Jim McBride, ‘Chattahoochee’ songwriter and Alan Jackson collaborator, dies at 78

by

Jim McBride, a Grammy-nominated country songwriter known for co-writing hits like “Chattahoochee” and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” with Alan Jackson, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 78.

I was so saddened to hear about Jim’s passing. He was a truly good person and a phenomenal songwriter – he really got country music and his songs touched so many people. We wrote some of my absolute favorite songs together, and honestly, I don’t think my career would be where it is today without his guidance, inspiration, and support when I was just starting out. Thanks for everything, Jim. Rest easy.

Music

Since the disaster, the charity dedicated to helping musicians has provided over $15 million in aid, supporting more than 3,200 music professionals. However, even with this support, many musicians continue to face challenges as they try to rebuild their lives and careers.

A photo showed Jackson and McBride when they were younger, both smiling and holding awards from ASCAP. In 1994, their song “Chattahoochee” earned the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award, and it was also nominated for a Grammy.

Songwriter Jerry Salley shared on Facebook Wednesday that he was deeply saddened and shocked by the news of McBride’s death. McBride died on Monday after a fall, and Salley explained that he’s been overwhelmed with messages all day, making it difficult to respond. Salley also mentioned that McBride had texted him just hours before the accident.

Salley recalled meeting a collaborator in Nashville in the early 1980s and wondered why that person decided to write with her. However, she said they quickly connected, became close friends, and truly enjoyed their time writing together, as he always inspired her to do her best work.

While many know him for his work with George Jackson, McBride also wrote songs that were hits for a wide range of country music stars, including Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, and Toby Keith.

Music

Alan Jackson is retiring from touring after a final farewell tour. He’s been diagnosed with a condition that impacts his movement, making it increasingly challenging for him to perform.

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame expressed deep sadness over the loss of Mr. McBride, stating they will miss him greatly and hope his musical contributions will be remembered forever. They described him as a cherished person from Alabama, as well as a talented songwriter, friend, and mentor.

I’ve always been fascinated by the stories behind songwriters, and Jimmy Ray McBride’s is a good one. He was born in Huntsville, Alabama, on April 28, 1947, and started writing songs when he was just a kid. It took a while, though, before anyone actually recorded one of his tunes!

He explained in a 1997 interview with American Songwriter that the songs began forming in his mind, and eventually he decided to write them down. He then took the songs to Nashville to see if anyone was interested.

He explained that he’d always loved music and quickly realized the songwriter’s name, often listed in small print, belonged to the person who created the song.

Music

Luke Bryan responded to Beyoncé receiving no CMA Award nominations for her album ‘Cowboy Carter,’ stating that if an artist creates a country album, they should actively participate in the country music community.

When McBride first tried to get his songs noticed in Nashville, it wasn’t an immediate breakthrough. He only knew one person there, songwriter Curly Putman, who helped guide him along the way.

Curly was a great source of advice and always told me the truth. As McBride shared with American Songwriter, Curly once said, ‘I can’t help you unless I’m honest.’ I’d play him songs, and he’d give me honest feedback, and he was always spot-on. He also made sure to point out what was working well. While he encouraged me to get other opinions, I always trusted his judgment completely – it was all I needed.

In the early 1970s, some of his songs were featured on the TV show “Hee Haw.” However, by the mid-1970s, he put his musical ambitions aside and continued working at the U.S. Postal Service. He didn’t stop writing, though, and continued collaborating with Roger Murrah, who would later be nominated for a Grammy in the early 1990s for the song “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” performed by Jackson.

He told Murrah and his colleagues he’d come back to Nashville once he achieved significant success. After that, Conway Twitty expressed interest in the song “A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn.”

Music

Alan Jackson’s current tour, called ‘Keepin’ It Country,’ suggests he’s intentionally staying true to traditional country music in a changing landscape.

I remember getting a call from Roger one night – he said, ‘Looks like you’re heading to Conway’s next session, so get packed!’ It was a turning point for me. I actually left my job at the post office the day after Christmas in 1980, and just a week later, on January 1st, I started working with Bill Rice and Jerry Foster. At the time, Roger Murrah was the only other songwriter they had on staff, so it was a really small team.

It was a difficult time for McBride. His mother, who had greatly inspired his love of music, passed away from cancer in 1981. Sadly, her death occurred on the very day he was scheduled to receive his first music award for his song, “A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn.”

That September, he co-wrote the song “Bet Your Heart On Me” with Johnny Lee, and it reached the top of the charts. He also continued to improve his skills as a songwriter.

He told American Songwriter that he hadn’t really written about bridges until he moved to his current location. He also realized he didn’t need to write like Kristofferson, and started focusing on simpler, more natural language. He used to try to make every line of a song incredibly poetic, but he learned to write in a more conversational style over time.

Entertainment & Arts

Gil Gerard, the actor famous for playing Buck Rogers in the television and movie series, passed away Tuesday after a battle with cancer. He was 82 years old.

It took six years, but McBride finally had another hit song when Waylon Jennings recorded “Rose in Paradise” in 1987 – a song that would become Jennings’ final number-one hit.

In 2023, Marty McBride told News19 in Huntsville that despite having songs on fourteen albums, he hadn’t had a hit single. He explained that artists like Randy Travis and Waylon Jennings had paved the way, and after they did, things began to improve for him.

He then met Alan Jackson, and together they produced four songs that reached number one on the charts, with “Chattahoochee” becoming their most successful hit.

McBride explained to News19 that a collaboration started with a simple question: ‘Want to write together?’ He replied, ‘Yes, let’s do it.’ They quickly connected and found the writing process flowed effortlessly, feeling almost like he was writing alone.

California

Rob Reiner, the director of popular films like ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘The Princess Bride,’ passed away on Sunday at his home in Brentwood. He was 78 years old and was with his wife at the time.

In 2017, Pat McBride was honored with inductions into both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. He also previously served as president of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

For over 30 years, the song “Chattahoochee” was a constant presence in his life, particularly the opening line referencing it getting “hotter than a hoochie coochie” on the Chattahoochee River, which runs along the borders of Alabama and Georgia. He often found himself answering questions about the meaning of that phrase.

According to McBride, Alan was annoyed by all the attention he was getting. He asked people to contact McBride instead, and they did. McBride then explained that when the county fair came to town, it always included a sideshow featuring exotic dancers. He recalled that there was an unspoken challenge for young men: to try and sneak into the show before turning eighteen.

And why, pray tell?

“They’ll show you a little bit,” he said, “but you’re going to have to pay if you see any more.”

McBride is remembered by his wife, Jeanne Ivey, and his two sons, Brent and Wes, from a prior marriage.

Read More

2026-01-09 00:02