Jim McBride (songwriter)

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Jim McBride
Background information
Birth nameJimmy Ray McBride
BornHuntsville, Alabama U.S.
GenresCountry, Gospel, and Bluegrass
Occupation(s)Songwriter
Years active1968-Present

Jim McBride (born April 28, 1947) is an American country music songwriter.[1] He has written six number one songs, ten Top Ten singles, and eighteen Top 40 singles.[2] In 2017, McBride was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.[1][3]

McBride's songs have been recorded by more than eighty major artists, including Alabama, Trace Adkins, Johnny Cash, Tammy Cochran, Diamond Rio, Crystal Gayle, Vern Gosdin, Jack Greene, Wade Hayes, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Lee, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lonestar, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Johnny Paycheck, Charley Pride, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis, Conway Twitty, and Keith Whitley.[1][4][5][2]

His most successful collaboration was with Alan Jackson, resulting in the five Top 20 singles and the chart-topping songs "Chasing That Neon Rainbow", "(Who Says) You Can’t Have It All", and "Someday".[1][5][6] Their song "Chattahoochee" was selected as song of the year by ASCAP, American Songwriter, and the Country Music Association.[7][8][5][1]

Early life[edit]

McBride was born Jimmy Ray McBride in Huntsville, Alabama on April 28, 1947.[1][9] His parents were James Alvin and Helen Hillis McBride.[10] His grandfather was a sharecropper in Alabama.[10] McBride grew up listening to country music on WBHP with his mother.[1][10] On Saturday nights, his entire family listened to the Grand Ole Opry.[10]

He attended Rison Elementary, and Lee Junior High, before graduating from Lee High School in 1965.[10]

McBride spent his younger years reading about songs, especially in the magazine Country Song Roundup.[9] His favorite writers were Hank Williams and Don Gibson.[3] He wrote his first song when he was twelve years old and began writing full-time at eighteen.[9] When McBride was 21, he purchased his first guitar, a Yamaha FG75, learning to play from his uncle.[1][10]

In the 1970s, McBride brought his songs to Curly Putman, a fellow songwriter from Alabama who had started Tree Publishing in Nashville, Tennessee.[9][10] Putman became McBride's mentor and friend.[10] In the early 1970s, The Hagers recorded five of his songs and performed them on the television show Hee Haw.[9][1][10] However, McBride did not make money from these recordings.[10]

Frustrated by his lack of success selling songs, McBride stopped writing. He worked for the U.S. Post Office for fourteen years.[10] In 1980, McBride told co-writer Roger Murrah that he would quit his job and move to Nashville if their song “A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn” was recorded as a single.[9] McBride says, "Roger called me one night and said ‘I guess you need to pack your bags, we’ve got Conway’s next single.’ I quit the post office the day after Christmas, 1980..."[9]

Career[edit]

McBride's Alabama Music Hall of Fame star.

Conway Twitty released McBride's song, "A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn", in October 1980.[1] The song entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at number 62 the week of October 18, 1980. It stayed on the chart for seventeen consecutive weeks, peaking at number three the week of January 10, 1981.[11] It won the BMI Country Award in 1981.[9]

In January 1981, McBride started working as a songwriter for Bill Rice and Jerry Foster, along with Roger Murrah.[9] McBride's first number one song on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart was "Bet Your Heart on Me" recorded by Johnny Lee and released in September 1981. Lee's recording entered Billboard Hot Country Songs at number 55 the week of October 3, 1981, staying there for fifteen consecutive weeks and peaking at number one the week on December 5, 1981.[12] It also made the Billboard Hot 100 chart, entering at number 84 the week of October 10, 1981, and peaking at number 54 on November 14, 1981.[12]

In March 1983, the country band Alabama released McBride's song, "Dixie Boy", on their album The Closer You Get...[4] Although McBride's song was not a hit, the album stayed on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart for 206 weeks.[13] It was also the Country Music Association's Album of the Year.

