Boudleaux Bryant

A classically trained violinist, Boudleaux Bryant played with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra during the 1937-38 season. Drawn to country fiddlin' music, he joined a band and while performing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1945, met and married elevator operator, Matilda Genevieve "Felice" Scaduto. They began writing songs together and working for Acuff-Rose Music in Nashville, Tennessee, composed the classic 50s Pop and Country hit songs, "Bye Bye Love", "Wake Up, Little Susie", "Problems", "Poor Jenny", "Take a Message To Mary", and "All I Have to Do is Dream". They also wrote the classic country song, "Rocky Top" which became the official state song for Tennessee in 1982 and the "fight song" for the University of Tennessee sports teams. Boudleaux and Felice Bryant were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987, just a few months before his death. In 1991 they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. During their careers, the Bryants earned a total of 59 BMI Country, R&B, and Pop music awards.