Country songwriting icon Jim McBride dead at 78
Country songwriter Jim McBride has died aged 78.
McBride was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, who took to social media to confirm news of his passing.
Their statement reads, “Our condolences go out to Jeanne and the entire McBride family on the passing of Mr. Jim McBride. Jim was a beloved Alabamian, songwriter, friend, mentor, and so much more.”
It also noted the vast number of artists that have taken on his songs, including Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charley Pride, Travis Tritt, Toby Keith, Dwight Yokam, The Oak Ridge Boys, Keith Whitley, Crystal Gayle, and Trace Atkins.
Additionally, his friend and fellow songwriter Jerry Salley took to Facebook to reveal that McBride died on January 6th. He mourned, “I never dreamed when I woke up this morning that I would receive the shocking news that I received.”
Salley continued, “My closest and longest friend I’ve ever had passed away unexpectedly this morning from a fall that he took last Monday, late afternoon.”
No cause of death has been revealed.
His best-known creation is ‘Chattahoochee’, which was a huge hit for Alan Jackson in 1992. In addition to topping the US Country Chart, it was also victorious at the CMAs, winning ‘Single of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year’.
McBride worked closely with Jackson as a co-writer and also had a hand in creating the 1990 hit, ‘Chasing That Neon Rainbow’.
Meanwhile, ‘Heavy Metal (Don’t Mean Rock and Roll to Me)’, which McBride wrote with Guy Clark, was recorded by Johnny Cash in 1987.
The late songwriter was inducted into both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2017. In recent years, McBride also acted as the president of the Nashville Songwriters Association.
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