Born 62 Years Ago Today in Oregon, the Country Singer-Songwriter Who Penned Hits for Tracy Byrd and John Michael Montgomery

November 12, 2026, 9:30am

On this day (November 12) in 1964, Jerry Kilgore was born in Tillamook, Oregon. Reared on the works of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, he got his start on the Portland honky-tonk scene before eventually moving to Nashville and landing a songwriting contract.

In addition to releasing four studio albums and notching three charting country singles, Kilgore has seen his greatest success in writing songs for other artists. In 1995, Tracy Byrd reached the Top 10 with “Love Lessons”, which Kilgore co-wrote. Three years later, he had another hit on his hands when John Michael Montgomery took “Cover You in Kisses” to No. 3 on the U.S. country singles chart.

Videos by American Songwriter

Today, we’re diving into the life and career of Jerry Kilgore in honor of his 62nd birthday.

This Country Music Megastar Inspired a Young Jerry Kilgore

When Jerry Kilgore was 12 years old, his grandmother gifted the preteen his first guitar. Six years later, he decided on his musical path when he saw George Strait play at a Portland honky-tonk staple called the Flower Drum in 1986.

“I was underage, but my parents got me in, and I was mesmerized by him,” Kilgore later recalled.

Strait’s performance inspired Kilgore to put together his own five-piece honky-tonk outfit. In a full-circle moment, they became the house band at the Flower Drum.

The Road to Nashville

Jerry Kilgore honed his craft by performing classic country songs first in Oregon, then in Arizona. A romantic breakup inspired him to give original material a shot, and soon, demand for his own songs far outpaced that of his covers during live shows.

After two years fronting a honky-tonk band in North Carolina, Kilgore dragged all his earthly possessions into his front yard and put out a “For Sale” sign. The next day, he loaded up everything he hadn’t sold into his pickup truck and set out for Nashville.

It didn’t take long for his songwriting career to gain traction. Kilgore’s breakthrough success came when Tracy Byrd recorded the song “Love Lessons”, which he co-wrote with Monty Powell, Ted Hewitt, and Sarah Majors.

The second single and title track from Byrd’s third studio album, “Love Lessons” climbed to No. 9 on the U.S. country chart.

Subsequent hits followed, including “Leavin’ Comin’ On” for Mark Wills, “Cover You in Kisses” for John Michael Montgomery, and “If A Man Ain’t Thinking About His Woman” for Clay Walker.

Recording Career

Taking note of Jerry Kilgore’s songwriting success, country music producer Scott Hendricks — who produced Alan Jackson, Faith Hill, and Brooks and Dunn — signed him as the first male artist at the newly formed Nashville division of Virgin Records.

Kilgore released his debut album, Love Trip, in 1999, scoring a Top 40 hit with the title track. He also chatted with singles “The Look” and “Cactus in a Coffee Can” — the latter of which Reba McEntire covered for her 2019 album Stronger Than the Truth.

Kilgore also played the Grand Ole Opry and opened for George Strait, in yet another full-circle moment. Unfortunately, Virgin Records soon folded. So Kilgore formed his own label in 2007, releasing his sophomore album, Loaded & Empty, the following year.

He has since released two albums: Telephone, TX (2012) and Those Seven Years (2014).

Featured image by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images