Known as “the Storyteller,” country music singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall painted many a lyrical picture brought to life by various artists. His 12 No. 1 hits included Jeannie C. Riley’s “Harper Valley PTA,” the tale of a tough-talking widow who hilariously humbles the pretentious PTA members at her daughter’s junior high school. However, the Country Music Hall of Famer was actually part of a dynamic duo alongside his wife and frequent collaborator, Dixie Hall. On this day (Jan. 16) in 2015, Dixie Hall passed away at age 80.
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Dixie Hall Wrote About Country Music Before Actually Writing It
Born Iris Violet May Lawrence in a town near Manchester, England, Dixie Hall displayed an early knack for the written word, penning poetry from a young age. Drawn to the “Wild West” aesthetic prominent in American media at the time, “Miss Dixie” took up horseback riding, eventually becoming a successful trick rodeo rider.
It was during one of those rodeo engagements that she met the visiting country star Tex Ritter. Dixie parlayed that meeting into a job as an overseas representative for Ritter, Starday Records and other Nashvillians. Under the byline Dixie Deen, she also began writing a column for England’s Country & Western Express magazine.
Finally, in 1961, Dixie left behind her homeland and set sail for Nashville. She quickly met Maybelle Carter, a member of the Carter Family country music dynasty, and lived in her home for the next several years. The pair co-wrote the Johnny Cash songs “A Letter From Home” and “Troublesome Waters.”
With songwriting partner Ray King, Dixie Hall wrote “Truck Driving Son of a Gun.” Recorded by Dave Dudley in 1965, the song hit No. 3 on the country music charts and landed the duo a BMI award. At a Nashville ceremony accepting that award, Dixie met Tom T. Hall.
[RELATED: Top 10 Tom T. Hall Songs]
Her Songwriting Partnership With Her Husband
After the couple married in 1968, Dixie Hall dedicated her working life to animals. She raised and trained award-winning basset hounds and helped raise more than $1 million for the Nashville Humane Society. It was only when her husband wanted to throw in the towel that she decided to revive both of their songwriting careers.
“I said it was okay to quit the road, but don’t give up on music,” she told him. “Music is too much of a treasure to throw it away.”
Together, the couple won the Grand Masters Gold prize from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America in addition to 10 consecutive Songwriters of the Year wins. Country superstar Miranda Lambert even recorded the Hall-penned swing tune “All That’s Left” for her 2014 album Platinum.
“She’s one of the most driven women I’ve ever met,” Tom T. Hall said of his wife. “She would not take ‘no’ for an answer. She’d call people three times a day, tell them, ‘We’ve got a song for you.’ If they didn’t want that one, she’d call them back with another.”
Featured image by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for ACM
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