Byron Hill (born December 12, 1953), is an American songwriter from

Winston-Salem Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. Living and working professionally in Nashville, TN for more than forty years, his songs have been recorded by many

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

and Pop artists.

Music career

After moving from his hometown of Winston-Salem, NC to Nashville in May 1978, Byron signed his first songwriting contract in September of that year with ATV Music Group in Nashville. The hits started for him as a songwriter in 1979 with

Joe Sun James Joseph Paulsen (September 25, 1943 – October 25, 2019), known professionally as Joe Sun, was an American country music singer-songwriter. Recording for the Ovation and Elektra Records labels, Sun charted fourteen singles on the Hot ...

's "Out Of Your Mind", and in 1981 with Johnny Lee's "

Pickin' Up Strangers "Pickin' Up Strangers" is a song written by Byron Hill, and recorded by American country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early ...

", with many other recordings and notable chart hit singles along the way including "The Pages of My Mind" by

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

(1986), "Nights" by

Ed Bruce William Edwin Bruce Jr. (December 29, 1939 – January 8, 2021) was an American country music songwriter, singer, and actor. He was known for writing the 1975 song "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" and recording the 1982 cou ...

(1985), "Alright Already" by Larry Stewart (1993); "

Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous "Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous" is a song written by Byron Hill and Wayne Tester, and recorded by American country music artist Tracy Byrd Tracy Lynn Byrd (born December 17, 1966) is an American country music artist. Signed to MCA ...

" by

Tracy Byrd Tracy Lynn Byrd (born December 17, 1966) is an American country music artist. Signed to Universal Music Group Nashville, MCA Nashville Records in 1992, Byrd broke through on the country music scene that year with his 1993 single "Holdin' Heaven" ...

(1994); "

High-Tech Redneck ''High-Tech Redneck'' is an album by American country music singer George Jones. It was released in 1993 on the MCA Nashville Records label and went Gold Album, Gold in 1994. Recording By 1993, Jones had recorded two critically acclaimed albums ...

" by

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song "He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...

(1994); "Over You" by

Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray was the fir ...

(1995); "If I Was A Drinkin’ Man" by

Neal McCoy Hubert Neal McGaughey Jr. (born July 30, 1958), known professionally as Neal McCoy, is an American country music singer. He has released 10 studio albums on various labels, and has released 34 singles to country radio. Although he first charted on ...

(1996); "Politics, Religion And Her" by

Sammy Kershaw Samuel Paul Kershaw (born February 24, 1958) is an American country music artist. He has released 16 studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications among them. More than 25 singles have entered the Top 40 on the ...

(1997); " The Strong One" by

Mila Mason Mila Mason (born August 22, 1963) is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 1996 with her debut album ''That's Enough of That'', which produced three hit singles on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tr ...

(1998); and "Size Matters" by

Joe Nichols Joseph Edward Nichols (born November 26, 1976) is an American country music artist. Between 1996 and 2001, he held recording contracts with the Intersound and Giant labels. In 2002, he signed with Universal South Records, now known as Show Dog-U ...

(2006). Several of his songs have been number one hits including

George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, he was credited for ...

's " Fool Hearted Memory" in 1982, Alabama's "

Born Country "Born Country" is a song written by Byron Hill and John Schweers, and recorded by American country music band Alabama. It was released in December 1991 as the second and final single on their compilation album '' Greatest Hits Vol. II''. It reach ...

" in 1992, and

Gary Allan Gary Allan Herzberg (born December 5, 1967) is an American country music singer. Signed to Decca Records in 1996, Allan made his country music debut with the release of his single " Her Man", the lead-off to his gold-certified debut album '' U ...

's " Nothing On But The Radio" in 2005. His songs have since generated more than 900 recordings, earning ninety-seven certified gold and platinum awards, ten

ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...

awards, thirty-six U.S. and Canadian top-ten chart hits including numerous hits in other worldwide markets. He has also been the producer of various American country artists including

Kathy Mattea Kathleen Alice Mattea (born June 21, 1959) is an American country music and bluegrass singer. Active since 1984 as a recording artist, she has charted more than 30 singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including four that re ...

(one album),

(three albums). He was awarded the 2008, 2010, and 2012

CCMA CCMA may refer to: * Central Committee of Anti-Fascist Militias, during the Lluís Companys's government of Catalonia, in the Spanish Revolution *Canadian Country Music Association, the association of the Canadian country music industry * Catholic ...

Producer of the Year award, and the 2012

Songwriter of the Year award for his work with Australian born Canadian artist

Gord Bamford Gord Bamford (born April 17, 1976) is an Australian-Canadian country music singer. He has released ten studio albums. Alberta-raised Bamford stands as one of the most decorated artists in Canadian country music with 26 Canadian Country Music Ass ...

