Dennis Linde

Dennis Linde
Dennis Linde, circa 2000
Background information
Born	(1943-03-18)March 18, 1943 Abilene, Texas, U.S.
Origin	Abilene, Texas, U.S.
Died	December 22, 2006(2006-12-22) (aged 63) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Country, rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums
Years active	circa 1970–2006
Labels	Asylum/Elektra, Monument
Associated acts	Elvis Presley, Dixie Chicks, Billy Swan

Dennis Linde (March 18, 1943 – December 22, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter whose work was primarily in country music.

He is best known for writing the 1972 Elvis Presley hit, "Burning Love". Presley performed the song live a few times, but often had trouble with the lyrics and soon pulled it from his playlist, although he did perform it during his famous show Aloha from Hawaii. Dennis Linde wrote numerous hit songs for mainly country music singers, beginning with hits for Roger Miller and Roy Drusky in 1970. In 2000, his song for the Dixie Chicks, "Goodbye Earl", stirred some controversy for its take on spousal abuse. Linde also wrote tunes that were recorded by Tanya Tucker, Gary Morris, Don Williams, The Judds, Alan Jackson, Mark Chesnutt and Garth Brooks, among several other acts. He also wrote two songs for the film Grease 2: "Cool Rider" and "Reproduction."

Although Linde was the sole writer of most of his songs, he occasionally collaborated with the likes of country artist Mel McDaniel and Nashville songwriter Bob DiPiero.

He was known as one of the more reclusive figures on the Nashville scene, rarely attending industry events and preferring not to be photographed or interviewed. Nashville manager Scott Siman described him as a "mystery man," explaining, "If you ever saw Dennis Linde it was amazing, because you didn't get that opportunity very often."

In 2001, Linde was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Linde died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at Vanderbilt University Medical Center at the age of 63.