Born 79 Years Ago Today, This Hit Songwriter Nearly Died in a Fire Before Writing Classics for Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, and Randy Travis

On this day (June 28) in 1947, Kim Williams was born in Kingsport, Tennessee. He was a touring musician and songwriter before settling down to raise a family. Then, in his 20s, Williams nearly lost his life in a workplace fire. This pushed him to return to the music world. He wrote hits for Garth Brooks, Joe Diffie, Reba McEntire, and others. He also co-penned Randy Travis’ 2003 smash hit “Three Wooden Crosses.”

Williams was writing songs by the time he was 11 years old. As soon as he could, he joined a variety of bands. His years as a musician took him throughout the South and Midwest. However, that didn’t last. Settled down, got married, and started a family. He also started working as an electrician.

[RELATED: On This Day in 2002, Randy Travis Released an Award-Winning No. 1 Single That Made Chart History and Has Inspired Countless Listeners]

According to a piece written by his daughter, Amanda Colleen Williams, he was working as an electrician in a float glass plant when a panel arced and caused third-degree burns across most of his body. A biography from the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame notes that he underwent more than 200 surgeries during his recovery. Many of his treatments took place at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. After multiple trips to Music City, he caught the music bug once again.

Kim Williams Put in the Work

According to Ms. Williams, Kim threw as much of himself as he could into his songwriting. He spent hours in his study practicing guitar and studying books on songcraft. Additionally, he regularly attended meetings of the Knoxville Songwriters Association.

Williams eventually got an apartment on Music Row in Nashville. It was a “dingy, cockroach-infested craphole,” but it allowed him to network and make vital connections. One of those connections was Peggy Bradley, who introduced him to a then-unknown singer/songwriter named Garth Brooks. Together, in the abovementioned apartment, they wrote multiple hits, including “Papa Loved Mama.”

The Hard Work Paid Off

Kim Williams co-wrote “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)” with Ken Spooner. In 1991, Joe Diffie took it to the top of the chart, giving Williams his first No. 1 as a songwriter. A year later, “Papa Loved Mama” went to No. 3.

The list of artists who had major hits with Williams’ songs reads like a who’s who of country music in the 1990s and early 2000s. Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Sammy Kershaw, Kenny Chesney, Doug Stone, Rascal Flatts, and Clay Walker are among them.

One of the most memorable hits from Williams’ deep catalog is “Three Wooden Crosses.” He co-wrote it with Doug Johnson, and Randy Travis took it to No. 1 in 2003. It was his first chart-topper since 1994 and became his only crossover hit when it reached No. 31 on the Hot 100. It also won Song of the Year at the ACM and CMA Awards, as well as Country Song of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards.

When Williams passed away in November 2016, he left behind an immortal legacy in the countless songs he wrote and co-wrote. He is a prime example of what can be done with the right combination of tenacity and ambition.

Featured Image by Lester Cohen/Getty Images

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