In 1961, Bill Hall partnered with Jack Clement, a songwriter and former recording engineer at Sun Records in Memphis. Together, they formed the Gulf Coast Recording Company and recorded artists such as Jivin’ Gene, Johnnie Allan, Rod Bernard, Moon Mullican, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Roger Miller, and Tex Ritter. Hall and Clement also employed notable songwriters, including Bob McDill, whose work continues to chart decades later.

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Their early major successes included Dickie Lee’s “Patches,” followed by “Laurie (Strange Things Happen)” in 1965. They also discovered songwriters Jerry Foster and Bill Rice, who produced a long string of hits such as “The Easy Part’s Over,” “When You Say Love,” “She’s Pulling Me Back Again,” and “Would You Take Another Chance on Me.” Clement relocated to Nashville in 1965, and Hall joined him two years later.

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In 1973, the pair divided their business interests, and Hall went on to build Hall-Clement (BMI) and Jack & Bill (ASCAP) into one of Nashville’s most successful song publishing firms. During the mid-1970s, the company was ASCAP’s leading award-winner.

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Hall sold the seven-company Hall-Clement group to the Welk Music Group in 1975 and joined the organization as its Nashville division manager. While there, he placed and promoted hits including Willie Nelson’s “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys,” Crystal Gayle’s “You Never Miss a Real Good Thing,” Ronnie Milsap’s “Nobody Likes Sad Songs,” and Mel McDaniel’s “Louisiana Saturday Night.” Through Welk, he also helped launch the Oak Ridge Boys’ career with “Y’all Come Back Saloon.”

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Hall secured fourteen Number One hits for Don Williams, including “Amanda,” “Tulsa Time,” and “Good Ole Boys Like Me.” He additionally managed the Statler Brothers’ publishing company, American Cowboy Music, guiding their continued success. Tremendously respected and well-liked on Music Row, Hall was affectionately known as “Colonel” to friends and colleagues.