Country Legend Passes Away At 77

Legendary county hitmaker Billy Sherrill has died, leaving behind a legacy of crossover hits that spanned genres and influenced generations of artists. He was 77.

Sherrill passed away on Tuesday, September 10th, according to the Daily Mail, though the cause of death is unclear. He will be remembered as a late entrant into the Musicians Hall of Fame, which granted him entrance in 2019 after decades toiling in the shadow of collaborators like Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, and John Denver. Others who credit some of their success to Sherrill include Mac Davis, Mickey Gilley, Dottie West and Kenny Rogers.

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Born in 1936 during the middle of Kentucky’s Great Depression era, Sherrill relied on his evangelical preacher father to introduce him to jazz and blues musicians who provided him early lessons on piano and later the saxophone. He rode the early wave of sock hop as a teen, supporting a traveling band across southern states before signing a record deal that at first didn’t pan out. It wasn’t until his move to Nashville in 1962 that he saw success while managing Phillips Recording’s foundational Sound Shop studio.

As a technician, Sherrill excelled in capturing the sounds of peers who achieved fame and fortune thanks to his work on the board. Rogers, whose distinctive twang and husky voice came through clearer than ever in the Phillips studio, worked with Sherrill to produce hits like ” Lucille,” ‘The Gambler,” “Coward of the County,” and “She Believes in Me.”

Unlike many of his former colleagues, Sherrill did not get left behind during country music’s reorientation toward a pop-influenced standard in the 1990s. He partnered with new artists like Kenny Chesney, who catapulted to fame after Sherrill produced his debut hit “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” His work with the Dixie Chicks culminated in their multi-platinum 1999 album “Fly.”

Sherill leaves behind his wife, Susan, daughter Chandler Nicole, and son David, all of whom he thanked during his 2019 acceptance speech into the Musicians Hall of Fame. “I wouldn’t have had a career like I got without them.”

“Cowboy once said, if you’re not doing it fun, you’re not doing it right,” he told the audience, “and I’ve had lots of fun.”

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