Bobby Braddock
Encyclopedia
Robert Valentine Braddock (born August 5, 1940) is an American country music
songwriter and record producer. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
, Braddock has contributed numerous hit songs during more than 40 years in the industry, including 13 number-one hit single
s.
to a father who was a citrus grower. Braddock spent his youth in Auburndale, Florida
, where he learned to play piano and saxophone. The musician toured Florida
and the South with rock and roll
bands in the late 1950s and early 1960s. At the age of twenty four, Braddock moved to Nashville, Tennessee
to pursue a career in Country Music
.
, Braddock joined Marty Robbins
' band as a pianist in February 1965. In January of the next year, a song he wrote for Robbins, "While You're Dancing", became Braddock's first record to appear on the charts. He then signed his first of five recording contracts with major record labels and with a publishing contract with Tree Publishing Company, now Sony BMG. Braddock quickly established himself as a bankable songwriter, penning songs in the 1970s for such artists as The Statler Brothers, Tammy Wynette
, George Jones
, Nancy Sinatra
, Johnny Duncan
, Willie Nelson
, Tanya Tucker
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, and Tommy Overstreet
.
Braddock continued his successful songwriting career well into the 21st century, writing songs recorded by artists including Lacy J. Dalton
, T.G. Sheppard, John Anderson, Mark Chesnutt
, and Tracy Lawrence
. Braddock sometimes co-wrote songs with Curly Putman
or Sonny Throckmorton
, fellow members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
.
As a producer, Braddock's greatest success thus far is the discovery of country
singer Blake Shelton
, securing a recording deal in 2001. Braddock is credited as producer for several of Shelton's number-one country hits, including his debut single "Austin
" which spent five weeks at the top of the charts.
Also in 2001 Braddock penned the song "I Wanna Talk About Me", intended for Shelton but eventually recorded by Toby Keith
. "I Wanna Talk About Me" topped the Billboard Country Charts for five weeks in 2002.
In March 2007, Braddock released a memoir recounting his early life in pre-Disney World Central Florida, titled Down in Orbundale: A Songwriters Youth in Old Florida, published by Louisiana State University Press
.
Braddock currently resides in Nashville
and continues to write songs for publishing company, Sony/ATV.
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 and record producer. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
, Braddock has contributed numerous hit songs during more than 40 years in the industry, including 13 number-one hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s.
Early years
Braddock was born in Lakeland, FloridaLakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
to a father who was a citrus grower. Braddock spent his youth in Auburndale, Florida
Auburndale, Florida
Auburndale is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,032 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 12,381...
, where he learned to play piano and saxophone. The musician toured Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and the South with rock and roll
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...
bands in the late 1950s and early 1960s. At the age of twenty four, Braddock 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...
to pursue a career in Country Music
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...
.
Musical success
After arriving in NashvilleNashville, 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...
, Braddock joined Marty Robbins
Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
' band as a pianist in February 1965. In January of the next year, a song he wrote for Robbins, "While You're Dancing", became Braddock's first record to appear on the charts. He then signed his first of five recording contracts with major record labels and with a publishing contract with Tree Publishing Company, now Sony BMG. Braddock quickly established himself as a bankable songwriter, penning songs in the 1970s for such artists as The Statler Brothers, Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
, 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....
, Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, Johnny Duncan
Johnny Duncan (country music artist)
Johnny Richard Duncan was an American country singer. In his career, he released fourteen studio albums, including thirteen on Columbia Records...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Tanya Tucker
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
, 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...
, and Tommy Overstreet
Tommy Overstreet
Tommy Overstreet is an American country singer. Often known simply as "T.O." by fans and radio disc jockeys, Overstreet has five top five hit singles in the Billboard country charts and 11 top 10 singles. His popularity peaked in the 1970s.-Early life:Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Overstreet...
.
Braddock continued his successful songwriting career well into the 21st century, writing songs recorded by artists including Lacy J. Dalton
Lacy J. Dalton
Lacy J. Dalton , is an American country and western singer and songwriter, known for her gritty, powerful vocals, which a number of critics likened to a country equivalent to Bonnie Raitt . She had a number of hits in the 1980s, including "Takin' It Easy," "Crazy Blue Eyes" and "16th Avenue." ...
, T.G. Sheppard, John Anderson, Mark Chesnutt
Mark Chesnutt
Mark Nelson Chesnutt is an American country music singer. Chesnutt recorded and released his first album, Doing My Country Thing, in the late-1980s on private independent record label, Axbar Records, with the vinyl album version now a collector's item...
, and Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music...
