Hal Bynum
Encyclopedia
Hal Bynum is an American songwriter most notably associated with the Outlaw country
movement in the 1970s. Bynum has written more than 200 songs for popular country artists, including Kenny Rogers
("Lucille
") Patty Loveless
("Chains
"), Johnny Cash
("Papa Was a Good Man"), Cash and Waylon Jennings
("There Ain't No Good Chain Gang"), and Jim Reeves
("Nobody's Fool"). Bynum also wrote "The Old, Old House", which has been performed by George Jones
, Bill Monroe
, Ralph Stanley
, and the Grateful Dead
.
In 1977, Bynum received songwriter awards from the Country Music Association Awards
and the Academy of Country Music
for "Lucille" (co-written with Roger Bowling
), the Song of the Year. Bynum's autobiographical book, The Promise (2002) (also the name of his 2002 album) describes his upbringing in Texas and his work as a songwriter in Nashville. Bynum is also known for his spoken word
recordings. Both his book and the album of the same name were released on Bynum's Beauregard Books/Records label.
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
movement in the 1970s. Bynum has written more than 200 songs for popular country artists, including Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
("Lucille
Lucille (Kenny Rogers song)
"Lucille" is the title of a ballad written by Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum, and recorded by Kenny Rogers. It was released in January 1977 as the second and final single from the album Kenny Rogers. The song is about a man in a bar that meets a woman who has left her husband...
") Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless , is an American country music singer.Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and...
("Chains
Chains (Patty Loveless song)
"Chains" is a single release by Patty Loveless, recorded at MCA/Nashville in the spring of 1988. It was included on her third album with MCA Records, Honky Tonk Angel, with the single being released in December 1989. It was the fifth single released from the album.-Background:"Chains" was Loveless'...
"), Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
("Papa Was a Good Man"), Cash and 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...
("There Ain't No Good Chain Gang"), and Jim Reeves
Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
("Nobody's Fool"). Bynum also wrote "The Old, Old House", which has been performed by 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....
, Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
, Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley , also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing.-Biography:...
, and the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
.
In 1977, Bynum received songwriter awards from the Country Music Association Awards
Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
and the Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The 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...
for "Lucille" (co-written with Roger Bowling
Roger Bowling
Roger D. Bowling was a Nashville songwriter in the 1970s who specialized in Country music...
), the Song of the Year. Bynum's autobiographical book, The Promise (2002) (also the name of his 2002 album) describes his upbringing in Texas and his work as a songwriter in Nashville. Bynum is also known for his spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
recordings. Both his book and the album of the same name were released on Bynum's Beauregard Books/Records label.
Selected discography
- If I Could Do Anything (1998)
- An American Prayer (2002)
- The Promise (2002)