Born on This Day in 1955, the Hall of Fame Songwriter Behind 10 of George Strait’s Chart-Toppers and Hits From George Jones, Kenny Chesney, and Toby Keith

On this day (March 26) in 1955, Dean Dillon was born in Rocky Top (formerly Lake City), Tennessee. He found his love of songwriting at a young age and followed his passion into a legendary career. Today, he is one of the most successful and influential songwriters in country music. He has penned hits for a long list of artists, including multiple hits for George Strait.

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According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Dillon’s path to Nashville started in 1962, when he was just seven years old. That year, his stepfather gave him a new last name, Rutherford, and a guitar. A handful of years later, Dillon knew he wanted to pursue singing and songwriting as a career. By the time he was 14, he was pitching songs to country stars. Four years later, he hitchhiked to Nashville.

[RELATED: 3 Dean Dillon Songs That Helped Make George Strait a Superstar]

Dean Dillon’s Recording Career

Dean Dillon didn’t immediately start writing country classics when he moved to Nashville. His early days in Music City saw him pursuing a recording career and working at the Opryland theme park. He released his first single, “Las Vegas Girl,” under the name Dean Dalton in 1974. Five years later, he released his first charting single, “I’m Into the Bottle (To Get You Out of My Mind),” which peaked at No. 30. His biggest career hit came a year later when “Nobody in His Right Mind (Would’ve Left Her)” reached No. 25.

He released six studio albums between 1982 and 1993, including two duet albums with Gary Stewart.

Dillon Probably Wrote Your Favorite Country Song

Dean Dillon didn’t burn up the charts as a recording artist. However, the same can’t be said for his songwriting career. He has been penning fan favorite tunes for A-list artists since the 1970s.

His first major cuts came when three of his songs made their way to Barbara Mandrell’s 1977 album Lovers, Friends, and Strangers. Two years later, Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius gave Dillon his first hit when they took “Lying in Love with You” to No. 2 on the country chart.

Dillon also wrote “Tennessee Whiskey” with Linda Hargrove. George Jones took it to No. 2 in 1983. Then, three decades later, Chris Stapleton made it a massive hit.

Dillon’s work resonated with George Strait, who began cutting his songs in the early 1980s. He co-wrote “Unwound” with Frank Dycus, which became Strait’s first hit when it peaked at No. 6 in 1981. The King of Country Music dipped into Dillon’s catalog many more times over the years. Take a look at some highlights below.

• “Easy Come Easy Go” (No. 1)
• “Famous Last Words of a Fool” (No. 1)
• “Here for a Good Time” (No. 2)
• “I’ve Come to Expect It from You” (No. 1)
• “If I Know Me” (No.1)
• “It Aint’ Cool to Be Crazy About You” (No. 1)
• “Living for the Night” (No. 2)
• “Marina Del Ray” (No. 6)
• “Nobody in His Right Mind Would’ve Left Her” (No. 1)
• “Ocean Front Property” (No. 1)
• “She Let Herself Go” (No. 1)
• “The Best Day” (No. 1)
• “The Chair” (No. 1)
• “Unwound” (No. 6)

In short, Dean Dillon wrote or co-wrote some of the best country songs of the last 40 years. He more than earned his place in the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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