, and the 2013

Producer of the Year for his work with Canadian group The Boom Chucka Boys, and produced two albums on the

award winning group

Hey Romeo Hey Romeo is a Canadian country music trio from Edmonton, Alberta. The band's members are Stacie Roper (vocals), Darren Gusnowsky (guitar) and Rob Shapiro (keyboard). Their 2007 single "Second Hand News", a cover of the 1977 Fleetwood Mac song, rea ...

. Byron was inducted into the

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1970 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 u ...

in 2018.

Featured Songs in Television and Film

*'' Coast To Coast'', 1980,

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

, includes "

" recorded by Johnny Lee. *''

The Exterminator ''The Exterminator'' is a 1980 American vigilante action film written and directed by James Glickenhaus. It stars Robert Ginty as Vietnam War veteran John Eastland, also known as "The Exterminator". When a group of thugs paralyze his friend, East ...

'', 1980,

Avco Embassy Pictures Embassy Pictures Corporation (also and later known as Avco Embassy Pictures as well as Embassy Films Associates) was an American independent film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution studio responsible for such fil ...

, includes "Heal It" recorded by Roger Bowling. *''The Soldier'', 1982,

Embassy Pictures Embassy Pictures Corporation (also and later known as Avco Embassy Pictures as well as Embassy Films Associates) was an American independent film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution studio responsible for such fil ...

, includes " Fool Hearted Memory" recorded by

. *'' Pink Cadillac'', 1989,

Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of liv ...

, includes "Card-Carryin' Fool" recorded by

Randy Travis Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...

. *''Elvis, Up Close and Personal with Sonny West'', 2008, Rochford Films, Scoring/Music composer/Music licensing consultant. *''Lake Effects'', 2011, Life Out Loud Films, includes "Stars Are Falling" recorded by Diamondback. * ''Nashville'' (2012 TV series), 2017, CMT, includes "Can't Remember Never Loving You" recorded by

Connie Britton Constance Elaine Britton ( Womack; born March 6, 1967) is an American actress. Britton made her feature film debut in the independent comedy-drama film ''The Brothers McMullen'' (1995), and the following year, she was cast as Nikki Faber on the ...

Charles Esten Charles Esten Puskar III (born September 9, 1965), also known professionally as Charles Esten, and Chip Esten, is an American actor, musician and comedian. Esten played the role of country singer Deacon Claybourne on the ABC/ CMT drama ''Nashvi ...

. *''

Dark Was the Night Dark Was the Night may refer to: * ''Dark Was the Night'' (album), a 2009 compilation album * ''Dark Was the Night'' (2014 film), an American thriller film * ''Dark Was the Night'' (2018 film), an American drama film * "Dark Was the Night" (''Grey' ...

'', 2018, includes "Playing with the Hand You're Dealt" recorded by Byron Hill. *''Stories in Rhyme: The Songwriters of the Flora-Bama Lounge'', 2020, includes the song " Nothing On but the Radio", performed by

Brice Long William Brice Long (born August 25, 1971) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Signed to Columbia Records in 2005, Long charted one single on the ''Billboard'' country chart that year: "Anywhere but Here", which was also released by Ch ...

. *''

The Farmer Wants a Wife ''Farmer Wants a Wife'' is a reality television series developed by Fremantle Media. The basic structure of the programme is that a number of farmers are presented with women from the city, from whom they choose one to be their spouse. The f ...

'', Season 11, 2021,

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

, includes "Days With You" recorded by

Travis Collins Travis William Collins (born 4 May 1985, Campbelltown) is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and guitarist. Three of his albums have reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 20, ''Hard Light'' (2016), ''Brave & the Broken'' (2018) and ...

. *'' Tiger King (Season 2)'', 2021,

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

, includes "

" recorded by Johnny Lee.

Albums

Solo Albums (as a featured performer)

*''"Gravity... and other things that keep you down to Earth"'' (BHP Recordings/BHP-4501), 1999 *''"Ramblings"'' (BHP Recordings/BHP-5002), 2004 *''"Stay A While"'' (BHP Recordings/BHP-5503), 2009 *''"Radio Songs"'' (BHP Recordings/BHP-5704), 2011 *''"Red Leather Couch"'' (BHP Recordings/BHP-6005), 2014

Albums (as a guest performer)

*''"A Songwriters Tribute To George Strait, Vol 1"'' (Compadre Records/CRC-010), with various artists, 2004

References

External links

Byron Hill, Official Website

Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Dan Hodges Music, Byron Hill bio

The Writers Share: “The Song Was King”: A Conversation with Byron Hill
*
American Songwriter Magazine: 30th Anniversary of George Strait's first #1
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Byron 1953 births Living people Appalachian State University alumni American country singer-songwriters American country record producers Singer-songwriters from North Carolina Musicians from Winston-Salem, North Carolina People from Forsyth County, North Carolina Country musicians from North Carolina Canadian Country Music Association Songwriter(s) of the Year winners