Larry Butler

American country producer, songwriter, pianist and keyboard player. (b. March 26, 1942, Pensacola, Florida - d. January 19, 2012, of natural causes, Pensacola, FL.) Not to be confused with the country singer Larry Butler (4). Butler began his career at the age of six with the Harry James and his Orchestra; at age ten he sang with Red Foley, and before he was old enough to drive he had hosted his own radio show and played piano on The Lynn Toney Show. He eventually joined a Florida band, Jerry Woodward and the Esquires. While on a trip to Nashville, he met a noted publisher/producer, Buddy Killen of Tree International. In 1963, with Killen's encouragement, Butler moved to Nashville. Soon his unique style of piano playing supported such hits as "Hello Darlin" by Conway Twitty and "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro. Butler was in high demand as a Nashville session player and backed up Nashville celebrities such as Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, George Jones (2), Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Lynn Anderson and more. Moving to Memphis in the late 1960s, Butler hooked-up with Chips Moman. Butler played keyboards in the rock group Ronny & The Daytonas, who had a hit song with "GTO." Later, as a member of The Gentrys, they hit the pop charts with "Keep on Dancing" and "Every Day I Have to Cry Some." During that same period, Butler co-wrote The Poppies (3) hit single "Lullaby Of Love". He was signed as a solo artist and served as Bobby Goldsboro's pianist and music director. Butler returned to Nashville to join Capitol Records as an in-house producer. The first single he produced, "Seven Lonely Days", became a Billboard Top-20 Country single for Jean Shepard in 1969. Moving on to CBS Records at the urging of legendary producer Billy Sherrill, Butler worked closely with Johnny Cash producing some of his biggest hits in the 1970s. In 1973 Butler made one of his most significant career moves by joining United Artists Records as head of the label's Nashville division. His leadership and vision brought in such acts as Kenny Rogers, Crystal Gayle, Dottie West and The Kendalls and established the label as one of the most successful and respected in Nashville. Eventually Butler left UA and started his own independent company, Larry Butler Productions. His acts included Charlie Rich ("You're Gonna Love yourself In The Morning"), Mac Davis ("It's Hard To Be Humble"), Debby Boone ("Are You On The Road To Loving Me Again"), Billie Jo Spears ("Blanket On The Ground"), Don McLean ("Crying"). and John Denver ("Some Days Are Diamonds"). 1980 brought Butler to the spotlight again with his Grammy for Producer of the Year and solidified his reputation as a hit maker. 1984 was the year Butler formed his music company, Larry Butler Music Group, Inc. He signed writers Mickey Newbury, Dean Dillon, Bud McGuire, Paul Nelson (6), Marty Raybon and Julie Didier. LBMG produced a string of hits for George Strait, and produced songs for Keith Whitley, Vern Gosdin, Moe Bandy, Shenandoah, Razzy Bailey, Larry Boone (2), T.G. Sheppard and more.