We have lost a great one today, Feb. 11. Kim Williams originally from Kingsport, and last from Rogersville, TN wrote or co-wrote for or with a who's who of the country music industry. His first gold record was "If The Devil Danced" by Joe Diffie, he followed it up with Kenny Chesney's "Fall In Love". His most success was with Garth Brooks, with five number one hits. Here is a quote from Garth: Kim Williams and I were writing this song in the studio. We had just finished the Ropin' the Wind album, with the tenth cut being 'Walking After Midnight.' We had one session left over with no songs whatsoever. I asked Allen if I could do something screwy by playing this 'Papa Loved Mama' song. Kim Williams came in and we wrote the bridge right before we cut it. After we cut it, we knew that it had to make the album. 'Walking After Midnight' then moved to The Chase, and 'Papa Loved Mama' was placed on Ropin' the Wind. Kim Williams might be one of the most talented writers I have ever worked with simply because he can sneak so many things in on you as a listener and he does it with this big smile on his face. Be it as a co-writer or just a friend, I had hoped I'd see that smile the rest of my life... he was a good guy." Kim wrote "Three Wooden Crosses" for Randy Travis, which won song of the year at the CMA's followed up by "Stranger In My Mirror". He had hit songs with Aaron Tippen, Sammy Kershaw, George Strait, George Jones, Reba McIntire, Rascal Flats, Doug Stone, Clay Walker, Ken Anderson and wrote Chesney's "Whatever It Takes"which featured Peyton Manning. I got to know Kim by sharing the stage with him a few times with our mutual friend Bobby Starnes, a songwriter also who played with Johnny Cash when Cash was at the Carter Fold. Kim was a genuinely nice guy who could spit out a song virtually on command, and it would be a potential hit song. I'll never forget the night Kim was having trouble finding a song in his binder that he had in mind to sing, another local songwriter yelled out "don't you know the words to your own song?" Kim looked at him for a few seconds, and asked "do you know the words to all your songs?" The guy fell into the trap saying "yes I do". Kim gave him a smirk only he could make with his disfigured face, and said "if you know the words to all your songs, you aint writing enough songs" Sorry for such a long post, but we do not have that many songwriters of Kim's caliber. He said one night his songs had sold over 150 million records.......and counting.
Something to be said for doing what you love for a living. Like rb said, music lost. But man what a great thing to love what you do.
I'll probably feel like this when Billy Joe Shaver checks out. Greatest living songwriter of our times, imo.
Better than given credit by the average person. Somewhat the same for Willie Nelson in regard to his genre crossing songs. Many are not aware he wrote "Stardust" or even "Crazy". I'm partial to Kris Kristoferson. My buddy Bobby Starnes who is playing bass guitar in the video I posted, is a darn good writer. He had a song on Blue Highway's IBEA Best Album winner, and another on current Grammy nominated album of the year by Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes.
Man, i tear up every time i hear the version of "live forever" that he sings the first father's day after his son's death. REK and Todd Snider sing with him.
Thank you h_h, I did not include his many awards and his induction into the Hall of Fame. Every songwriter I know around here, and I know most of them, is in a state of shock. Kim had touched so many of them with his eagerness to help make them better. He truly enjoyed pulling your creativity out in your songs. He had a natural knack for writing, and most tributes I have read use the word genius to describe Kim.
[video]https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v2/y4/r/-PAXP-deijE.gif[/video] Garth Brooks dedicates show to Kim Williams.
