Wiseman, Dave Loggins, Chuck Cannon, Judy Rodman and Gene Nelson. He also wrote solo.

The songwriter’s real name was Ronald A. Santaniello. He is survived by his three children, Corey, Joseph and Anthony Santaniello; by brothers Michael, Andrew, Douglas and Raymond Santaniello; by sisters Diane and Linda and by numerous nieces and nephews.

His memorial gathering was held yesterday at the clubhouse of his residence, the Perico Apartments in Bradenton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Ronnie’s memory to a charity of your choice. Condolences may be made to [email protected].

Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitar Great Ed King Passes

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Ed King. Photo: Ed King/Facebook

Nashville guitarist Ed King, best known for his membership in Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away last week following several years of declining health.

The Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame member died at home on Aug. 22 at age 68. He retired from the band in 1996 due to congestive heart failure. He underwent a heart transplant operation in 2011. For the past several months, he reportedly had been battling lung cancer.

King performed on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s star-making albums and co-wrote its biggest hit, 1974’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” He also created that song’s iconic and instantly recognizable guitar riff.

He was a native of California who initially rose to prominence as a member of the psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock. He and the band’s keyboardist Mark Weitz reportedly co-wrote the act’s 1967 No. 1 smash “Incense and Peppermints,” but were cheated out of their songwriting credits and royalties.

They are credited as cowriters on the band’s 1968 singles “Tomorrow,” “Sit With the Guru” and “Barefoot in Baltimore.” Strawberry Alarm Clock’s swansong on the charts was 1969’s “Good Morning Starshine,” from the “flower child” Broadway musical Hair.

King joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1972, helping to establish its distinctive, triple-guitar attack. He was a key figure on the band’s first three LPs, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd (1973), Second Helping (1974) and Nuthin’ Fancy (1975).

Following the band’s hit with “Sweet Home Alabama,” the song was recorded by more than a dozen other artists, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Garth Brooks, Bret Michaels, Charlie Daniels, Every Mother’s Nightmare, Alabama, Cinderella, Bonfire and French rock star Johnny Hallyday.

King’s co-written Skynyrd song “Workin’ For MCA” was also popularized by Hank Williams Jr. and Ted Nugent. “Saturday Night Special” was covered by The Replacements, Armored Saint, Larry Cordle and Jerry Jeff Walker, among others. Other well-known Skynyrd tunes he cowrote include “Poison Whiskey,” “Mr. Banker,” “Money Man” and “Whisky Rock-A- Roller,” several of which were also recorded by others.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was well known for its boozing and brawling. Fist fights among band members sometimes broke out on stage. For non-violent hippie Ed King, it was all too much. He quit the group in 1975. Therefore, he was not in the fatal 1977 plane crash that decimated the band.

King helped to reconstitute and revive Skynyrd in 1987 and remained in the band for the next decade. His health issues forced his retirement from the group in 1996.

The widely liked musician remained accessible to the band’s fans and stayed in touch via his Facebook community. In 2006, he and fellow Skynyrd alumnus Artimus Pyle cowrote “The Freebird Fall” with Billy Ray Cyrus, and the country star included it on his CD that year, as well as on a later “Hits” compilation.

King was voted into the Rock Hall as a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2006, and he performed with the band at its induction ceremony.

Showtime premiered the film If I Leave Here Tomorrow four days before King’s death last week. He was prominently featured in the documentary. The latest lineup of Lynyrd Skynyrd has announced that its current tour will be its last.

According to TMZ, Ed King is to be cremated, and no memorial service is planned.

Nashville Music Publisher Jeff Carlton Dies

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Longtime Nashville music publisher Jeff Carlton died on Monday (Aug. 20). He was 66.

Carlton spent more than 30 years in Nashville’s music publishing industry, championing songwriters including Tony Martin, Lee Thomas Miller, Monty Criswell, Jimmy Ritchey and more.

While working at Willin’ David Music, the company earned seven BMI million performing pop singles penned by Will Jennings, and three No. 1 country singles penned by writers Carlton developed and signed to their first publishing deals.

Carlton spent time at Stroudavarious Music and later Hamstein Music for eight years; during that tenure, the companies earned more than 75 Top 10 country singles. He also worked for a decade with writer Tom Shapiro.

Later on as an independent publisher he signed writer Erin Enderlin, who earned the NSAI “Song I Wish I Had Written” award for Alan Jackson’s “Monday Morning Church” and a Grammy nomination for “Last Call” by Lee Ann Womack.

During tenures at Bigger Picture and Vibe Room Music, he worked in developing artist/writers including Sam Hunt and Brandy Clark. In 2013, he was brought on as Creative Consultant for THiS Music and Parallel Entertainment Publishing. He also served in a consultant role with Ashley Gorley’s Tape Room Music.

Carlton was part of Leadership Music’s Class of 1997. He was honored with the NSAI’s President’s Award in 2016. Earlier this year, AIMP honored Carlton with the AIMP Nashville Independent Spirit Award.

