I’m always amazed to discover when several great songs recorded by different artists were written by the same person or songwriting team. Of course, it should be no surprise that people can write more than one great song. But it is still fun to learn that someone whose name I didn’t know was behind many of the songs I have loved through my life. One such duo — the husband and wife team of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant — wrote many such classics.
Felice Bryant, who was born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto on August 7, 1925, wrote “We Could,” a song that was a hit for Little Jimmy Dickens and Charley Pride. “We Could” is one of those songs that sounds like it has always existed.
Felice and Boudleaux Bryant wrote several of the biggest hits recorded by the Everly Brothers including “Bye, Bye, Love” and “Wake Up Little Susie.” Additionally, Boudleaux wrote “All I Have to Do Is Dream.”
Another Everly Brothers song written by the Boudleaux that later was recorded by several others was “Love Hurts.” That song has been recorded by artists such as Cher, Roy Oribison, and Nazareth. Gram Parsons (with Emmylou Harris) was among those who recorded “Love Hurts” in addition to a few other Bryant songs.
They also wrote “Raining in My Heart,” which was recorded by one of rock’s greatest songwriters, Buddy Holly.
It is hard to select their magnum opus, but probably their song that is most embedded in the classic canon is “Rocky Top.” One of the official state songs of Tennessee, “Rocky Top” has been performed by many artists.
Bands and singers who have covered “Rocky Top” include the Osborne Brothers, Lynn Anderson, Phish, Buck Owens, the Carter Family, John Denver, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and in a marching band version, the University of Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland Band.
The Bryants did record some of their own music, releasing their own album A Touch of Bryant in 1979. But it is through the voices of other artists that we know their words and music.
Boudleaux Bryant, who was born on February 13, 1920, passed away on June 25, 1987. Felice lived much longer, dying on April 22, 2003. They are interred together at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville. Hopefully they are in the afterlife writing more songs for us when we get there.
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