Gary Harrison | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gary Steven Harrison |
| Origin | Memphis, Tennessee[1] |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | Songwriter |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
Gary Steven Harrison is an American songwriter.
Harrison began his career in the 1970s, and has written over 300 major-label recorded songs, including several number one hits.[2] His songwriting credits include: "Hey Cinderella" (recorded bySuzy Bogguss); "I Hate Everything" a number one recording byGeorge Strait); "I Just Wanted You to Know" (recorded byMark Chesnutt); "I Thought It Was You" (recorded byDoug Stone); "Lying in Love with You" (recorded byJim Ed Brown andHelen Cornelius); "Strawberry Wine" (withMatraca Berg, recorded byDeana Carter); "Wild Angels" (with Matraca Berg; recorded byMartina McBride); "Wrong Side of Memphis" (with Matraca Berg, recorded byTrisha Yearwood), and "Everybody Knows" recorded byTrisha Yearwood.[3][4][5]
Other artists who have recorded his work include:Kenny Chesney,Tim McGraw,Kenny Rogers,Patty Loveless,Reba Mcentire,Keith Whitley,John Michael Montgomery,Billy Ray Cyrus,Charley Pride,Anne Murray,Mindy McCready,Diamond Rio,Sammy Kershaw,Emmylou Harris,Ronnie Milsap,Lauren Alaina,Highway 101,Molly Hatchet,Johnny Lee,Collin Raye,Ashley McBryde,Neal McCoy,Easton Corbin,Joe Nichols,Southern Pacific,Bob Welch,Nitty Gritty Dirt Band,Matraca Berg,Pam Tillis,Lorrie Morgan,Clay Walker,Crystal Gayle,Brenda Lee,Breland,B. J. Thomas,Alabama,Michelle Wright,Loverboy,Randy Travis,The Oak Ridge Boys,Conway Twitty,Barbara Mandrell,Lonestar,Steve Wariner,Joe Diffie,Michael Martin Murphey,Marty Balin,Cindy Alexander,Kim Carnes,Henry Gross,Keith Stegall,Shawn Camp,Lee Greenwood,Tim Menzies,Russ Taff,George Canyon,Lindsay Ell,The Kendalls,Chris LeDoux,Sylvia,Mickey Gilley,Eddy Raven,John Conlee,Jo Dee Messina,Bryan White,Boy Howdy,Blaine Larsen,Tammy Cochran,John Berry,The Wreckers,Rick Trevino,Marie Osmond,Eric Heatherly,Pirates of the Mississippi,Chely Wright,Neal Coty,Perfect Stranger,Pinmonkey,Rhett Akins,David Wills andRobin Lee.[3][4]
Among the awards he has received are theCountry Music Association Song of the Year award (for "Strawberry Wine"),Nashville Songwriters Association International Song of the Year Award and sixteenBMI awards (eleven of which have achieved BMI Million-Air status).[6][7] In 1997, he received the CMA Triple Play award for having three number 1 records within a twelve-month period. He was also nominated forGrammy Awards for "Strawberry Wine" and "A Face in the Crowd".[2]
Harrison worked forMercury Records Nashville as senior director ofA&R from 1994 to 2002, where he was involved in the creative direction of the careers of such artists as:Kathy Mattea,Billy Ray Cyrus,Terri Clark,Sammy Kershaw andMark Wills. He then became a partner inBigger Picture Music Group, a music publishing and production company.[2][6]
