Bob McDill
Encyclopedia
Robert Lee "Bob" McDill (born April 4, 1944 in Walden, Texas) is an American country music
songwriter. Active from the 1960s until 2000, he has written several songs for country music artists, including more than thirty Number One hits. In addition, McDill has received several Songwriter of the Year awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated
and the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
, and soon took up singing gospel
with his family. He then went on to play in several local bands throughout high school
. He then attended Lamar University
, graduating in 1966; after graduating, he enlisted in the United States Navy
for two years. While in the Navy, he received songwriting advice from songwriter and record producer Allen Reynolds
, who helped McDill land his first cut as a songwriter — "The Happy Man", recorded in 1967 by Perry Como
. One year later, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs provided McDill with his second cut when they recorded his "Black Sheep".)
After his stint in the Navy, McDill moved to Memphis, Tennessee
, where he planned to pursue a full-time career as a songwriter. By 1970, he and Reynolds had moved to Nashville, Tennessee
, where the two found work at Jack Music, a publishing company owned by Jack Clement
. Although he had initially tried to write rock
and pop
songs, McDill soon shifted his focus to country music after hearing George Jones
' song "A Good Year for the Roses".
McDill's first cut for a country artist was "Catfish John
", recorded in 1972 by Johnny Russell
. For the next thirty years afterward, McDill wrote one song a week, with artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis
, Anne Murray
, Don Williams
, Waylon Jennings
, and Mickey Gilley
recording his songs. Bobby Bare
recorded an entire album of Bob McDill songs in 1977; the album was titled "Me and McDill". In the early 1980s, Grammy-winning country-pop singer Juice Newton
released four McDill songs: "I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can", "Shot Full of Love", "Runaway Hearts" and "Falling in Love"; the songs appeared on Gold and Platinum certified albums. The Kendalls
covered McDill's "Just Like Real People", taking the song to the top ten on the country singles charts in 1980. McDill continued to write songs into the 1990s, including "Gone Country
" by Alan Jackson
; "All the Good Ones Are Gone" by Pam Tillis
(which received a Grammy Award nomination in 1998), and "Why Didn't I Think of That
" by Doug Stone. McDill retired from songwriting in 2000.
Nobel Laureate V. S. Naipaul's travelogue "A Turn in the South" written in 1989 features a section about Bob McDill. The often acerbic Naipaul describes McDill's song writing in a thoughtful portrait and liberally quotes from McDill's song "Good Ole Boy's Like Me".
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
songwriter. Active from the 1960s until 2000, he has written several songs for country music artists, including more than thirty Number One hits. In addition, McDill has received several Songwriter of the Year awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
and the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
Biography
Born Robert Lee McDill in Walden, Texas, McDill began writing songs while still a child. Eventually, he learned to play the guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and soon took up singing gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
with his family. He then went on to play in several local bands throughout high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He then attended Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...
, graduating in 1966; after graduating, he enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
for two years. While in the Navy, he received songwriting advice from songwriter and record producer Allen Reynolds
Allen Reynolds
Allen Reynolds is an American record producer and songwriter who works primarily in the country music field.Reynolds was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas and started writing songs during his college years...
, who helped McDill land his first cut as a songwriter — "The Happy Man", recorded in 1967 by Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
. One year later, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs provided McDill with his second cut when they recorded his "Black Sheep".)
After his stint in the Navy, McDill moved to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where he planned to pursue a full-time career as a songwriter. By 1970, he and Reynolds had moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, where the two found work at Jack Music, a publishing company owned by Jack Clement
Jack Clement
Jack Henderson Clement is an American singer, songwriter, and a record and film producer.Raised and educated in Memphis, Jack Clement was performing at an early age...
. Although he had initially tried to write rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
songs, McDill soon shifted his focus to country music after hearing George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
' song "A Good Year for the Roses".
McDill's first cut for a country artist was "Catfish John
Catfish John
"Catfish John" is the title of a song written by Bob McDill and Allen Reynolds, and recorded by American country music artist Johnny Russell. It was released in November1972 as the fourth single from the album, Catfish John / Chained...
", recorded in 1972 by Johnny Russell
Johnny Russell
John Bright "Johnny" Russell was an American country singer, songwriter, and comedian best-known for his song "Act Naturally", which was made famous by Buck Owens, who recorded it in 1963, and The Beatles in 1965...
. For the next thirty years afterward, McDill wrote one song a week, with artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Anne Murray
Anne Murray
Morna Anne Murray CC, ONS is a Canadian singer in pop, country and adult contemporary styles whose albums have sold over 54 million copies....
, Don Williams
Don Williams
Don Williams , is an American country singer, songwriter and a 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated in 1958 from Gregory-Portland High School. After seven years with the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, he began his solo career in 1971,...
, Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, and Mickey Gilley
Mickey Gilley
Mickey Leroy Gilley is an American country music singer and musician. Although he started out singing straight-up country and western material in the 1970s, he moved towards a more pop-friendly sound in the 1980s, bringing him further success on not just the country charts, but the pop charts as...
recording his songs. Bobby Bare
Bobby Bare
Robert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:...
recorded an entire album of Bob McDill songs in 1977; the album was titled "Me and McDill". In the early 1980s, Grammy-winning country-pop singer Juice Newton
Juice Newton
Judith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist...
released four McDill songs: "I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can", "Shot Full of Love", "Runaway Hearts" and "Falling in Love"; the songs appeared on Gold and Platinum certified albums. The Kendalls
The Kendalls
The Kendalls was an American country music duo, consisting of Royce Kendall and his daughter Jeannie Kendall . Between the 1960s and 1990s, they released sixteen albums on various labels, including five on Mercury Records...
covered McDill's "Just Like Real People", taking the song to the top ten on the country singles charts in 1980. McDill continued to write songs into the 1990s, including "Gone Country
Gone Country (song)
"Gone Country" is the title of a song written by Bob McDill and recorded by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It was released in November 1994 as the third single from his fourth studio album, Who I Am...
" by Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
; "All the Good Ones Are Gone" by Pam Tillis
Pam Tillis
Pamela Yvonne "Pam" Tillis is an American country music singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of country music singer Mel Tillis....
(which received a Grammy Award nomination in 1998), and "Why Didn't I Think of That
Why Didn't I Think of That
"Why Didn't I Think of That" is a single by American country music singer Doug Stone that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was the fourth and final single released from his CD, From the Heart.-Content:...
" by Doug Stone. McDill retired from songwriting in 2000.
Nobel Laureate V. S. Naipaul's travelogue "A Turn in the South" written in 1989 features a section about Bob McDill. The often acerbic Naipaul describes McDill's song writing in a thoughtful portrait and liberally quotes from McDill's song "Good Ole Boy's Like Me".