. Braddock sometimes co-wrote songs with Curly Putman
Curly Putman
Claude "Curly" Putman, Jr. is an American songwriter, based in Nashville. His biggest success was "Green, Green Grass of Home" , which was covered by Elvis Presley, Johnny Darrell, Gram Parsons, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roberto Leal, Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Joe Tex, Nana...
or Sonny Throckmorton
Sonny Throckmorton
James Fron "Sonny" Throckmorton is an American country music singer and songwriter. Known primarily for his songwriting, Throckmorton has had more than 1,000 of his songs recorded by various country singers...
, fellow members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
.
As a producer, Braddock's greatest success thus far is the discovery of country
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...
singer Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
, securing a recording deal in 2001. Braddock is credited as producer for several of Shelton's number-one country hits, including his debut single "Austin
Austin (song)
"Austin" is the debut single of American country music artist Blake Shelton.The single was released in April 2001 on the Giant Records label; however, that label closed its doors as the single was climbing the charts, with Shelton and his single being transferred to the Warner Bros. Records label....
" which spent five weeks at the top of the charts.
Also in 2001 Braddock penned the song "I Wanna Talk About Me", intended for Shelton but eventually recorded by Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
. "I Wanna Talk About Me" topped the Billboard Country Charts for five weeks in 2002.
In March 2007, Braddock released a memoir recounting his early life in pre-Disney World Central Florida, titled Down in Orbundale: A Songwriters Youth in Old Florida, published by Louisiana State University Press
Louisiana State University Press
The Louisiana State University Press is a nonprofit book publisher and an academic unit of Louisiana State University. Founded in 1935, the press publishes scholarly, general interest, and regional books as part of the university’s mission to disseminate knowledge and culture...
.
Braddock currently resides in Nashville
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...
and continues to write songs for publishing company, Sony/ATV.
Awards and recognition
- The George JonesGeorge JonesGeorge 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....
classic, "He Stopped Loving Her TodayHe Stopped Loving Her Today"He Stopped Loving Her Today" is the title of a song by American country music artist George Jones that has been named in several surveys as the greatest country song of all time. It was released in April 1980 as the lead single from the album I Am What I Am. The song was Jones's first No. 1 single...
," which Braddock co-wrote with Curly PutmanCurly PutmanClaude "Curly" Putman, Jr. is an American songwriter, based in Nashville. His biggest success was "Green, Green Grass of Home" , which was covered by Elvis Presley, Johnny Darrell, Gram Parsons, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roberto Leal, Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Joe Tex, Nana...
, won the Country Music AssociationCountry Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
Song of the Year award two years in a row (1980 and 1981) and the 1981 Song of the Year from the Academy of Country MusicAcademy of Country MusicThe Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
. This song was voted "Country Song of the Century" in a poll by Radio & RecordsRadio & RecordsRadio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
magazine, as well as "Best Country Song of All Time" in a poll conducted by the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and Country America magazine. - 1981 Music City News Songwriter of the Year
- 1981 Nashville Songwriters Association Song of the Year
- 1981 Inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of FameNashville Songwriters Hall of FameThe Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
- 2011 Inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame
Songwriting
Braddock has written numerous chart singles. Songs he has written or co-written include:| Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|
| "He Stopped Loving Her Today He Stopped Loving Her Today "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is the title of a song by American country music artist George Jones that has been named in several surveys as the greatest country song of all time. It was released in April 1980 as the lead single from the album I Am What I Am. The song was Jones's first No. 1 single... " |
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.... |
| "D-I-V-O-R-C-E D-I-V-O-R-C-E "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" is an American country music song written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman, and made famous by Tammy Wynette. Wynette's version was a number one country hit in 1968.-Background:... " |
Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists.... |
| "Two Shades of Blue" | Deborah Allen Deborah Allen Deborah Allen is an American country music singer. Since 1976, Allen has issued 12 albums and charted 14 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, most notably the 1983 crossover hit "Baby I Lied" which reached #4 on the country charts and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Allen has also... |
| "Country Music Lover" | Little Jimmy Dickens Little Jimmy Dickens James Cecil Dickens , better known as Little Jimmy Dickens, is an American country music singer famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11" , and his rhinestone-studded outfits... |
| "Did You Ever" | Charlie Louvin Charlie Louvin Charles Elzer Loudermilk , known professionally as Charlie Louvin, was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known as one of the Louvin Brothers, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955.-Biography:Born in Henagar, Alabama, Louvin was one of 7 children... and Melba Montgomery Melba Montgomery Melba Montgomery is an American country music singer. She is best known for duet hit recordings in the 1960s with country music singer George Jones.... |
