Kenny O'Dell - Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 1996

#Interestingly Bottom line: in pop, Kenny O’Dell is remembered for one #Top40 hit (“Beautiful People”). In songwriting, Kenneth Gist, Jr. is a multi-decade hitmaker & a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee in 1996. Not a bad legacy for a guy with ‘one hit.’ #KennyODell #OneHitWondered

#Interestingly A decade after his success with “Behind Closed Doors,” Kenny O’Dell did it again: “Mama He’s Crazy” for The Judds. New era for the songwriter, but same instinct for emotional plainspoken lyrics. #TheJudds #KennyODell #KennethGistJr #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

Publicity photo of country singer Bobby Goldsboro

#Interestingly Once in Nashville, Kenny O’Dell didn’t just write songs... He took the reins at House of Gold, the publishing company owned by Bobby Goldsboro. That connected him with Music Row’s songwriting community. As it happened, Charlie Rich was in need of a song… #KennyODell #OneHitWondered

#QuickSidenote Some folks say that the two “Beautiful People” singles climbing the charts neck-and-neck prevented either version from reaching higher on the #Billboard #Top40 because they split the audience's attention. Is it true? Who knows… #BobbyVee #KennyODell #OneHitWondered

Clipping from the December 16, 1967 Billboard Hot 100

#QuickSidenote In a weird #Billboard factoid, both versions of “Beautiful People” entered the Hot 100 the week ending November 18, 1967… and then both reached the #Top40 the week ending December 16th. Bobby Vee’s at #37 & Kenny O’Dell trailing at #38. #BobbyVee #KennyODell #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

#QuickSidenote [ A note from the home office ] Using a real name? OK, I tend to just use the name associated with the #OHW honors… but, as you’ll see, the name Kenneth Gist, Jr. has some significance in the land of the US #OneHitWonder. #KennethGistJr #KennyODell #OneHitWondered

Singer/songwriter Kenny O'Dell

#Interestingly Kenneth Gist Jr. started writing as a teen & chased both sides of the business: his own recordings & songs other people could hit with. For his own stuff, he changed his name from the hard-to-pronounce Gist to his mother's middle name, O'Dell. #KennyODell #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

#OneHitHistory The week ending December 16, 1967, West Coast singer/songwriter Kenny O’Dell earned US #OneHitWonder honors when his version of his self-penned “Beautiful People” spent 2 weeks at #38 on the US #Billboard #Top40 before dropping from the chart. #KennyODell #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

#QuickSidenote “Lizzie and the Rainman” was written by Kenny O’Dell & Larry Henley… O’Dell had earned US #OneHitWonder honors in 1967 when his self-penned (as Kenny Gist Jr.) “Beautiful People” spent a couple of weeks on the US #Billboard #Top40. #KennyODell #OneHitWondered

#Interestingly You didn't think we were done, did ya? “Lizzie & The Rainman” was co-written by Kenny O’Dell. Kenny had earned US #OneHitWonder honors in 1967 when “Beautiful People” spent a couple of weeks on the US Top 40. #KennyODell #OneHitWondering #MusicSky www.youtube.com/watch?v=yroI...