Obit: Dennis Linde, prolific songwriter

Subject: Obit: Dennis Linde, prolific songwriter
From: Genie
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 09:37 PM

Perhaps I should have said "CW hall-of-famer" in the thread title, instead of just "prolific."

I know Linde's songs were not "folk" per se, but they include songs embraced by many a folkie.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061223/OBITS/612230342/1090/NEWS

"DENNIS LINDE: STELLAR SONGWRITER DIES

... I wanted to take some time out to acknowledge the passing of songwriter extraordinaire Dennis Linde, who died last Friday at age 63.

His career bookends of sorts, Burning Love, the Elvis Presley hit, and Goodbye Earl, the Dixie Chicks classic, would be enough to merit major honors (which, as the obit linked to above notes, he did receive).   But he wrote tons more songs, some hits (Had a Dream by The Judds), some not (his own early single Ballad of a Blood Crazed Trained Killer).   He wrote songs for greats of the rock 'n' roll '50s (Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison) and country stars galore (Don Williams, Tanya Tucker, Garth Brooks -- who covered Linde's song for New Grass Revival, Callin' Baton Rouge -- Mark Chesnutt, Reba McEntire), and also had songs cut by the likes of Steve Earle and British R&B rockers Dr. Feelgood.  His immense wit and unique storytelling approach will be missed."

Photo: Dennis Linde

Obit: Award-winning tunesmith Linde 'could write it all'

Excerpt: "Quirky songwriter recorded by Elvis, others dies at 63

By BEVERLY KEEL
Staff Writer

Friends remember Dennis Linde as a brilliant songwriter with a quick wit and fast mind who artfully blended quirky, original lyrics with uptempo melodies. The famed songwriter, who wrote Elvis Presley's "Burning Love" as well as numerous country hits, died Friday ... [at] 63.
... Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer and former BMI Songwriter of the Year ...
While many knew his work, few recognized the famed songwriter. He didn't want to be a star; he just wanted to make good music.
...
Mr. Linde (pronounced LIN-dee), who lived in Mt. Juliet, died Friday of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ...      .
...

"He could write lyrics as good as (Kris) Kristofferson, (Bob) Dylan or (Jerry) Leiber and (Mike) Stoller," said music industry veteran Al Cooley, who pitched Mr. Linde's songs to artists for a decade beginning in 1976. "He could write country, blues, pop and rock and roll. He could write it all.
...
Lyrics were well-crafted
...
His songs were recorded by artists such as Garth Brooks ("Callin' Baton Rouge"),
the Dixie Chicks ("Goodbye Earl"), Don Williams ("Then It's Love," "Walkin' A
Broken Heart") and Eddy Raven ("In a Letter to You").
...
Producer Blake Chancey said Mr. Linde's songs were usually uptempo and always
vivid. "He painted pictures with his lyrics," Chancey said. "Most people that write uptempo songs are never able to draw pictures like that."
A multi-instrumentalist, Mr. Linde also released several albums in the 1970s. "They were revered by critics," Cooley said. ... ."