Jim McBride, the country songwriter behind hits including Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee” and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” has died at the age of 78.
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame confirmed McBride’s death in a Facebook post, calling him a “beloved Alabamian, songwriter, friend, mentor, and so much more.”
Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, McBride developed a love for country music at a young age, growing up in a household where the Grand Ole Opry was a Saturday night tradition. He began writing songs in his late teens, learned guitar in his early twenties, and spent 14 years working for the Post Office before breaking through in the music business. McBride moved to Nashville in the early 1970s to pursue songwriting full time.
Early in his career, McBride had a connection to one of Nashville’s most iconic television shows. Around 1972, "Hee Haw" stars The Hagers recorded several of his songs, with some performed on the nationally televised show that was taped at Channel 5 in Nashville. Those early recordings did not become major hits, but they gave McBride national exposure.
McBride was a longtime collaborator of Alan Jackson, helping write some of the biggest songs of Jackson’s career. In a social media post, Jackson called McBride “a good man and a great and genuine songwriter,” adding, “He understood country music and touched many with his songs. Jim and I wrote some of my favorite songs together and I don’t know if my career would have ended up quite the same without his help.”
Over the decades, McBride’s songs were recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Reba McEntire, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Toby Keith, and The Oak Ridge Boys. He later served as president of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and was inducted into both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
His songwriting has appeared on more than 70 million records sold around the world.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Did you work with Jim McBride, meet him through the Nashville music community, or have a memory you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you. You can email me at holly.lehren@newschannel5.com.
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