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Celebrating Gary Stewart’s Birthday By Remembering His Works

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Who is Gary Stewart?

Gary Stewart She's Acting Single
Photo Credit: Gary Stewart/ youtube.com by Screengrab

Gary Stewart was a multi-talented Country artist. He was born on May 28, 1944, and raised in the U.S. His parents are George and Georgia Stewart. He learned to play guitar and piano at an early age. He also started touring with local bands.

At the age of seventeen, he experienced working in an airplane factory. However, he still managed to play in a rock and roll country band at night. He was discovered by country singer Mel Tillis and was advised to move to Nashville for him to be recognized.

In 1964, he started recording and began writing songs with Bill Eldridge. The following year, Stewart and Eldridge penned their first song “Poor Red Georgia Dirt” and was recorded by Stone Jackson. The song became a country hit.

Career

Gary Stewart King of Honky-Tonk
Photo Credit: Gary Stewart/ youtube.com by Screengrab

Stewart signed his contract with RCA Records. He made his version of the song “Ramblin’ Man” and it entered the country chart.

In 1974, he released his second single “Drinkin’ Thing” which ranked number 10 as a music hit. The next year, he released his album “Out of Hand” which entered the country chart. His album “Out of Hand” brought him success on his career. Thom Jurek gave the song five stars for the Top 100 country records of all time.

Stewart soon moved to Rhino Records. He has been hired by the great founders of the record company.  Furthermore, he became the Senior Vice President of A&R for Rhino Entertainment. During his tenure, he became the prominent reissue label in the U.S. He moved Rhino from a fast-growing company to high-end company.

He was also a founder of Apple Music where he applied his musical knowledge for iTunes.

Family

A tragic experience came into his life when his son committed suicide. Moreover, in 2003, his wife, Mary Lou died because of pneumonia. He then canceled all of his concert appearances after his wife’s death.

In December 2003, he committed suicide and was found dead.

His friends, colleagues, and fans were all shocked about what happened to him. They described him as a smart, funny, challenging and passionate person. He always made a difference in everything he did.

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