In 1987, Waylon Jennings released "Rose in Paradise", a song McBride co-wrote with Stewart Harris.[4] "Rose in Paradise" would rise to number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart in April 1987.[14] This success led publisher Charlie Monk and CBS Songs to buy McBride's contract from Jerry Foster.[9] Also in 1987, George Jones recorded "I'm a Survivor", a song McBride co-wrote with Keith Stegall, for the album titled Too Wild Too Long.[4]

In 1988, McBride met Alan Jackson, a young singer newly arrived in Nashville.[10] The two began writing songs together; Jackson became McBride's most frequent collaborator during the 1990s and the 2000s.[3] Jackson recorded their song "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow" and released it as a single in 1989, with another song written by the pair, "Short Sweet Ride", on the B-Side. "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow" peaked number two on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in December 1990.[15] The song was also included on Jackson's album, Here in the Real World, released in February 1990, along with two other songs written by McBride and Jackson. Although the album peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, it went Multi-Platinum and was the 1991 TNN Music City News Country Awards Album of the Year.[16][17]

While writing with Jackson, McBride wrote songs recorded by Aaron Tippin, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, and Conway Twitty. Then, McBride and Jackson co-wrote "Someday", released by Jackson as a single in 1991. "Someday" entered Billboard's Country Airplay chart and Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at number fifty the week of August 31, 1991, and stayed on the charts for twenty consecutive weeks.[6] It reached number one on both charts the week of November 9, 1991.[6]

In 1992, McBride and Jackson co-wrote "Chattahoochee". Jackson's recording of the song entered Billboard's Country Airplay chart and Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart at number 72 the week of May 15, 1993.[18] It reached number one on both charts the week of July 17, 1993, and stayed there for four consecutive weeks.[18] "Chattahoochee" won the Academy of Country Music Awards Single Record of the Year, the American Music Awards Favorite Country Single, ASCAP Country Award Song of the Year, Country Music Association Awards Single of the Year, Country Music Association Awards Song of the Year, and the TNN Music City News Country Awards Single of the Year.[1][7][8][19][10]

"Chattahoochee" was included on Jackson's album, A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'bout Love) along with three other songs by the songwriting duo, "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All", "Tropical Depression", and "If It Ain't One Thing (It's You)". "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All" peaked at number four on Billboard's Country Airplay Hot Country Songs chart in April 1993.[20] "Tropical Depression" peaked at number 75 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in August 1993.[21] The album entered the charts on October 24, 1992, ranking number 84 on Billboard's 200, Top Album Sales, and Top Current Albums charts; in addition to number 24 on Top Country Albums. It stayed on the Top Country Albums chart for 159 consecutive weeks, reaching number one the week of August 14, 1993.[22]

McBride co-wrote "What I Meant To Say" which was recorded by Wade Hayes in 1995.[1] The song was a Top 10 single and won the 1996 BMI Country Award.[1]Tammy Cochran recorded "Angels In Waiting" in 2001, a song she co-wrote with McBride and Stewart Harris.[1] The song was a Top 10 single and won the 2002 BMI Country Award.[1]

He has served as the president of the Nashville Songwriters Association.[10]

Awards and honors[edit]

RIAA certification[edit]

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards certification based on the number of singles and albums sold. Gold status indicates 500,000 units sold. Platinum status indicates 1,000,000 units sold. Multi-Platinum status indicates 2,000,000 + units sold, with a new certification for every increase in a million units.

