Sonny Throckmorton: The Journey of a Prolific Songwriter in Country Music
Sonny Throckmorton, born on April 2, 1941, in Carlsbad, New Mexico, had a successful career as a songwriter despite a brief stint as a recording artist. Moving to Nashville in 1964, he signed with Tree Publishing and achieved his first hit with "How Long Has It Been" in 1966. However, after a decade of unsuccessful songs, he returned to Texas feeling like a failure. Surprisingly, his songs started selling immediately after leaving Tennessee, prompting Tree's president to urge him to return to Nashville.
Dave & Sugar's success with "I'm Knee Deep in Loving You" in 1977 marked a turning point for Throckmorton, leading to hits by Merle Haggard and Jerry Lee Lewis. Throughout the next decade, his songs were recorded by various artists, earning him accolades such as Songwriter of the Year and BMI's Songwriter of the Year. His composition "Why Not Me" for the Judds won the ACM Award for Song of the Year in 1984, and he was later inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Despite retiring in 1988, Throckmorton's songs continued to be recorded by numerous artists, solidifying his legacy as a prolific and successful songwriter in the country music industry.