Richard Fagan
Encyclopedia
Richard Fagan is an American
songwriter and musician. He has had six top ten singles and 18 charted singles on the Billboard
Country charts. Fagan's songs have been recorded by Neil Diamond
, George Strait
, John Michael Montgomery
, Clay Walker
, Ricochet
, Hank Williams, Jr.
, George Jones
, Shania Twain
, Patty Loveless
, Collin Raye
, Shenandoah
, The Crickets
, Jason & the Scorchers
, The Blues Brothers Band
and many others.
In 1979 his song "The Good Lord Loves You" was recorded by Neil Diamond
and released on the September Morn
album. The song charted in the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number 67 in April 1980. Fagan accomplished nine Billboard Country chart singles in the 1990s including two of John Michael Montgomery
's number one singles: Be My Baby Tonight
and Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)
. Fagan had three additional songs on the Billboard Country charts in the 2000s, including the song "Why Can't We All Just Get a Long Neck?" that appears on the Hank Williams, Jr.
album, I'm One of You
.
On April 26, 2008 Fagan had a physical altercation with his publishing partner and best friend, Tom Oteri. Fagan was arrested for drunk driving after leaving the scene of the fight where Oteri was later found dead, having suffered a heart attack. Fagan was convicted of the drunk driving charge and sentenced to rehabilitative therapy with the support of Oteri's family members who still regarded Fagan as a close friend after the incident.
, Neil Diamond
's producer, heard one of the songs and hired an ex-FBI agent as a private detective to find the song's author.
as a theme song for his Presidential Campaign.
Fagan’s songs have appeared on the soundtracks of five Hollywood feature films. He has written a network television theme song, a Presidential campaign song, a national sports anthem, show tunes, gospel songs, comic numbers and a Billboard Country Single of the Year. Working with a variety of collaborators, he has been responsible for such unforgettable hits as “Sold,” “Only on Days That End in Y,” “I Miss You a Little,” “Overnight Male” and “Be My Baby Tonight.” Albums containing Fagan songs have sold more than 25 million copies. “God has always given me a pot of gold,” says Richard Fagan. “I think there’s a reason for it all. And I guess my being naïve helped me to succeed in Nashville. I didn’t know it at the time, but my timing was great.”
. “Tom rescued Rich from a life situation that would have gone nowhere but bad. He dusted him off and said, ‘Your job is to write songs. I’ll make sure you have a roof over your head and food and all the things you need to live, and you’ll write songs.’ ”
That arrangement detonated on April 26, 2008, when an argument led to a brawl. Fagan says it was the only time they had ever had a physical fight. Fagan was full of Patron and antidepressants, Oteri high and low on the painkiller Fentanyl, which had been prescribed after he broke a rib. Wounded by Fagan’s knife, Oteri yelled at his friend to leave, perhaps out of anger and perhaps for protection. Fagan drove off, drunk, and was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He spent the night in jail, and was on his way home on bail, hoping to make apologies and amends with Oteri, when he was called back to the Harding precinct.
“The detective said, ‘Your friend’s dead. Murder one,’ ” Fagan recalled. “My best friend of 32 years. The next day, Tom’s son and his daughter and sister came to visit. They said I was crying my eyes out, saying, ‘It should have been me.’ I did wish I was dead. But I wasn’t dead, so what do I do?”
The answer came back from Tom Oteri Jr.: You’ll write songs.
“My dad believed in Rich’s music,” said Oteri Jr., who is now publishing Fagan’s songs through his Broadminded Music company. “I can’t let all the work they did go to waste. I grew up around Rich, and I’ve known him all my life, and I know that what happened was an accident. I have to let Rich keep going. It’s what my dad would want.”
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter and musician. He has had six top ten singles and 18 charted singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Country charts. Fagan's songs have been recorded by Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
, 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...
, John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "...
, Clay Walker
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton "Clay" Walker Jr. is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You," which reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as did its follow-up, 1994's "Live Until I Die." Both singles were included on...
, Ricochet
Ricochet (band)
Ricochet is an American country music band from Oklahoma. The band was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff Bryant and Junior Bryant , along with Heath Wright , Greg Cook , Teddy Carr , and Eddie Kilgallon ,After several years of...
, Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
, 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....
, Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
, 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...
