Bob McDill
| Bob McDill | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robert Lee McDill |
| Born | April 4, 1944 |
| Origin | Walden, Texas, USA |
| Genres | Country/Popular |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter |
| Years active | 1967–2000 |
| Associated acts |
Alan Jackson Waylon Jennings Don Williams Juice Newton The Kendalls |
Robert Lee "Bob" McDill (born April 4, 1944 in Walden (near Beaumont), Texas) is an American retired songwriter. Active from the 1960s until 2000, he has written songs for many country music artists, including 31 number one hits, as well as songs for Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Anne Murray, Juice Newton and other popular artists. In addition to four Grammy nominations, McDill has received Songwriter of the Year awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. In October, 2012, he was awarded ASCAP's Golden Note Award in recognition of his "extraordinary place in American popular music."
Born Robert Lee McDill in Walden, near Beaumont, Texas, McDill's music education began with viola lessons in the 4th grade. Eventually, he learned to play the guitar. He then went on to play in several local bands throughout high school. He attended Lamar University, from 1962 until 1966; McDill enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve, serving two years active duty. While in the Navy, he received songwriting advice from songwriter and record producer Allen Reynolds, who helped McDill land his first chart record as a songwriter — "The Happy Man", recorded in 1967 by Perry Como. One year later, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs provided McDill with his second success when they recorded "Black Sheep".
After his stint in the Navy, McDill moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he planned to pursue a full-time career as a songwriter. By 1970, he and Reynolds had moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where the two found positions at Jack Music, a publishing company owned by Jack Clement. Although he had initially tried to write rock and pop songs, McDill soon shifted his focus to country music after hearing George Jones' song "Good Year for the Roses".
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