Kenny O'Dell
Kenny O'Dell | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Kenneth Guy Gist Jr.[1] |
Born | Antlers, Oklahoma, U.S. | June 21, 1944
Died | Cool Springs, Tennessee, U.S. | March 27, 2018 (aged 73)
Genres | Country |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Guitar |
Years active | 1962–1979 |
Labels | Vegas, Capricorn |
Kenneth Guy Gist Jr. (June 21, 1944 – March 27, 2018),
Career
Early in his career, he worked with guitarist Duane Eddy, and his own band, Guys and Dolls.[3] When O'Dell first moved to Nashville in 1969, he ran Bobby Goldsboro's publishing company.[3]
He also wrote pop and soft rock songs, including "
As a performer, O'Dell had a top-40 pop hit with "Beautiful People", released in 1967.[3] He later had five top-40 country hits, topped by the top-10 hit "Let's Shake Hands And Come Out Lovin'" in 1978.[3] The follow-up, "As Long As I Can Wake Up In Your Arms" peaked at No. 12 in 1979.
Personal life and death
O'Dell's wife, guitarist Vivian J. "Corki" Ray (née Casey) Gist died at the age of 80 in 2017. The couple had three children.[4][5]
O'Dell died of natural causes on March 27, 2018, in Cool Springs, Tennessee. He was 73.[2]
Discography
Albums
Year | Album | Label |
---|---|---|
1968 | Beautiful People | Vegas |
1974 | Kenny O'Dell | Capricorn |
1978 | Let's Shake Hands and Come Out Lovin' |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Country | US [6] |
CAN Country | |||
1962 | "Old Time Love" | — | — | — | single only |
1967 | "Beautiful People" | — | 38 | — | Beautiful People |
1968 | "Springfield Plane" | — | 94 | — | singles only |
"Happy with You" | — | 118 | — | ||
"Bless Your Little Heart" | — | — | — | ||
1970 | "If I Was a Rambler" | — | — | — | |
1971 | "Jubal" | — | — | — | |
1972 | "Why Don't We Go Somewhere and Love" | — | — | — | |
"Lizzie and the Rainman" | — | — | — | ||
1973 | "Rock and Roll Man" | — | — | — | |
1974 | "You Bet Your Sweet, Sweet Love" | 58 | — | — | Kenny O'Dell |
"I'll Find Another Way (To Say I Love You)" | — | — | — | ||
1975 | "Soulful Woman" | 18 | — | 36 | |
"My Honky Tonk Ways" | 37 | 105 | — | singles only | |
"I Can't Think When You're Doin'" | — | — | — | ||
1978 | "Let's Shake Hands and Come Out Lovin'" | 9 | — | — | Let's Shake Hands and Come Out Lovin' |
"As Long as I Can Wake Up in Your Arms" | 12 | — | 14 | ||
1979 | "Medicine Woman" | 32 | — | — | single only |
Awards
- 1973—Grammy\Best Country Song\"Behind Closed Doors"
- 1973—CMA\Song of the Year\"Behind Closed Doors"[3]
- 1973—CMA\Single of the Year\"Behind Closed Doors"
- 1973—ACM\Song of the Year\"Behind Closed Doors"
- 1973—ACM\Single of the Year\"Behind Closed Doors"
- 1984—Nashville Songwriters Association International\Songwriter of the Year
- 1984—NSAI\Song of the Year\"Mama He's Crazy"
- 1985—BMI\Country Song of the Year\"Mama He's Crazy"
References
- ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
- ^ a b "Grammy-winning country songwriter Kenny O'Dell dies at 73". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ Betts, Stephen L. (May 15, 2017). "Corki Casey O'Dell, Musicians Hall of Fame Guitarist, Dead at 80". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Vivian Gist Obituary – Nashville, TN | The Tennessean". Legacy.com. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-89820-188-8.
External links
- Nashville Songwriters profile
- Kenny O'Dell discography at Discogs