Kerry Michael Chater (August 7, 1945 – February 4, 2022) was a Canadian musician and songwriter who was best known as a member of Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, but he was a successful Nashville songwriter for many years.

Musician

Chater was born on August 7, 1945 in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

. A bass player, in the mid-'60s he joined a band called The Progressives with Doug Ingle (keyboards), Gary 'Mutha' Whitem (sax) and

Danny Weis Danny Weis (pronounced ; born September 28, 1948 in Huntington Park, California) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of both Iron Butterfly and Rhinoceros, as well as co-writer of Rhinoceros's only charting single, "Apricot ...

(guitar). The Progressives eventually became part of Jeri and the Jeritones and then Palace Pages by 1965, after Jeri married Kerry. By 1966, Ingle, and Weis went off to form

Iron Butterfly Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal musi ...

and Chater and Whitem joined The Outcasts with their friend Gary Puckett and others; this eventually became The Union Gap, which was signed by Columbia Records in 1967. Over the next two years the band had four songs in the top 10. Chater did much of the arranging for the live shows, wrote or co-wrote some of the album cuts and b-sides, and on rare occasions did a shared lead vocal. Chater and Gary "Mutha" Withem, the original keyboardist, left the band in 1970 as its popularity was declining. Chater spent the next five years studying musical theater with

Lehman Engel A. Lehman Engel (born September 14, 1910, Jackson, Mississippi - died August 29, 1982, New York City) was an American composer and conductor of Broadway musicals, television and film. Work in theatre, television and films Engel worked in a varie ...

. Chater released two solo albums in the late 1970s: ''Part Time Love'' (1977) and ''Love on a Shoestring'' (1978); neither charted.

Songwriter

With veteran songwriter

Charlie Black Charles Frank Black (November 23, 1949 – April 23, 2021) was an American country music songwriter and record producer. Biography Black graduated from University of Maryland in 1970 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee the same year. His first c ...

, Chater wrote "I Know a Heartache When I See One", which reached number 19 on the US and number 10 on the US country chart in 1979 for

Jennifer Warnes Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947) is an American singer and songwriter. She has performed as a vocalist on a number of film soundtracks. She has won two Grammy Awards, in 1983 for the Joe Cocker duet "Up Where We Belong" and in 1987 for ...

. Chater has also written hits with Glen Ballard and Rory Bourke ("

You Look So Good in Love "You Look So Good in Love" is a song written by Glen Ballard, Rory Bourke and Kerry Chater, and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in September 1983 as the lead single from his album '' Right or Wrong''. ...

"), singer Renee Armand ("

What She Wants "What She Wants" is a song written by Renee Armand and Kerry Chater and recorded by American country music artist Michael Martin Murphey. It was released in November 1984 as the lead single from his compilation album ''The Best of Michael Martin M ...

"), and his wife, Lynn Gillespie Chater ("

I Meant to Do That "I Meant to Do That" is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music artist Paul Brandt. It was released in November 1996 as the third single from his debut album '' Calm Before the Storm''. The song reached number 39 on the ''Billbo ...

", with

Paul Brandt Paul Rennée Belobersycky (born July 21, 1972), known professionally as Paul Brandt, is a Canadian country music artist. Growing up in Calgary, he was a pediatric RN at the time of his big break. In 1996, he made his mark on the country music c ...

). The song "

I.O.U. An IOU (abbreviated from the phrase "I owe you") is usually an informal document acknowledging debt. An IOU differs from a promissory note in that an IOU is not a negotiable instrument and does not specify repayment terms such as the time of rep ...

", co-written with Austin Roberts, was a nominee for the 1984

Grammy Award for Best Country Song The Grammy Award for Best Country Song (sometimes known as the Country Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1965. The award is given to the songwriter(s) of the song, not to the artist, except if the artist is also the songwriter. There ha ...

Lee Greenwood Melvin Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He also plays the saxophone. Active since 1962, he has released more than 20 major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the ''Billboa ...

's performance of the song won him the

Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance was awarded between 1965 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes: *From 1965 to 1967 the award was known as Best Country & Western Vocal Performance - Male *In 1968 it was a ...

Charting songs

*"So Hard Livin' Without You" (Chater/John Bettis) - 1978 #62 for the band Airwaves *"I Know a Heartache When I See One" (Chater/

) - 1979 #19 US, #10 country for

*"Love Knows We Tried" (Chater/

Jan Crutchfield Jan Crutchfield (February 26, 1938 – October 30, 2012) was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known for writing "Statue of a Fool", which was first recorded in 1969 by Jack Greene and was a No. 1 hit on the Hot Count ...

/ Rory Bourke) - 1980 #40 country for

Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, " Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature in ...

*"Love on a Shoestring" (Chater/Douglas L. A. Foxworthy) - 1980 #55 Hot 100 for

Captain and Tennille Captain & Tennille were American recording artists whose primary success occurred in the 1970s. The husband-and-wife team were "Captain" Daryl Dragon (1942–2019) and Toni Tennille (born 1940). They have five albums certified gold or platinum ...

