TOMMY BRASFIELD

Instruments: Songwriter
Date of Birth: October 28, 1953
Place of Birth: Jasper, Alabama

Tommy Brasfield moved to the Shoals area as a child where he attended school and graduated from Muscle Shoals High School.

By the age of 19, Brasfield was a hit songwriter, having penned the hit "Angel In Your Arms", which the group Hot took to the top of the Pop Charts. Barbara Mandrell recorded the song, taking it to Number 5 in the Country Charts.

At the time of his death in late 1989, Brasfield had written a total of over 20 Top 10 singles and had made the Top 5 in every chart except gospel and jazz.

Brasfield also wrote "There's No Gettin' Over Me" for Ronnie Milsap, which climbed to Number 1 on the Country and Adult Contemporary charts and Number 5 on the Pop Charts. The song was the most performed country song in the world in 1982, according to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

His song "Holding Her and Loving You," recorded by Earl Thomas Conley, was a Number 1 Country hit. The song earned "Song of the Year" honors in 1982 from the Nashville Songwriter's Association, International, and was named one of the Top 10 songs of the year by Music City News. Conley later recorded Brasfield's "Once In A Blue Moon", which was also a Number 1 Country hit.

T.G. Sheppard recorded several of Brasfield's songs, including "One Owner Heart," "I'm In Over My Heart," and "Half Past Forever", all Top 5 records. Other Number 1 hits include "Till You're Gone," by Barbara Mandrell, and "She Sure Got Away With My Heart" by John Anderson.

During the mid-80s, Brasfield moved into the field of production, working with country acts such as Canyon for 16th Avenue Records.

*Chart position is based on Billboard Magazine Pop, Country, R&B, & A/C Charts. Other music industry charts may have shown higher chart positions.

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