Tom T. Hall

Tom T. Hall was born in Olive Hill, Kentucky in 1936. After serving in the army, he moved to Nashville and signed with Mercury Records. His debut album 'Tom T. Hall Sings' came out in 1964.

He wrote songs that felt like short stories set to music, often about ordinary people and their quiet struggles. 'Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine' and 'That's How I Got to Memphis' are good examples of his plainspoken style. 'Shoes And Dress That Alice Wore' tells a specific, detailed story about a woman returning home, which became one of his best-known songs.

Hall's writing could be direct enough to stir some debate, as with 'Harper Valley PTA,' but he generally stuck to observing small-town life without much fuss. Other artists like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton recorded his songs. He released albums through the 1970s, including 'The Ballad of Forty Dollars' and 'Songs of Fox Hollow.'