| "Her Name Is..." | 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.... |
| "Thinking of a Rendezvous" | Johnny Duncan Johnny Duncan (country music artist) Johnny Richard Duncan was an American country singer. In his career, he released fourteen studio albums, including thirteen on Columbia Records... |
| "Womanhood" | Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists.... |
| "Hard Times" | Lacy J. Dalton Lacy J. Dalton Lacy J. Dalton , is an American country and western singer and songwriter, known for her gritty, powerful vocals, which a number of critics likened to a country equivalent to Bonnie Raitt . She had a number of hits in the 1980s, including "Takin' It Easy," "Crazy Blue Eyes" and "16th Avenue." ... |
| "I Feel Like Loving You Again I Feel Like Loving You Again "I Feel Like Loving You Again" is a 1980 single written by Bobby Braddock and Sonny Throckmorton and recorded by T.G. Sheppard. "I Feel Like Loving You Again" would be T.G. Sheppard's sixth number one on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of ten... " |
T.G. Sheppard |
| "Faking Love" | T.G. Sheppard and Karen Brooks |
| "They Call It Making Love" | Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists.... |
| "Georgia in a Jug" | Johnny Paycheck Johnny Paycheck Johnny Paycheck was the legal name of Donald Eugene Lytle , a country music singer and Grand Ole Opry member most famous for recording the David Allan Coe song "Take This Job and Shove It"... |
| "Fadin' In, Fadin' Out" | Tommy Overstreet Tommy Overstreet Tommy Overstreet is an American country singer. Often known simply as "T.O." by fans and radio disc jockeys, Overstreet has five top five hit singles in the Billboard country charts and 11 top 10 singles. His popularity peaked in the 1970s.-Early life:Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Overstreet... |
| "Would They Love Him Down in Shreveport" | The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s... |
| "Blow Out the Stars, Turn Off the Moon" | The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| "Something to Brag About" | Mary Kay Place Mary Kay Place Mary Kay Place is an American actress, singer, director and screen writer. She is best known as portraying Loretta Haggers on the television series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, a role which won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series in 1977... with Willie Nelson Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized... |
| "Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half as Bad as Losing You)" | 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.... |
| "Come On In" | 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... |
| "Ruthless" | The Statler Brothers |
| "Peanuts and Diamonds" | Bill Anderson |
| "Texas Tornado Texas Tornado (song) "Texas Tornado" is the title of a song written by Bobby Braddock and recorded by American country music artist Tracy Lawrence. It was released in April 1995 as the third single from Lawrence's 1994 album I See It Now... " |
Tracy Lawrence Tracy Lawrence Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music... |
| "Golden Ring Golden Ring (song) "Golden Ring" is a song made famous by country music singers George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Originally released in 1976, the song was the title track to their duet album released that same year. It was a Number One hit on the Billboard country charts.... " |
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.... and Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists.... |
| "We're Not The Jet Set" | 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.... and Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists.... |
| "Old Flames Have New Names" | Mark Chesnutt Mark Chesnutt Mark Nelson Chesnutt is an American country music singer. Chesnutt recorded and released his first album, Doing My Country Thing, in the late-1980s on private independent record label, Axbar Records, with the vinyl album version now a collector's item... |
| "I Believe the South Is Gonna Rise Again" | Tanya Tucker Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13... |
| "The Nerve" | George Strait George Strait George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional... |
| "Time Marches On Time Marches On (song) "Time Marches On" is the title of a country music song recorded by Tracy Lawrence. It was written by Bobby Braddock, who also wrote Lawrence's 1995 Number One hit "Texas Tornado". The title track and second single from his fourth studio album, it was the fifteenth chart single of his career... " |
Tracy Lawrence Tracy Lawrence Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music... |
| "I Wanna Talk About Me I Wanna Talk About Me "I Wanna Talk About Me" is the title of a song written by Bobby Braddock and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2001 as the second single from Keith's album Pull My Chain... " |
Toby Keith Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of... |
| "People Are Crazy People Are Crazy "People Are Crazy" is the title of a song written by Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones. It was recorded by American country artist Billy Currington, who released it in early 2009 as the second single from his third studio album, 2008's Little Bit of Everything. The song is Currington's ninth single on... " |
Billy Currington Billy Currington William Matthew "Billy" Currington is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Nashville Records in 2003, he has released four studio albums for the label: 2003's Billy Currington, 2005's Doin' Somethin' Right, 2008's Little Bit of Everything, and 2010's Enjoy Yourself... |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
||
| 1967 | "I Know How to Do It" | 74 |
| 1969 | "The Girls in Country Music" | 62 |
| 1979 | "Between the Lines" | 58 |
| 1980 | "Nag, Nag, Nag" | 87 |
External links
- Bobby Braddock Tribute Website
- Biography from dizzyrambler.com
- Interview with Music Journalist Larry Wayne Clark
- 2005 Article from Songwriter Universe Magazine