Musicians are paying tribute to legendary country music singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall, who has died at the age of 85.
Country stars like Keith Urban, Jason Isbell, Travis Tritt and many others took to social media on Friday (Aug. 20) to remember Hall, who penned such hits as “Harper Valley P.T.A.” and “I Love.”
“The simplest words that told the most complicated stories,” Isbell tweeted. “Felt like Tom T. just caught the songs as they floated by, but I know he carved them out of rock.”
Nicknamed “The Storyteller,” Hall — who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019 — was renowned for his songs’ rich narratives, vivid descriptions and homespun observations.
“My second concert (at the age of 5 !!) was Tom T. Hall,” Urban added on Twitter. “What a gifted literary musical artist he was. Peace be with all of his friends, family, and admirers today. Thank you Mr. Hall.”
Tritt also paid tribute to Hall, tweeting, “RIP to Tom T. Hall. One of the greatest story telling songwriters ever! I used to pick and sing with him every year at Earl Scruggs’s home.”
During his career, Hall amassed 50 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, including seven No. 1 hits. He also landed seven top 10 albums on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, including reaching No. 1 on that chart with The Rhymer and Other Five and Dimers in June 1973.
In addition to his success on the charts, Hall was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1971, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1978, the Kentucky Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
He garnered six Grammy nods, including song of the year in 1968 for writing “Harper Valley, P.T.A.,” but he won his only Grammy in an unlikely category: best album notes for writing the liner notes for his 1972 release, Tom T. Hall’s Greatest Hits.
See more tributes to Hall below.
