Joe South(1940-2012)

Excellent and acclaimed singer/songwriter/guitarist Joe South was born as Joseph Alfred Souter on February 28, 1940 in Atlanta, Georgia. South built his own radio station as a little boy and received his first guitar as a Christmas present at age eleven. At age twelve, Joe had his own weekly radio show, playing guitar and singing country songs on WGST radio station. In 1962, South went to Nashville and established himself as an expert session musician in both Nashville and Muscle Shoals. Among the artists Joe played guitar for were Marty Robbins, Aretha Franklin ("Chain of Fools"), Eddy Arnold, Simon & Garfunkel ("I Am A Rock"), Fats Domino, Wilson Pickett and even Bob Dylan (the "Blonde on Blonde" album). South further demonstrated his versatility as a songwriter, penning hit songs for The Tams ("Untie Me"), Billy Joe Royal ("Down in the Boondocks") and Deep Purple ("Hush"). Lynn Anderson, in particular, scored a massive smash hit with her catchy and spirited rendition of "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden". In addition, Joe produced and arranged "What Kind of Fool" and "Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy" for The Tams. Other artists who have recorded South's songs included Johnny Rivers, Harry Belafonte, Petula Clark, Ernest Tubb, The Osmonds, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Loggins, Della Reese and Elvis Presley. South, himself, had a huge hit with the terrifically reflective "Games People Play", which was featured on his extraordinary album "Introspect" and went on to win two well-deserved Grammy Awards. "Birds of a Feather" was a sizable country hit. The follow-up songs, "Walk A Mile in My Shoes" and "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home", were likewise pretty successful. South was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1979. On September 13, 2003, Joe was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. His songs have appeared on the soundtracks for such movies as Zodiac (2007), Children of Men (2006), Monster's Ball (2001), Simpatico (1999) and The Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus (1973). South died at age 72 at his home in Buford, Georgia after having a heart attack on September 5, 2012.