Jeff Carlton (R) earns the NSAI President’s Award, with Lee Thomas Miller.

Steve “Bogie” Bogdanovich Passes

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Steve “Bogie” Bogdanovich, Romeo Entertainment Group Vice President/Production Manager, passed away on Monday (8/6) at the age of 66 following a three-year battle with ideopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Bogdanovich was born and raised in Omaha and started playing in local bands as a teenager. In 1978, he became the Production Manager for the Aksarben Coliseum and Thoroughbred Racetrack. He maintained his position at Aksarben until the building closed in 2001, then took a job with Romeo Entertainment Group as a production manager and booking agent. While working for REG, he became a true road warrior, producing concert events all over the western United States.

In addition to his full-time work, Bogie ventured into many side gigs, including his video production company, BogieVision, (1992-2003), his work producing the All Star Jam at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas (2003-2015), and his annual gig as production manager for the Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting in Omaha. He was the recipient of several industry awards, including the 2013 IEBA Talent Buyer of the Year, the 2010 Academy of Country Music Talent Buyer of the Year, and the 2009 Jack Hunter Award from the Dakota Fairs Association.

Bogdanovich is survived by his wife of 45 years Nancy, two daughters and their husbands, Shawn Poulicek (Joe) and Jody Olsen (Ryan), two grandchildren, Steven and Sidney Poulicek, his mother Josie (Vecchio) Bogdanovich, sister Mary Jo Goodwin, and dog “L.B.”

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler on 7805 W. Center Road in Omaha. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 11 at 10 a.m. Cards can be sent in c/o Romeo Entertainment Group 5247 N. 129 th St. Omaha, NE 68164.

Grammy-Winning Engineer Jim Malloy Passes

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Jim Malloy

Recording engineer, producer and song publisher Jim Malloy died Thursday, July 5, at age 87. Malloy worked with such superstars as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. He won a 1963 Grammy Award for his engineering work on Henry Manclini’s movie theme “Charade” and was nominated for Grammys five other times.

Born in Illinois in 1931, he moved to the West Coast for a career in the electronics industry in 1954. He began his career in Los Angeles in the early 1960s by engineering discs by Mahalia Jackson, Duane Eddy, Duke Ellington, Doris Day, Ike & Tina Turner, Miles Davis, Lee Hazelwood, Ann-Margret, Sam Cooke, Bob Wills, Bing Crosby and Mancini.

Chet Atkins enticed him to move to Nashville. Atkins ran the Music Row office of RCA Records, for whom Malloy worked in 1965-68. He engineered albums by RCA’s Eddy Arnold, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Hank Snow, Connie Smith and John Hartford, as well as Atkins, Nelson, Parton and Presley.

Jim Malloy

His record-production career began in 1968-69 with the acclaimed Townes Van Zandt albums For the Sake of the Song, Our Mother the Mountain and Townes Van Zandt.

A stint at Monument Records led to work with Roy Orbison.

Ray Stevens was also a regular production client there. Malloy produced the star’s 1969 million-selling hit “Gitarzan” among other efforts. Jim Malloy was the recording engineer for Johnny Cash’s national TV series in 1969-71. It was filmed at the Ryman Auditorium and featured a who’s-who of the music world at the time, including Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt and Merle Haggard.

When former RCA executive Brad McEuen launched Mega Records, Malloy became that label’s regular producer.

With Malloy as her producer, Sammi Smith earned a Grammy Award for her 1971 pop-crossover million seller on Mega, “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” He also produced her hits “Today I Started Loving You Again” (1975), “City of New Orleans” (1973), “Never Been to Spain” (1974), “Long Black Veil” (1974), “My Window Faces the South” (1976) and “Then You Walk In” (1971).

The last-named was co-written by Jim Malloy’s son David Malloy. He became a staff songwriter at his father’s publishing company, DebDave Music. So did Even Stevens, and the two co-wrote with star Eddie Rabbitt. This resulted in giant hits for the firm such as “I Love a Rainy Night” and “Drivin’ My Life Away” in the early 1980s. The company also discovered such songwriters as Paul Overstreet, Dan Tyler, Frank Myers and Thom Schuyler.

Meanwhile, Jim Malloy continued to produce records. He guided four LPs by Stella Parton and continued to work with Elvis Presley and other artists. In recent years, Malloy reunited with Eddy Arnold for a series of albums. He published his memoir, Playback, in 2005.

Update [8/15/18]: A Celebration of Life will be held for Jim Malloy on Friday, Aug. 24, from 5-7 p.m. at Studio A (located at 30 Music Sq. W) in Nashville. In lieu of flowers, those wanting to make a contribution in Jim’s honor can do so to the Nashville Engineer Relief Fund.

Jim Malloy (second from left) celebrates BMI Million-Air awards with BMI’s Jody Williams, David Malloy, BMI’s David Preston and Phil Graham in January 2018. Photo: Steve Lowry