Over the course of his half-century involvement with the music industry, Jerry Crutchfield wore many hats. He'd been an artist, a songwriter, a producer, and a label head. And in each role he was one of the most respected men around Nashville. After moving there in the early '60s, Crutchfield moved his focus from performing on-stage to working as a behind-the-scenes player at Tree Publishing. Under Tree owner Buddy Killen's tutelage, Crutchfield's songwriting and producing skills grew to such a level that by the mid-'60s, he started MCA Music and built the company into an industry powerhouse with a roster that included Don Schlitz, Gary Burr, and Dave Loggins, among others. Continuing to build on his successes, Crutchfield began producing various artists full-time; after working with Tanya Tucker, the two began a longterm professional relationship that saw Crutchfield helming much of the teenage singer's output in the '70s. Known throughout the industry as a first-class talent scout, Crutchfield took pride in being able to foster and guide the careers of younger artists the same way he did with Tucker. He achieved similar success with Nashville artist Tracy Byrd. Jerry Crutchfield died on January 11, 2022 at the age of 87. ~ Steve Kurutz, Rovi