Artist Title Format Release Gold Platinum Multi-Platinum Songs by McBride
Alan Jackson[17] Here In the Real World Album 2/27/1990 9/12/1990 3/12/1991 2x 8/10/1994 "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow"
"She Don't Get the Blues"
"Short Sweet Ride"
Alan Jackson[17] Here In the Real World Video Longform 11/6/1990 1/22/1992 "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow"
Alan Jackson[17] Don't Rock the Jukebox Album 5/14/1991 7/19/1991 10/25/1991 2x 8/26/1992 "That's All I Need To Know"
3x 11/29/1994 "Someday"
4x 4/5/1995 "Just Playin' Possum"
Alan Jackson[17] A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'Bout Love) Album 9/30/1992 12/1/1992 12/3/1992 2x 8/11/1993 "Chattahoochee"
3x 12/1/1993 "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All"
4x 9/13/1994 "Tropical Depression"
5x 4/5/1995 "If It Ain't One Thing (It's You)"
6x 7/16/1995
Alan Jackson[17] Livin', Lovin', and Rockin' That Jukebox Video Longform 10/26/1993 1/5/1994 6/21/1994 "Someday"
"Chattahoochee"
Alan Jackson "Chattahoochee" Single 5/21/1993 12/1/1993
Alan Jackosn[17] Who I Am Album 6/28/1994 8/30/1994 8/30/1994 2x 2/14/1995 "Hole in the Wall"
3x 5/30/1995 "If I Had You"
4x 1/13/1999
Alan Jackson[17] Everything I Love Album 10/29/1996 2/21/1997 2/21/1997 2x 1/26/1998 "Buicks to the Moon"
3x 8/1/2001 "A House with no Curtains"
Alan Jackson[17] Greatest Hits Collection Album 10/24/1995 1/3/1996 1/3/1996 "Chattahoochee" (Extended Mix)
"Chasin' That Neon Rainbow"
"(Who Says) You Can't Have It All"
"Someday"
Alan Jackson[17] Greatest Hits Collection Video Longform 11/21/1995 12/22/1999 12/22/1999 "Chattahoochee" (Extended Mix)
"Chasin' That Neon Rainbow"
"(Who Says) You Can't Have It All"
"Someday"
Alan Jackson[17] 34 Number Ones Album 11/22/2010 2/15/2011 2x 1/3/1996 "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow"
3x 4/6/1996 "Someday"
4x 3/31/1998 "Chattahoochee"
5x 10/19/2001 "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All"
6x 10/20/2006
Wade Hayes [27] Old Enough To Know Better Album 12/20/1994 9/5/1995 "What I Meant to Say"
Diamond Rio [28] Close to the Edge Album 10/27/1992 1/26/1994 "Sawmill Road"
Conway Twitty [29] Number Ones Album 5/6/1982 11/29/1988 "A Bridge That Just Won't Burn"
Aaron Tippin [30] Read Between the Lines Album 3/10/1992 7/22/1992 7/19/1993 "I Was Born With A Broken Heart"
Alabama [31] The Closer You Get Album 3/1/1983 5/3/1983 5/3/1983 2x 10/25/1984 "Dixie Boy"
3x 7/30/1985
4x 9/30/1996

Personal life[edit]

McBride married and lived in Huntsville, Alabama.[10] They had two sons, Brent and Wes.[10] In January 1981, McBride and his family moved to Franklin, Tennessee so he could write songs in Nashville.[10] McBride's second wife, Jeanne Ivey, is a former elementary and high school classmate.[10] They lived in Hazel Green, Alabama on land once farmed by his grandfather.[10]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Jim McBride". Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2021-08-15.
  2. ^ a b "Jim McBride". Nashville Music Guide. 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  3. ^ a b c Price, Deborah Evans (2017-10-19). "Nashville Song Hall Honoree Jim McBride on Co-Writing Alan Jackson's Hit 'Chattahoochee'". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  4. ^ a b c d "Jim McBride Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  5. ^ a b c d Rolland, Tom. "Alan Jackson, Former Co-Writer Jim McBride In Sync With Hall Of Fame Inductions". Billboard. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 2021-08-15.
  6. ^ a b c "Someday". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  7. ^ a b c d Academy of Country Music | Search Winners (acmcountry.com)
  8. ^ a b c d 29th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (partial), Song & Album of the Year; Alan Jackson, retrieved 2021-08-15
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hackett, Vernell (1997-11-01). "Jim McBride: One of the Lucky Ones". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Miller, Malcolm W. (May 2017). "Jim McBride: Huntsville's Music Legend" (PDF). Old Huntsville: 3–8 – via Huntsville History Collection.
  11. ^ "A Bridge That Just Won't Burn". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  12. ^ a b "Bet Your Heart on Me". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17
  13. ^ "Album: The Closer You Get". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  14. ^ "Rose in Paradise". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  15. ^ "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  16. ^ "Album - Here in the World". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Alan Jackson | Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
  18. ^ a b "Chattahoochee". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  19. ^ a b c "CMA Awards Past Winners & Nominees". CMA Awards. (search Jim McBride). Retrieved 2022-01-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  20. ^ "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  21. ^ "Tropical Depression". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  22. ^ "Album - A Lot About Livin'". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  23. ^ Spirit Music Group | Jim McBride
  24. ^ tnn music city News awards 1992, retrieved 2021-08-26
  25. ^ a b A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'Bout Love) - Alan Jackson | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2022-01-08
  26. ^ Jim McBride | News | BMI.com
  27. ^ "Wade Hayes | Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
  28. ^ "Diamon Rio | Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
  29. ^ "Conway Twitty | Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
  30. ^ "Aaron Tippon | Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
  31. ^ "Alabama | Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links[edit]

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