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Allen Reynolds (born August 18, 1938) is an American record producer and songwriter who specializes in country music.[1] He has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame[2][3] and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.
Allen Reynolds | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 18, 1938 North Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Origin | United States |
| Genres | Country music |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer and songwriter |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels | JMI Records, UA Records |
Early life and career
Reynolds was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and grew up in Memphis, Tennessee.[2] He started writing songs during his college years and eventually teamed up with Dickey Lee to form their own publishing and production company. They had a minor regional hit with the song "Dream Boy."[1]
In the early 1960s, Reynolds most notably wrote the 1965 pop hit "Five O'Clock World" for the Vogues. Reynolds worked at Sun Records in Memphis, and he became good friends with Jack Clement, a leading producer and songwriter at the label.[1]
Commercial success
In the early 1970s, Reynolds' friend, producer and writer Jack Clement, left Memphis to start his own publishing company and record label in Nashville, JMI Records. Clement convinced Reynolds to sign on as vice-president. Reynolds built a roster of talented writers at the label, including Bob McDill (writer of the country standard "Amanda") and Don Williams.[4] Reynolds went on to write and produce on Williams' first two albums, and was instrumental in helping Williams to launch his career.[5]
When JMI Records closed in 1975, Reynolds continued to actively write and produce around Nashville, including Waylon Jennings' "Dreaming My Dreams with You." However, he achieved his greatest commercial success during this time working as writer and producer for Crystal Gayle.[2] Some of their notable collaborations included "Wrong Road Again," "Somebody Loves You" and "Ready For the Times to Get Better."[6] When Gayle left Decca Records in 1975, she signed with UA Records where she was teamed up with Reynolds, and he is credited with developing her signature soft rock sound.[7][8]
Later career
Allen Reynolds' songs have left a lasting legacy on the country music scene. Hal Ketchum covered the 1960s hit "Five O'Clock World" on his 1991 debut album Past the Point of Rescue, with Reynolds as co-producer alongside Jim Rooney, which became a Top 20 country single for Ketchum.[9]
Reynolds has kept busy in the music industry working as a noted record producer. Reynolds produced many of Garth Brooks's hit albums. He has also produced albums for Kathy Mattea, Hal Ketchum, Emmylou Harris, George Hamilton IV and the O'Kanes.[2]
In 1975, Reynolds purchased Jack's Tracks recording studio from Jack Clement for $65,000, and produced many albums there, including many of Garth Brooks' albums. In 2010, Reynolds sold the studio to Brooks. In 2012, in honor of his 50th birthday, Brooks renamed the studio Allentown.[10][11]
| Title | Co-writer(s) | Year | Artist | Album | Chart | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "I Saw Linda Yesterday" | Dickey Lee | 1962 | Dickey Lee | |||
| "Five O'Clock World" | 1965 | The Vogues | ||||
| "Her and Him" | Dickey Lee | 1965 | Bruce and Carroll | |||
| "Medicine Man" | Mitt Addington | 1965 | Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs | |||
| "He's Not Your Friend" | Dickey Lee | 1966 | Dee Jay and the Runnaways | |||
| "I Sowed Love and Reaped Heartache" | Dickey Lee | 1968 | James Carr | |||
| "Everybody's Reaching Out For Someone" | Dickey Lee | 1971 | Dickey Lee | |||
| "Catfish John" | Bob McDill | 1972 | Bob McDill | Short Stories | ||
| "Stainless Steel" | Bob McDill | 1972 | Bob McDill | Short Stories | ||
| "Too Late To Turn Back Now" | Don Williams | 1973 | Don Williams | Don Williams Volume One | ||
| "I Recall a Gypsy Woman" | Don Williams, Bob McDill | 1973 | Don Williams | Don Williams Volume One | ||
| "Loving You So Long" | 1974 | Don Williams | Don Williams Volume Two | |||
| "It Amazes Me" | Wayland Holyfield | 1974 | Charley Pride | |||
| "Before I'm Fool Enough" | 1974 | Mary Kay James | ||||
| "We Should Be Together" | 1974 | Don Williams | Don Wliliams Volume Two | |||
| "Dreaming My Dreams with You" | 1975 | Waylon Jennings | Dreaming My Dreams | |||
| "My Ship Will Sail" | 1975 | Mary Kay James | ||||
| "Loving You So Long Now" | 1975 | Crystal Gayle | Crystal Gayle | |||
| "Wrong Road Again" | 1975 | Crystal Gayle | Crystal Gayle | |||
| "Somebody Loves You" | 1975 | Crystal Gayle | Somebody Loves You | |||
| "All I Wanna Do in Life" | Sandy Mason | 1976 | Chip Hawkes | |||
| "Ready for the Times to Get Better" | 1976 | Crystal Gayle | Crystal | |||
| "We Must Believe In Magic" | Bob McDill | 1977 | Crystal Gayle | We Must Believe In Magic | ||
| "Trail of Tears" | Roger Cook | 1982 | ||||
| "Coming to the Dance" | Charles Cochran | 1985 | Crystal Gayle | Nobody Wants to Be Alone |
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