Bob Dylan's Coffee Table: November 2007

Julius Dixon, Beverly Ross, and Fred Neil

Julius Edward Dixson (who also used the spelling Dixon) (May 20, 1913 - January 30, 2004) was born in Barnwell, South Carolina. He had greatest success co-writing with Beverly Ross, a rare musical pairing of an African-American male and a white female in the 1950s. Their first major hit was "Dim, Dim The Lights", which Bill Haley recorded in 1954. Also with Ross, Dixson co-wrote "Lollipop" for the duo Ronald and Ruby. It was later an even bigger hit for the Chordettes.

Fred Neil (March 16, 1936 – July 7, 2001) was an important American blues and folk singer and songwriter in the 1960s and early 1970s. He is best remembered for writing the top 40 hits "Candy Man" (with Beverly Ross) and "Everybody's Talkin'".

"Dim, Dim the Lights" performed by Bill Haley & the Comets
Words and Music by Beverly Ross & Julius Dixson

"Lollipop" performed by The Chordettes
Words and Music by Beverly Ross & Julius Dixson

"Candy Man" performed by Roy Orbison
Words and Music by Beverly Ross & Fred Neil

"Everybody's Talkin'" performed by Nilsson
Words and Music by Fred Neil

John D. Loudermilk, songwriter

John D. Loudermilk (born March 31, 1934 in Durham, North Carolina) is an American singer and songwriter. Loudermilk grew up in a family who were members of the Salvation Army faith and was influenced by the church singing. His cousins Ira and Charlie Loudermilk were known professionally as the Louvin Brothers. As a boy he learned to play the guitar, and while still in his teens wrote a poem that he set to music. The owners of the local television station, where he worked as a handyman, allowed him to play it on air resulting in country musician George Hamilton IV putting it on record. After Eddie Cochran had his first hit record with Loudermilk's song, "Sittin' in the Balcony", his career path in music was firmly set.

"Indian Reservation" performed by Paul Revere & the Raiders
Words & Music by John D. Loudermilk

"Tobacco Road" performed by the Nashville Teens
Words & Music by John D. Loudermilk

"Turn Me On" performed by Norah Jones
Words & Music by John D. Loudermilk

"Waterloo" performed by Stonewall Jackson
Words & Music by John D. Loudermilk & Marijohn Wilkin*
(*Marijohn Wilkin was also a co-writer on Long Black Veil.)

"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" performed by John D. Loudermilk
Words & Music by John D. Loudermilk

Jimmy Webb, songwriter

Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter who has written some of the most memorable and innovative music of his generation. From his initial musical success with "Up, Up, and Away," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman," "Galveston," and "MacArthur Park" to his critically acclaimed solo albums, Webb has had an enduring influence on popular songwriting.

"The Highwayman" performed by The Highwaymen
Words and Music by Jimmy Webb

"Wichita Lineman" performed by Glen Campbell
Words and Music by Jimmy Webb

"Up, Up and Away" performed by The 5th Dimension
Words and Music by Jimmy Webb

"Worst That Could Happen" performed by Johnny Maestro & Brooklyn Bridge
Words and Music by Jimmy Webb

Paul Anka, songwriter

Paul Albert Anka, OC (born 30 July 1941, in Ottawa Ontario) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor. Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hits songs like 'Diana', 'Lonely Boy', and 'Put Your Head on My Shoulder'. He went on to write such well known music as 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' for Buddy Holly, the theme for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Tom Jones' biggest hit 'She's A Lady', and the English lyrics for Frank Sinatra's signature song 'My Way.'

"She's a Lady" performed by Tom Jones
Words and Music by Paul Anka

"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" performed by Linda Ronstadt
Words and Music by Paul Anka

"Johnny's Theme" performed by the Tonight Show Band
Music by Paul Anka and Johnny Carson
(based on Paul's song "Toot Sweet", see below)

"Toot Sweet" performed by Annette Funicello
Words and Music by Paul Anka

"My Way" performed by Sid Vicious
Words and Music by Jacques Revaux, Claude François, Gilles Thibault (en francais) & Paul Anka (english words)

Cindy Walker, songwriter

Cindy Walker, (July 20, 1918 - March 23, 2006) was an American singer/songwriter and dancer. Born in Mart, Texas, Walker wrote a great many hit songs for a number of country music stars such as Bob Wills, Eddy Arnold, and Carl Smith. In 2006 American music icon Willie Nelson released a CD album featuring 13 of Walker's well-known songs. The album title is You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker.

"You Don't Know Me" performed by Willie Nelson
Words and Music by Cindy Walker and Eddy Arnold

"I Don't Care" performed by Webb Pierce
Words and Music by Cindy Walker and Webb Pierce

"Cherokee Maiden" performed by Asleep At The Wheel & special guests
Words and Music by Cindy Walker

"Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream?)" performed by Roy Orbison & special guests
Words and Music by Cindy Walker

Same songwriter. Different year. (#1)

Jim Peterik (born November 11, 1950 Berwyn, Illinois) is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the keyboard player of the band Survivor and as vocalist & songwriter of the hit song "Vehicle" by The Ides of March. (Jim Peterik myspace)

"Vehicle" performed by The Ides of March
Words and Music by Jim Peterik

"Eye of the Tiger" performed by Survivor
Words and Music by Jim Peterik & Frankie Sullivan

Boudleaux & Felice Bryant, songwriters

Felice Bryant (August 7, 1925 – April 22, 2003) and Boudleaux Bryant – (February 13, 1920June 26, 1987) were an American wife and husband country music songwriting team who were also at the forefront of the evolution of pop music. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1991.

"Hey Joe" performed by Carl Smith
Words and Music by Boudleaux Bryant

"Love Hurts" performed by Nazareth
Words and Music by Boudleaux Bryant

"Rocky Top" performed by Bobby Osborne of The Osborne Brothers
Words and Music by Boudleaux & Felice Bryant

"Wake Up, Little Suzie" performed by The Everly Brothers
Words and Music by Boudleaux & Felice Bryant

Hoyt Axton, songwriter

Hoyt Axton (March 25, 1938 – October 26, 1999) was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He was born in Duncan, Oklahoma and was raised in Comanche, Oklahoma.

"Never Been to Spain" performed by Elvis Presley
Words and Music by Hoyt Axton & David Jackson

"No No Song" performed by Ringo Starr & the Smothers Brothers
Words and Music by Hoyt Axton

"Joy to the World" performed by Three Dog Night
Words and Music by Hoyt Axton

"Lion in the Winter" performed by Hoyt Axton and Linda Ronstadt
Words and Music by Hoyt Axton

Shel Silverstein, songwriter

Shel Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 10, 1999) kept a low profile but cast a long shadow. Silverstein was a true Renaissance man who was accomplished in several fields including songwriting.