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Byron Hill

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Byron Hill (born December 12, 1953) is an American songwriter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His songs have been recorded by over 500 Country and Pop artists including George Strait, Ray Charles, Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers, Juice Newton, Alabama, Randy Travis, Keith Whitley, Johnny Lee, George Jones, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Joe Nichols, Gary Allan, Tracy Byrd, Doc & Merle Watson, Joe Sun, Rhonda Vincent, The Whites, Neal McCoy, Trace Adkins, John Michael Montgomery, Conway Twitty, Asleep At The Wheel, Clint Eastwood, Hank Thompson, Sammy Kershaw, Gene Watson, and others.[1]

Byron Hill

Early life

Byron Hill's mother was a public school teaching assistant and his father was a technical illustrator. Byron credits both of his parents as being influential towards his songwriting by exposing him to many types of music when he was a child. He credits his father for introducing him to the guitar, Country music, and songwriting. Byron's father was especially interested in songs and songwriters, and constructively critiqued much of Byron's earlier work, educating him about the simple beauty of a country song.

Byron is the oldest of four children. In the late 1950s the family moved to what was then a rural area on the west side of Winston-Salem, NC. Byron was educated in public schools and attended Appalachian State University. During the years just prior to moving to Nashville, TN, he worked a succession of various jobs as; a laborer in textile mill, a hospital pharmacy technician, a record store clerk, a part-time delivery truck driver, a performer in a local trio called Red Cloud, and for three years was a guitar instructor at a local music store.

Music Career

He moved to Nashville in May of 1978 and signed his first songwriting contract with ATV Music Group in September of that year. The hits started for Byron as a songwriter in 1979 with Joe Sun's "Out Of Your Mind", and in 1981 with Johnny Lee's "Pickin' Up Strangers", with many other recordings and singles along the way, including George Strait's first number one single "Fool Hearted Memory" in 1982. Byron's songs have since generated more than 559 recordings, earning seventy-four RIAA certified gold and platinum awards, ten ASCAP awards, twenty-three U.S. and Canadian top-ten chart hits including seven number ones.[2], [3], [4], [5], [6]

Songs in Films

Top Songs

  • "Out Of Your Mind" written by Byron Hill and Dennis Knutson, and was one of country music singer Joe Sun's earliest chart hits on Ovation Records. The song followed a string of early releases by Joe Sun including his 1978 debut single "Old Flames (Can't Hold A Candle To You)". "Out Of Your Mind" won an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of 1980.
  • "Pickin' Up Strangers" written by Byron Hill, and was one of country music singer Johnny Lee's earliest hits. The single was originally recorded for the soundtrack of the feature film "Coast To Coast", and was also included on Johnny Lee's famous album "Lookin' For Love". The song won an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of 1981.
  • "Fool Hearted Memory" written by Byron Hill and Blake Mevis, and was country music singer George Strait's first #1 single (Billboard Magazine, 1982). The single was from George Strait's 1982 Strait from the Heart album on MCA Records and was included in the soundtrack of the feature film "The Soldier" on Embassy Films. The song won an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of 1982.
  • "Nights" written by Byron Hill and Tony Hiller, recorded by RCA recording artist Ed Bruce. The song included on country singer Ed Bruce's 1984 album "Night Things" and was #4 chart country single in 1986.
  • "Born Country" written by Byron Hill and John Schweers, and was recorded by the band Alabama. It reached No. 1 on the Radio & Records chart in March of 1992, also peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The single was one of three new tracks on Alabama's Greatest Hits Vol. II album (the other two being "Then Again" and "Hats Off") and was released in 1992 on RCA Records. The song won an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of 1992.
  • "Alright Already" written by Byron Hill and JB Rudd, was a single by American country music singer Larry Stewart, released in 1993 as his solo debut single, after his departure from the band Restless Heart. (Stewart rejoined Restless Heart in 2003.) The song won an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of 1993. The song was also recorded by Ricky Lynn Gregg on his self-titled debut album a year later.
  • "Crossover" (BBC Radioplay Music Library/TAIR84017/UK), with various artists, 1984
  • "Truly Yours" (BBC Radioplay Music Library/TAIR84036/UK), with various artists, 1984
  • "Gravity... and other things that keep you down to Earth" (BHP Recordings/BHP4501), 1999
  • "Sketches" Mike Dekle CD (Parlay Records), as announcer on "Stone Cold Country", 1999
  • "Ramblings" (BHP Recordings/BHP5002), 2004
  • "A Songwriters Tribute To George Strait, Vol 1" (Compadre Records/CRC-010), with various artists, 2004
  • "Country Hotdisc International" (Hotdisc/CHi-75), with various artists, 2005
  • "Country Hotdisc International" (Hotdisc/CHi-85), with various artists, 2005
  • "Country Hotdisc International" (Hotdisc/CHi-88), with various artists, 2006
  • "Country Hotdisc International" (Hotdisc/CHi-105), with various artists, 2007

Career Achievements

  • Staff Songwriter, ATV Music Group, now Sony/ATV Music Publishing (1978-1984)
  • Staff Songwriter, Requested Songs, now Universal Music Publishing (1984-1986)
  • Staff Songwriter, Song Source Music Publishing Group (1986-1988)
  • Staff Songwriter, Collins Music Corp., now Sony/ATV Music Publishing (1988-1992)
  • Staff Songwriter, MCA Music Publishing, now Universal Music Publishing (1992-1998)
  • Staff Songwriter, Starstruck Writers Group, now Warner Chappell Music (1999-2000)
  • Staff Songwriter, Warner Chappell Music (2001-2002)
  • Staff Songwriter, Almo Musc Corp., now Universal Music Publishing (2003-2007), [6]
  • Associate Professional Manager, ATV Music Group (1978-1979)
  • Professional Manager, ATV Music Group (1979-1982)
  • General Manager, ATV Music Group (1982-1984)
  • Director of A&R, BNA Entertainment (1993-1994)
  • Written songs released on Seventy-One RIAA Certified Gold and Platinum albums
  • Written songs that have generated over 544 recordings
  • Wrote George Strait's first #1 single "Fool Hearted Memory"
  • Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) 20 Years of Hits recognition
  • Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) No.1 Award
  • ASCAP Number One Club
  • Music Consultant, Rochford Films
  • Producer, Roger Bowling, Mercury Records, Avco Embassy Pictures (1981-1982, select recordings only)[7]
  • Producer, Renate Kern, Ariola Records/Germany, (1981)
  • Producer, Mike Dekle, Parlay Records, (1982-present)
  • Producer, Kathy Mattea, Mercury Records, (1983-1984, co-producer)
  • Producer, Nancy Wood, Lovelight Records/Germany, (1983-1984, co-producer)
  • Producer, Richard Gachner, WEA, Polydor Records/France, (1984)
  • Producer, Marie Bottrell, Cardinal Records/Canada, (1991, co-producer)
  • Producer, Gary Allan, Decca Records, (1996-2000, co-producer)
  • Producer, Gil Grand, Monument Records, (1998), [6]
  • Producer, Gord Bamford, GWB Records/Canada, (2005-present), [6]
  • Producer, numerous other independent artists, (1978-present)
  • Board Member, Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)
  • Leadership Music, Class of 2008

References

  1. ^ BYRON HILL - Detailed Bio
  2. ^ BYRON HILL - Hits And Awards
  3. ^ MusicDish Industry e-Journal
  4. ^ MusicDish Industry e-Journal
  5. ^ The Appalachian Online
  6. ^ a b c d The Songs of Byron Hill
  7. ^ a b c d e Byron Hill
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