Many souls have contributed to nation music within the final century. The corporate is extra unique whenever you speak concerning the performers, musicians, and songwriters who in the event you eliminated their work from the nation music canon, the style would tackle a decidedly completely different, and sometimes not as compelling or important side. The towering songwriting legacy of Troy Seals is a kind of unique people.
Marvel that it was the identical man who wrote or co-wrote the songs “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Footwear” by George Jones, “We Had It All” by Waylon Jennings, “Ten Toes Away” by Keith Whitley, and “Seven Spanish Angels,” which turned the greatest #1 nation hit for Ray Charles when he recorded it with Willie Nelson in 1985, and it went onto be nominated for the CMA Track of the Yr. Total he wrote eleven #1 hits and 30 High 10s.
Troy Seals was a seminal songwriter to nation music’s Outlaw motion. He helped launch Conway Twitty’s large business run from the songwriting place, and would go on to turn into so revered as a wordsmith, his songs could be recorded effectively outdoors of the nation realm by people like The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Joe Cocker, Three Canine Night time, and The New Riders of the Purple Sage. Eric Clapton had successful in 1983 with Troy’s “I’ve Received a Rock and Roll Coronary heart.”
However nation music was the compass level for Troy Seals, and the place he made a reputation for himself, and helped make a reputation for others whereas his title remained within the tremendous print of the liner notes. Born in Madison County, Kentucky on November sixteenth, 1938, Troy’s household moved to Cincinnati when he was 11, and he started performing professionally by the age of 17.
Seals didn’t begin out to be a songwriter, however a performer and musician. His prolonged household included Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts fame, Brady Seals of Little Texas, Dan Seals (England Dan), songwriter Chuck Seals who wrote “Loopy Arms,” and Johnny Duncan.
Early on, Seals met and finally married rockabilly performer Jo-Ann Campbell. The 2 recorded songs collectively and carried out on American Bandstand and different applications. When Campbell retired, Troy Seals went to work in building. They moved to Nashville in 1969, and whereas constructing the town’s famed Quadraphonic Studio on Music Row, Seals caught the music bug once more and began pursuing work as a session musician.
Because the Outlaw sounds began to take over Nashville, Troy Seals began writing a few of its most vital songs. Sammi Smith recorded Troy’s first High 40 hit with “Lady in New Orleans.” Although “We Had It All” by Waylon Jennings wasn’t a giant chart hit, it turned beloved all through music, with Dolly Parton and even Tina Turner recording variations of it.
It was actually Troy’s work with Conway Twitty within the mid 70s into the early 80s that turned each into hit machines. Twitty had #1s with “There’s a Honky Tonk Angel,” “Don’t Take It Away,” “Purple Neckin’ Love Makin’ Night time,” “Fallin’ for You for Years,” and quite a few songs from the Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn catalog like “Feelin’s”, and “I Can’t Love You Sufficient.”
A few of the different names who recorded Troy Seals songs have been Charley Satisfaction, Alabama, David Allan Coe, Johnny Rodriguez, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, Glen Campbell, Ronnie Milsap, Gene Watson, Hank Williams Jr., and The Oak Ridge Boys. His prolonged resume of contributions led to his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Corridor of Fame in 1988.
Troy Seals additionally was a recording artist and launched a handful of singles and albums. He maybe put collectively a robust sufficient resume for consideration by the Nation Music Corridor of Fame sometime. However when he handed away again on March sixth on the age of 86, the information didn’t even make it out to the general public, not to mention to the press. It took Robert Oermann breaking the information on April 1st earlier than the general public was made conscious.
Troy Seals was a kind of songwriters that did main work within the shadows. Via George Jones, Troy compelled us to ask, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Footwear?” with regards to the nation legends who cross on. Now we should ask that query with regards to Troy Seals.
