Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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BARNES, Max D.

(b Max Duane Barnes, 24 July '36, Hardscratch IA; d 11 Jan. 2004, Nashville, of pneumonia) Successful country songwriter with around 200 chart hits. Moved to Omaha as a boy, worked as a truck driver, bought and sold a night club, went back to driving, singing in clubs all the while. He finally moved to Nashville '71 and recorded for small labels while honing his writing skills, making his own chart debut on Polydor '77 (album Rough Around The Edges included minor hit single 'Allegheny Lady'). Recorded for Ovation '80-1, then concentrated on writing, often with Troy Seals, hits for Conway Twitty ('Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night', 'Don't Take It Away'), George Jones ('Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes'), Vince Gill ('Look At Us'), Keith Whitley ('Ten Feet Away'), Waylon Jennings ('Drinkin' And Dreamin' '), Vern Gosdin: 'Chiseled In Stone' was co-written with Gosdin after Barnes's 18-year-old son Butch was killed in a car crash in '75; Gosdin had a big hit with it more than a decade later and it was a CMA song of the year. Another son, Max T. Barnes, is also a songwriter.