, Collin Raye
Collin Raye
Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray (born August 22, 1959 or 1960,Although multiple online sources all indicate Raye's date of birth as 1959, Raye's MySpace lists his date of birth as 1960. Furthermore, the 2004 Deseret News article cited in this article indicates the singer as...
, Shenandoah
Shenandoah
Shenandoah is a Native American word. It has several different meanings including: "daughter of the stars" and "deer in the woods".Shenandoah may also refer to the following:-United States:Virginia and West Virginia...
, The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
, Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a Cowpunk / Country rock band formed in 1981 and led by singer/songwriter Jason Ringenberg....
, The Blues Brothers Band
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
and many others.
In 1979 his song "The Good Lord Loves You" was recorded by Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
and released on the September Morn
September Morn (album)
September Morn is an album by Neil Diamond released in 1979 as an update of Neil Diamond's 1960s roots, with a disco version of the Motown classic "Dancing in the Street" and a remake of "I'm a Believer".- Track listing :-Personnel:...
album. The song charted in the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number 67 in April 1980. Fagan accomplished nine Billboard Country chart singles in the 1990s including two of John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "...
's number one singles: Be My Baby Tonight
Be My Baby Tonight
"Be My Baby Tonight" is the title of a song written by Richard Fagan and Ed Hill and recorded by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. It was released in May 1994 as the third single from Montgomery's 1994 album Kickin' It Up...
and Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)
Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)
"Sold " is a the title of a song written by Richard Fagan and Robb Royer and recorded by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. It was released in May 1995 as the second single from his 1995 self-titled album. It hit number-one on the country charts in the United States and Canada...
. Fagan had three additional songs on the Billboard Country charts in the 2000s, including the song "Why Can't We All Just Get a Long Neck?" that appears on the Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
album, I'm One of You
I'm One of You
I'm One of You is an album by American country music singer and songwriter Hank Williams, Jr. This album was released on November 18, 2003 on the Curb Records label...
.
On April 26, 2008 Fagan had a physical altercation with his publishing partner and best friend, Tom Oteri. Fagan was arrested for drunk driving after leaving the scene of the fight where Oteri was later found dead, having suffered a heart attack. Fagan was convicted of the drunk driving charge and sentenced to rehabilitative therapy with the support of Oteri's family members who still regarded Fagan as a close friend after the incident.
Early life and discovery
Richard learned basic guitar skills as a young child and began to refine those skills and singing do-wop in Philadelphia as a teenager. According to Richard’s account, he encountered two other people singing in the Junior High lunch room, suggested some changes while joining along and immediately had new friends and singing companions. After being drafted into the Army and serving a year in Vietnam, Fagan returned to Philadelphia where, for a while, he was homeless. He married and had a son, but divorced in 1975. Tom Oteri discovered Fagan's songwriting talents and invited him to a recording-studio audition. In 1976 Oteri recorded five of Fagan's songs and sent them to various producers but because the recordings did not identify an address or phone number they never received any response. Bob GaudioBob Gaudio
Robert John "Bob" Gaudio is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist/backing vocalist for The Four Seasons.-Early career:...
, Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
's producer, heard one of the songs and hired an ex-FBI agent as a private detective to find the song's author.
Initial success and Mercury Records
In 1978 Bob Gaudio acquired Fagan's song, “The Good Lord Loves You.” The song finally appeared three years later on Diamond’s “September Morn” album. Gaudio also managed to get Fagan signed with Mercury Records and produced his first album. Fagan relocated to Los Angeles, learned to play piano and recorded the tracks for his first album, "Richard Fagan" which was released the last week of 1979 just about the same time that “September Morn” was released. Fagan's album received critical acclaim and he recorded the tracks for a second album, "Jiver", but Mercury never released it.Nashville and country music
Fagan's initial success was not achieved again until he relocated from Los Angeles to Nashville, Tennessee in January 1986. Within a week of his relocation, he had one of his songs, "Blue Suede Blues", recorded by Con Hunley. The song reached number 49 on the Billboard Country charts in 1986. That same first week in Nashville Fagan had another song accepted – "Americana" – by Moe Brandy, which was released in 1988. In March it reached number 8 on the Billboard Country charts. and was quickly adopted by George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
as a theme song for his Presidential Campaign.
