Felice and Boudleaux Bryant facts for kids

In 1979, they released their own album called A Touch of Bryant. This album was special because it featured their own songs.

Felice Bryant (born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto; August 7, 1925 – April 22, 2003) and Boudleaux Bryant (February 13, 1920 – June 25, 1987) were an American husband-and-wife team. They were famous for writing many country and pop songs. They wrote hits like "Rocky Top" and "Love Hurts." They also wrote many songs for the popular group Everly Brothers. These included "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Wake Up Little Susie."

Early Lives and How They Met

Boudleaux Bryant was born in Shellman, Georgia, in 1920. He learned to play the violin very well. He even played with the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra. But he loved playing country fiddle music more. He joined a western music band called Hank Penny and his Radio Cowboys.

Felice was born in Milwaukee in 1925. Her family was from Sicily. She enjoyed writing lyrics for traditional Italian songs. During World War II, she sang and helped with shows at the local USO.

In 1945, Boudleaux met Felice in Milwaukee. She was 19 years old and working as an elevator operator. He was performing at the Schroeder Hotel. They quickly fell in love. Just five days after meeting, they ran away and got married! Felice later said she had seen his face in a dream when she was eight. She felt like she had "looked for him forever."

The song "All I Have to Do Is Dream" was inspired by Felice's own life.

Becoming Famous Songwriters

When they first got married, the Bryants did not have much money. They lived in a mobile home. But they used this time to write over 80 songs together. They tried to sell their songs to many country music artists. For a while, no one wanted them.

Then, in 1948, Little Jimmy Dickens recorded their song "Country Boy." It became a big hit, reaching No. 7 on the country music chart. This success opened doors for them. They started working with Fred Rose at Acuff-Rose Music in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1950, the Bryants moved to Nashville. They became full-time songwriters. Some of their early songs included "Sugar Beet" and "Midnight." They also wrote more songs for Little Jimmy Dickens and Carl Smith. They even released four of their own songs, which had some success.

The Bryants wrote hits for many artists. Their songs were loved by people all over the world.

Their big breakthrough came in 1957. They wrote many super popular songs for the Everly Brothers. They also wrote hits for other famous singers. These included Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly. Many artists from different music styles recorded their songs. Some of these artists were Lynn Anderson, Ray Charles, Simon & Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan.

In 1962, the Bryants wrote "Too Many Chicks." This song became a hit for Leona Douglas. She was the first African-American woman to record as a country music singer.

The Bryants later moved to a house near Nashville. They lived on Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Their friends Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash lived nearby. In 1978, they moved to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. They often stayed at The Gatlinburg Inn. There, they wrote many songs, including "Rocky Top." They even bought a hotel called the Rocky Top Village Inn.

In 1979, they released their own album, A Touch of Bryant. The song "Rocky Top" was written in 1967. In 1982, Tennessee made it a state song. It also became the unofficial fight song for the University of Tennessee sports teams. The Bryants wrote over 6,000 songs in their lives. About 1,500 of these songs were recorded by other artists.

The Bryants won many awards for their music. They received 59 BMI music awards. In 1972, they joined the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. They were also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1991, they joined both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Boudleaux Bryant was the third most successful songwriter in the 1950s in the UK. Felice Bryant was the 21st most successful. Their work is kept safe at the House of Bryant in Gatlinburg. Their items were also shown at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville from 2019 to 2020.

Their Legacy

Boudleaux Bryant passed away in 1987. Felice Bryant continued to write songs. In 1991, she received the Living Legend Award. She passed away in 2003. They are buried together in the Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville.

Selected List of Songs

Here are some of the famous songs written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant:

For Little Jimmy Dickens

• "Country Boy" (1948)
• "Bessie the Heifer"
• "We Could" (written only by Felice)

For The Everly Brothers

• "Bye Bye, Love"
• "Wake Up, Little Susie"
• "All I Have to Do Is Dream" (written only by Boudleaux)
• "Donna Donna"
• "Brand New Heartache"
• "Problems"
• "Poor Jenny"
• "Radio & TV"
• "Oh True Love"
• "Take a Message to Mary"
• "Bird Dog" (written only by Boudleaux)
• "Like Strangers" (written only by Boudleaux)
• "Always It's You"
• "Love of My Life"
• "Love Is All I Need"
• "Lonely Island"
• "Just in Case"
• "Devoted to You" (written only by Boudleaux)
• "You Thrill Me"
• "You're the One I Love"
• "Some Sweet Day"
• "Sleepless Nights"
• "Nashville Blues"
• "Love Hurts" (written only by Boudleaux)

"Wake Up, Little Susie" and "All I Have to Do Is Dream" were huge hits. They reached No. 1 on many music charts at the same time.

For Buddy Holly

• "Raining in My Heart"

For Compton Brothers

• "Bird Dog"
• "Love Hurts"

For Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris

• "Love Hurts"
• "Sleepless Nights"
• "Brand New Heartache"

For Emmylou Harris

• "Sleepless Nights"
• "Like Strangers"
• "Love Hurts"

For Ricky Van Shelton

• "Hole in My Pocket"

For Johnny O'Keefe

• "She Wears My Ring" (English lyrics)

For Other Artists

• "Rocky Top" – The Osborne Brothers, Lynn Anderson, and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• "Mexico" – Bob Moore and His Orchestra (written only by Boudleaux)
• "Last Date" – Boudleaux wrote the words for the vocal version, recorded by Skeeter Davis
• "Bye Bye, Love" – Ray Charles (1962)
• "Bye Bye, Love" – Ray Price (1957)
• "Bye Bye, Love" – Roy Orbison (1961)
• "Come Live with Me" – Roy Clark
• "Raining in My Heart" – Robert Wyatt
• "She Wears My Ring" – Solomon King
• "She Wears My Ring" – Jimmy Sweeney
• "Have a Good Time" – Sue Thompson
• "Love Hurts" – Roy Orbison, Nazareth, and a top five hit for Jim Capaldi in the UK
• "Sugar Beet" – Moon Mullican
• "Wedding of the Bugs" – Moon Mullican
• "Blue Boy" – Jim Reeves
• "Bella Belinda" – Donn Reynolds
• "I'm Gonna Slip You Offa My Mind" – Tommy Zang
• "Midnight" – Red Foley
• "Some Sweet Day" – Fairport Convention
• "Take a Message to Mary" – Bob Dylan
• "Rocky Top" – Dillard & Clark
• "Devoted to You" – The Beach Boys (written only by Boudleaux)
• "She Wears My Ring" – Elvis Presley (recorded 1973, released 1974)
• "Love Hurts" – The Osborne Brothers Nazareth
• "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" – David Frizzell and Shelly West
• "Nightmare" – Jack Turner

Many of their songs have been covered by countless artists. These include "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Bye Bye, Love." "Rocky Top" is still played by the Pride of the Southland Band. This happens at University of Tennessee sporting events.