; original by Chater on his album ''Love on a Shoestring'' (1978) *"

Even a Fool Would Let Go "Even a Fool Would Let Go" is a country and pop song by songwriters Tom Snow and Kerry Chater (a former member of Gary Puckett & The Union Gap). The song lyrics meditate on a tempting but imprudent and perhaps adulterous ("neither one of us is f ...

" (Chater/

Tom Snow Thomas Righter Snow (born 1947 in Princeton, New Jersey) is an American songwriter. Biography Snow has written songs for Gayle McCormick "(Even a Fool Would Let Go" with Kerry Chater – a song covered by a number of artists including Kenny ...

) - 1980 #61 country hit for

Charlie Rich Charles Allan Rich (December 14, 1932July 25, 1995) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. His eclectic style of music was often difficult to classify, encompassing the rockabilly, jazz, blues, country, soul, and gospel g ...

; many covers *"

(Want You) Back in My Life Again "(Want You) Back in My Life Again" is a song by the popular group the Carpenters, the second single off their album '' Made in America'', released in 1981. The song reached #72 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Its B-side was "Somebody's Been L ...

" (Chater/Chris Christian) - 1981 #72 Hot 100, #14 AC for

The Carpenters The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters) were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct, soft, musical style, combining Karen's contr ...

" (Chater/ Austin Roberts) - 1983 #6 country hit for

; nominee for 1984 Grammy for Best Country Song *"Stranger at My Door" (Chater/ Rory Bourke/Charlie Black) - 1983 #45 country for

Juice Newton Judith Kay "Juice" Newton (born February 18, 1952) is an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician. Newton has received five Grammy Award nominations in the Pop and Country Best Female Vocalist categorieswinning once in 1983as well ...

" (Chater/ Glen Ballard/Rory Michael Bourke) - 1983 #1 country hit for

George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, he was credited for ...

You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving "You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving" is a song written by Dickey Lee and Kerry Chater, and recorded by American country music artist Reba McEntire. It was released in January 1983 as the third single from the album '' Unlimited'' ...

" (Chater/

Dickey Lee Royden Dickey Lipscomb (born September 21, 1936), known professionally as Dickey Lee (sometimes misspelled Dickie or Dicky), is an American pop/country singer and songwriter, best known for the 1960s teenage tragedy songs " Patches" and "Laurie ( ...

) - 1983 #1 country hit for

Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music singer and actress. Dubbed " the Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the 1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 single ...

" (Chater/Renee Armand) - 1984 #8 country hit for Michael Martin Murphey *"You've Got a Soft Place to Fall" (Chater/

Bob McDill Robert Lee McDill (born April 4, 1944) is a retired American songwriter, active from the 1960s until 2000. During his career he wrote or co-wrote 31 number one country hits. His songs were also recorded by popular artists of the 1970s, 1980s an ...

/H. Moore) - 1984 #44 country for

Kathy Mattea Kathleen Alice Mattea (born June 21, 1959) is an American country music and bluegrass singer. Active since 1984 as a recording artist, she has charted more than 30 singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including four that reac ...

*"If Every Man Had a Woman Like You" (Chater/Ballard/Dahlstrom) - 1984 #39 country hit for

The Osmonds The Osmonds were an American family music group who reached the height of their fame in the early to mid-1970s. The group had its best-known configurations as a quartet (billed as the Osmond Brothers) and a quintet (as the Osmonds). The group ...

*" If I Had You" (Chater/Danny "Bear" Mayo) - 1989 #1 country hit for

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

*"Hey Mister (I Need This Job)" (Chater/Renee Armand) - 1992 #28 country for Shenandoah *"

" (L. G. Chater/K. Chater/

) - 1996 #39 country (#1 Canadian country) for Paul Brandt *" That's the Way It Goes" (Chater/L. G. Chater/Cyril Rawson) - 1996 #19 Canadian AC for

Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray was the fir ...

*"You Go First (Do You Wanna Kiss)" (Chater/L. G. Chater/Cyril Rawson) - 1999 #25 country for

Jessica Andrews Jessica Danielle Andrews (born December 29, 1983) is an American country music singer. At age 15 in mid-1999, she made her debut on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts with the single "I Will Be There ...

Personal life and death

Chater was married to Lynn Gillespie-Chater, songwriter and co-author of their novel series "Kill Point". His mother was best selling

Regency romance Regency romances are a subgenre of romance novels set during the period of the British Regency (1811–1820) or early 19th century. Rather than simply being versions of contemporary romance stories transported to a historical setting, Regency ro ...

author

Elizabeth Chater Elizabeth Eileen Chater (August 22, 1910 – November 10, 2004) was a Canadian writer of novels and poetry, and a professor at San Diego State University. Biography Chater was born August 22, 1910 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Her ...

. Son Kerry Chater Jr. is a guitarist, and son Christopher John Chater is a science fiction author. He died in Nashville, Tennessee on February 4, 2022, at the age of 76.

Albums

*''Part Time Love'' (1977) *''Love on a Shoestring'' (1978) NOTE: Both were released on CD in 2014 by Real Gone Music.

References