Fagan’s songs have appeared on the soundtracks of five Hollywood feature films. He has written a network television theme song, a Presidential campaign song, a national sports anthem, show tunes, gospel songs, comic numbers and a Billboard Country Single of the Year. Working with a variety of collaborators, he has been responsible for such unforgettable hits as “Sold,” “Only on Days That End in Y,” “I Miss You a Little,” “Overnight Male” and “Be My Baby Tonight.” Albums containing Fagan songs have sold more than 25 million copies. “God has always given me a pot of gold,” says Richard Fagan. “I think there’s a reason for it all. And I guess my being naïve helped me to succeed in Nashville. I didn’t know it at the time, but my timing was great.”
Death of Tom Oteri
“Their relationship was more like father and son than anything,” said Fagan’s friend and frequent co-writer Kacey JonesKacey Jones
Kacey Jones is an American singer-songwriter, producer and humorist. After co-writing the Mickey Gilley hit I'm the One Mama Warned You About, she found success as a performer through the band Ethel & The Shameless Hussies, with whom she released her first album...
. “Tom rescued Rich from a life situation that would have gone nowhere but bad. He dusted him off and said, ‘Your job is to write songs. I’ll make sure you have a roof over your head and food and all the things you need to live, and you’ll write songs.’ ”
That arrangement detonated on April 26, 2008, when an argument led to a brawl. Fagan says it was the only time they had ever had a physical fight. Fagan was full of Patron and antidepressants, Oteri high and low on the painkiller Fentanyl, which had been prescribed after he broke a rib. Wounded by Fagan’s knife, Oteri yelled at his friend to leave, perhaps out of anger and perhaps for protection. Fagan drove off, drunk, and was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He spent the night in jail, and was on his way home on bail, hoping to make apologies and amends with Oteri, when he was called back to the Harding precinct.
“The detective said, ‘Your friend’s dead. Murder one,’ ” Fagan recalled. “My best friend of 32 years. The next day, Tom’s son and his daughter and sister came to visit. They said I was crying my eyes out, saying, ‘It should have been me.’ I did wish I was dead. But I wasn’t dead, so what do I do?”
The answer came back from Tom Oteri Jr.: You’ll write songs.
“My dad believed in Rich’s music,” said Oteri Jr., who is now publishing Fagan’s songs through his Broadminded Music company. “I can’t let all the work they did go to waste. I grew up around Rich, and I’ve known him all my life, and I know that what happened was an accident. I have to let Rich keep going. It’s what my dad would want.”
Chart Singles Written by Richard Fagan
The following is a list of Richard Fagan compositions that were chart hits.| Year | Single Title | Recording Artist | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | Billboard AC | Billboard Country | |||
| 1980 | The Good Lord Loves You | Neil Diamond Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present.... |
67 | 23 | |
| 1986 | Blue Suede Blues co-written with Patti Ryan and Mickey James |
Con Hunley Con Hunley Conard Logan "Con" Hunley is a country music singer.Hunley was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. After graduating from Central High School in Knoxville, Hunley began playing with local bands, maturing musically and gaining his first fans. Hunley joined the Air Force in 1965 and spent most of his... |
49 | ||
| 1988 | Americana Americana (song) "Americana" is a single by American country music artist Moe Bandy. It was released in January 1988 as the first single from his album No Regrets. The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.-Chart performance:... |
Moe Bandy Moe Bandy Marion Franklin Bandy, Jr.–better known professionally as Moe Bandy– is a country music singer... |
8 | ||
| 1988 | Henrietta | Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel was an American country music artist. His chart making years were mainly the 1980s and his hits from that era include "Louisiana Saturday Night", "Big Ole Brew", "Stand Up", the Number One "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On", "I Call It Love", "Stand on It", and a remake of Chuck Berry's... |
62 | ||
| 1988 | Real Good Feel Good Song Real Good Feel Good Song "Real Good Feel Good Song" is the title of a song written by Richard Fagan and Larry Alderman, and recorded by American country music artist, Mel McDaniel. It was released in April 1988 as the third single from McDaniel's album , Now You're Talkin. It peaked at number 9 on the U.S... co-written with Larry Alderman |
Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel was an American country music artist. His chart making years were mainly the 1980s and his hits from that era include "Louisiana Saturday Night", "Big Ole Brew", "Stand Up", the Number One "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On", "I Call It Love", "Stand on It", and a remake of Chuck Berry's... |
9 | ||
| 1989 | Blue Suede Blues co-written with Patti Ryan and Mickey James |
Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel was an American country music artist. His chart making years were mainly the 1980s and his hits from that era include "Louisiana Saturday Night", "Big Ole Brew", "Stand Up", the Number One "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On", "I Call It Love", "Stand on It", and a remake of Chuck Berry's... |
70 | ||
| 1989 | You Can't Play the Blues (In an Air-Conditioned Room) co-written with Gordon Kennedy |
Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel Mel McDaniel was an American country music artist. His chart making years were mainly the 1980s and his hits from that era include "Louisiana Saturday Night", "Big Ole Brew", "Stand Up", the Number One "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On", "I Call It Love", "Stand on It", and a remake of Chuck Berry's... |
80 | ||
| 1991 | Light at the End of the Tunnel co-written with Kim Williams and Mack Williams |
B. B. Watson B. B. Watson Haskell "B.B." Watson is an American country music artist. He has released two studio albums, and has charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which the highest-peaking was the #23-peaking "Light at the End of the Tunnel" in 1991... |
23 | ||
| 1992 | Lover Not a Fighter co-written with Kim Williams and Kent Blazy |
B. B. Watson B. B. Watson Haskell "B.B." Watson is an American country music artist. He has released two studio albums, and has charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which the highest-peaking was the #23-peaking "Light at the End of the Tunnel" in 1991... |
43 | ||
| 1992 | Overnight Male co-written with Kim Williams and Ron Harbin |
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... |
70 | ||
| 1994 | Be My Baby Tonight Be My Baby Tonight "Be My Baby Tonight" is the title of a song written by Richard Fagan and Ed Hill and recorded by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. It was released in May 1994 as the third single from Montgomery's 1994 album Kickin' It Up... co-written with Ed Hill] |
John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "... |
73 | 1 | |
| 1994 | Good Girls Go to Heaven co-written with Kim Williams |
Charlie Floyd Charlie Floyd Charlie Floyd is an American country music singer. Floyd performed in his native South Carolina for several years, and opened a nightclub called Charlie's Nite Life in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In 1993, he signed to Liberty Records and released his debut album, also titled Charlie's Nite Life... |
58 | ||
| 1995 | Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) "Sold " is a the title of a song written by Richard Fagan and Robb Royer and recorded by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. It was released in May 1995 as the second single from his 1995 self-titled album. It hit number-one on the country charts in the United States and Canada... co-written with Robb Royer Robb Royer Robert Wilson "Robb" Royer was the bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter with Bread from 1968 to 1971. While he was with the band, they had a #5 UK/#1 US hit single with "Make It With You"... |
John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "... |
1 | ||
| 1996 | All Over But the Shouting co-written with Michael Smotherman |
Shenandoah Shenandoah (band) Shenandoah is an American country music group founded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in 1984 by Marty Raybon , Ralph Ezell , Stan Thorn , Jim Seales , and Mike McGuire... |
43 | ||
| 1996 | Only on Days That End in "Y" Only on Days That End in "Y" "Only on Days That End in "Y"" is the title of a song written by Richard Fagan and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released May 27, 1996 as the third single from his 1995 album, Hypnotize the Moon... |
Clay Walker Clay Walker Ernest Clayton "Clay" Walker Jr. is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You," which reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as did its follow-up, 1994's "Live Until I Die." Both singles were included on... |
5 | ||
| 1997 | I Miss You a Little I Miss You a Little "I Miss You a Little" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. It was released in February 1997 as the third single from his 1996 album What I Do the Best. It peaked at #6 in the United States, and #5 in Canada... co-written with John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "... and Mike Anthony |
John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "... |
109 | 6 | |
| 2000 | Do I Love You Enough co-written with Lisa Palas |
Ricochet Ricochet (band) Ricochet is an American country music band from Oklahoma. The band was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff Bryant and Junior Bryant , along with Heath Wright , Greg Cook , Teddy Carr , and Eddie Kilgallon ,After several years of... |
45 | ||
| 2001 | That's What I Like About You co-written with Larry Alderman |
John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "... |
44 | ||
| 2004 | Why Can't We All Just Get a Longneck? co-written with Michael Smotherman and Chris Clark |
Hank Williams, Jr. Hank Williams, Jr. Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country... |
36 |