Kenny O'Dell, Grammy-winning 'Behind Closed Doors' songwriter, dead at 73

Kenny O'Dell, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member, Grammy Award winner and long-time advocate for songwriters, died on Wednesday. He was 73. 

O'Dell wrote country classics "Behind Closed Doors," a No. 1 single recorded by Charlie Rich in 1973, and the Judds' 1984 hit "Mama He's Crazy."
 
O'Dell was one of the longest serving members for the board of directors for the Nashville Songwriters Association International, earning the reputation as a devoted proponent for songwriters.

"Kenny was one of my favorite people and songwriters ever," said NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. "He was a lovely man."

He was born Kenneth Guy Gist, Jr. on June 21, 1944 in Antlers, Okla. He moved to Nashville in 1969 after he changed his name to O'Dell because it was easier to pronounce, according to his biography on the hall of fame's website.

O'Dell took to songwriting and the music industry at a young age. He began writing songs at age 13 and launched his own record label, Mar-Kay, after graduating high school.

After relocating to Music City, O'Dell led the publishing company House of Gold, and penned songs for the likes of Dottie West, Tanya Tucker and Kenny Rogers.

As a recording artist, O'Dell released a trio of albums between 1968-1978. His biggest hit was "Let's Shake Hands and Come Out Lovin'," the title track of a 1978 LP. The single went to No. 9. 

"Behind Closed Doors," recorded by Rich and produced by Billy Sherrill, was a colossal success for O'Dell. It won the award for CMA Song of the Year and a Grammy for best country song. It ranks among BMI's 50 most-played country songs ever, according to the hall of fame website. In 2017, O'Dell said the song, with its lyric "No one knows what goes on behind closed doors," was inspired by the Watergate scandal. He turned that idea into a steamy ballad. "I always bent towards love songs," O'Dell said. "That's the only thing I knew anything about." 

More:Charlie Rich's 'Behind Closed Doors' was inspired by Watergate?

While his songs were recorded by titans of country music such as Loretta Lynn and Charlie Pride, O'Dell continued touring as a solo artist as well, recording songs like "My Honky Tonk Ways." In 1984, he won NSAI Songwriter of the Year. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1996. 

O'Dell was married to the Nashville guitarist and singer Corki Casey O'Dell, who died last year. "I'm not sure Kenny ever got over losing his wife," said Herbison. "That was hard for him and wore it. As proud as he was to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, he was even prouder when she was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame." 

Visitation will be held 2-8 p.m. on Saturday at Woodbine-Hickory Chapel (5852 Nolensville Rd.).

Reach Nate Rau at 615-259-8094 and nrau@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tnnaterau. Reach Juli Thanki at jthanki@tennessean.com.