Songwriter Jim McBride Passes at 78

Hit songwriter and 2017 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Jim McBride passed away on January 6, 2026, at age 78. Over his career, McBride wrote five No. 1 hits, ten Top 10 songs, and eighteen Top 40 singles, leaving an indelible mark on the genre through his honest, Southern-rooted storytelling.

Born in Huntsville, Alabama, on April 28, 1947, McBride grew up listening to country radio and the Grand Ole Opry with his family. Inspired by writers like Hank Williams and Don Gibson, he began writing songs as a child. His early career included performances of his songs on Hee Haw, but financial struggles led him to step away from songwriting and work for the U.S. Post Office for 14 years.

His breakthrough came in 1980 when Conway Twitty recorded “A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn,” a Top 3 hit that won a BMI Country Award and prompted McBride to move to Nashville. Soon after, Johnny Lee’s “Bet Your Heart on Me” became his first No. 1, followed by Waylon Jennings’ chart-topping “Rose in Paradise.”

McBride’s most enduring legacy came through his partnership with Alan Jackson. Together they wrote classics including “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” “Someday,” and the multi-award-winning “Chattahoochee,” one of the defining country songs of the 1990s. His work was recorded by more than 80 artists, from Johnny Cash and George Jones to Reba McEntire and Willie Nelson.

Beyond his songwriting, McBride served as president of the Nashville Songwriters Association. 

 

 

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