Bob Beckham

Robert Joseph Beckham (July 8, 1927 – November 11, 2013) was an American country music publisher based in Nashville, who mentored generations of songwriters as head of Combine Music Publishing from 1964 to 1989. He played a pivotal role in the career of Kris Kristofferson and guided other artists including Dolly Parton, Larry Gatlin, Tony Joe White and Billy Swan.

As a young man, he had stint of acting in motion pictures in Hollywood and he himself became a recording artist with some fleeting success — but Beckham turned to music publishing in 1961 as his primary career. In the 1970s, Beckham became a major power on Music Row, and nurtured many great songwriters who wrote classic hits like "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Sunday Morning Coming Down" (Kris Kristofferson), and Elvis Presley's "Burning Love" (Dennis Linde). Beckham was a gruff but supportive father figure to his staff songwriters, whom he truly loved. He was given the Mentor Award by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Nashville Entertainment Association presented him with its Master Award in 1988 and he received the Pioneer Award by the Academy of Country Music in 2014. Beckham died in 2013 in a Nashville hospital at age 86.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 8, 1927 (Oklahoma), Died November 11, 2013 (Hermitage)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1958 - 1964

Roles Represented in DAHR: performer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-47 of 47 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 11386 1/7/1961 Like a fool Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11572 6/6/1961 Counting mistakes Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11573 6/6/1961 Midnight Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11574 6/6/1961 I'm wondering Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11575 6/6/1961 How soon (will I be seeing you) Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11783 10/28/1961 Ten thousand teardrops (and one broken heart) Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11784 10/28/1961 The sound of a breaking heart Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11785 10/28/1961 Ivory tower Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11786 10/28/1961 Just friends Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11989 3/29/1962 All the time Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11990 3/29/1962 I'll take my chances Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11991 3/29/1962 I cry like a baby Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 11992 3/29/1962 After the laughter Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12188 9/4/1962 My heart would know Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12189 9/4/1962 Out of my mind Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12190 9/4/1962 Building memories Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12191 9/4/1962 Memory mountain Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12453 3/28/1963 Grabbing at rainbows Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12454 3/28/1963 Footprints Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12455 3/28/1963 After the heartache Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12796 1/24/1964 I'll be around Bob Beckham performer  
Decca NA 12797 1/24/1964 Helpless Bob Beckham performer  
(Results 26-47 of 47 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Beckham, Bob," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/303607.

Beckham, Bob. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/303607.

"Beckham, Bob." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/303607

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