9 Years Ago Today, We Said Goodbye to the Louisiana-Born Songwriter and Producer Behind Hits by Trace Adkins, Tracy Lawrence, and Aaron Tippin

On this day (October 1) in 2017, acclaimed Nashville songwriter Kenny Beard died at age 58 in Lebanon, Tennessee. Also a music manager and record producer, Beard’s songwriting resume includes “My Second Home” by Tracy Lawrence, “The Rest of Mine” by Trace Adkins, and Aaron Tippin’s post-9/11 crossover hit “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly”.

Kenny Beard’s obituary described him as “an accomplished songwriter, unlicensed therapist to many; also a music manager and record producer, friend and ‘Yoda’ to most.” 

He was survived by his wife, Amy Kramer Beard, three daughters  Cali, Amanda, Alyson, and his grandpup “PawPaw’s Pretty Girl” Phoebe Beard.

Remembering Kenny Beard

Born on February 26, 1959, in Ringgold, Louisiana, Kenny “KB” Beard moved to Nashville in 1986. He began working as a songwriter, scoring his first charting hit with John Conlee’s comedic 1990 single “Doghouse”.

Beard penned multiple Top 5 songs for Tracy Lawrence in the 1990s. Those include “Today’s Lonely Fool” (1992); the number-one hit “My Second Home” (1992); and “As Any Fool Can See” (1994).

Along with Lawrence and Paul Nelson, Beard also wrote “If the World Had a Front Porch” for the two-time ACM Award winner’s 1994 album I See It Now.

The song — which venerates old-fashioned family values and invokes slow summer days on the front porch — spent 20 weeks on the U.S. country singles chart. It peaked at number two.

If the world had a front porch like we did back then / We’d still have our problems, but we’d all be friends, Lawrence sings in the chorus. Treating your neighbor like he’s your next of kin / Wouldn’t be gone with the wind / If the world had a front porch like we did back then.

His Songwriting Collaboration With Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins is another 1990s country star who owes a great deal of his success to Kenny Beard.

The two-time ACM Award winner has notched several high-charting hits with his fellow Louisianian’s compositions. That includes 1997’s “The Rest of Mine”, which they co-wrote after watching the 1996 romantic drama Phenomenon starring John Travolta and Kyra Sedgwick.

In the chorus, the male narrator addresses his lover: No, I can’t swear I’ll be here / For the rest of your life / But I swear I’ll love you / For the rest of mine.

“We were both afraid that it was too powerful and too big an idea for two old boys from north Louisiana to be able to write,” Adkins told Billboard. “We were a little afraid of it and really took our time to write it and make it the best we possibly could.”

[RELATED: 4 Hit Country Songs From the 1990s That Disappeared Without a Trace]

Their diligence paid off, as “The Rest of Mine” peaked at number four on the U.S. country chart. It also reached number 70 on the pop chart.

Beard also penned Aaron Tippin’s “Where The Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly” and Jeff Bates’ “The Love Song,” among others.

Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

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