Keith Gattis was a country singer who wrote hits for Kenny Chesney and George Strait.
- Died: April 23, 2023 (Who else died on April 23?)
- Details of death: Died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 52.
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Keith Gattis’ legacy
Gattis first entered the country music world singing his own music on his 1996 self-titled debut album. It yielded the singles “Little Drops of My Heart” and “Real Deal,” which achieved moderate popularity on country radio. Gattis would have greater success with the songs he wrote for other musicians. While “El Cerrito Place” was initially recorded by Gattis for his second album, “Big City Blues,” which was released in 2005, it was Chesney’s version of the song that made it to the Top Ten in 2012; the song had also been recorded by Charlie Robinson in 2004 but failed to chart. Chesney had another hit in 2013 with the Gattis-penned “When I See This Bar.” George Strait went on to chart Gattis’ songs “I Got a Car” and “Let It Go.” In addition to recording his own music, Gattis played guitar with musicians including Dwight Yoakam and Johnny Paycheck (1938–2003).
Notable quote
“Until I started playing, I didn’t realize how much I was steeped in really traditional country. All that stuff came naturally for me. I figured out later how much I was influenced by my dad taking me to the bar when I was four or five. He’d set me up with a cherry Coke, and he’d have a couple of Pearl beers, and I’d hear all those songs on the jukebox.” —from an interview for the East Nashvillian
Tributes to Keith Gattis
Full obituary: American Songwriter
