Patrick J. Alger (born September 23, 1947, in LaGrange, GeorgiaCarlin 2003, p. 3.) is an American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

songwriter, singer and guitarist and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (2010) and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame (2013).

Early life and work

Patrick J. Alger was born in 1947 in LaGrange, Georgia. Alger attended Georgia Tech studying architecture but decided to concentrate on writing songs. He started as a solo folk performer at folk clubs.Miller 1996, p. 9. In 1973, he moved to Woodstock, New York. It was there where he began his career as a musician and songwriter working together with Happy and Artie Traum as a member of the Woodstock Mountains Revue. The group included the Traum brothers, Arlen Roth, John Herald and Maria Muldaur among others. Some of the songs he wrote during this period were "Old Time Music" and "Southern Crescent Line."

Career

In 1980, his first success as a songwriter was after Livingston Taylor had a hit with "First Time Love". The next year, in 1981, he moved to

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

. 1984-88, he toured with

The Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...

in the United States and in Europe. He teamed with

Nanci Griffith Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She often appeared on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'', starting in 1985 during season 10. In 1990, Griffith appeared on th ...

, and co-wrote Griffith's hit songs " Once in a Very Blue Moon" and "Lone Star State of Mind." Some of his songs were recorded by Kathy Mattea such as "Goin' Gone", "She Came From Fort Worth", and "A Few Good Things Remain." He wrote four Number One hits for

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...

like " Unanswered Prayers", "What She's Doing Now", " The Thunder Rolls", and "That Summer." He also wrote hits for Hal Ketchum, " Small Town Saturday Night," for Trisha Yearwood, "Like We Never Had A Broken Heart," for

Don Williams Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing p ...

, " True Love", and for Mark Collie, "Calloused Hands." Through the years, his songs are recorded and performed by such diverse artists as Peter, Paul and Mary,

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...

, Lyle Lovett,

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, and Crystal Gayle. He has three critically-acclaimed solo albums in the 1990s featuring backup by Griffith, Lovett, Mattea, and Yearwood.Miller 1996, p. 10. He has well over twenty hits to his credit, including eight Number One hits, and played venues all over the world, including a year-long tour as opening act for

. He starred in the 30th anniversary of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts gala. He is featured on NPR Radio's " All Things Considered" and " Fresh Air", and hosted, along with fellow HOF inductee Tony Arata, WSM's radio show featuring past HOF inductees. The Music City Center, in Nashville, opened May 2013, and houses a permanent home for the NSAI inductees. The first floor gallery and outdoor courtyard features Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members. It is the project of the Nashville Songwriter's Foundation, of which Alger is a board member. His advocacy for the songwriter and their intellectual property rights is well-known as is the efforts of NSAI and NSF.

Awards

1991, he was voted Songwriter of the Year by the Nashville Songwriter's Association International. The same year, he was voted Jukebox Songwriter of the Year by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, ASCAP. 1992, he received the Country Songwriter of the Year award from ASCAP. Country Music Association awarded him two Triple Play awards for three Number One hits in a year. 2010, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He serves as Chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, and is a two-time past President of Nashville Songwriters Association International. Pat Alger was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in September 2013 Miller 1996, p. 11.

Discography

Alger first recorded one duet album with Artie Traum and then three solo albums: * ''From The Heart'' (1980) * ''True Love & Other Short Stories'' – Sugar Hill Records (1991) * ''Seeds'' – Sugar Hill Records (1993) * ''Notes and Grace Notes'' (1994)

Notes

References

* Carlin, Richard (2003), ''Country Music: A Biographical Dictionary'', Taylor & Francis * Miller, Zell (1996), ''They Heard Georgia Singing'', Mercer University Press. .

External links

Pat Alger Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2015) {{DEFAULTSORT:Alger, Pat 1947 births Living people People from LaGrange, Georgia American country singer-songwriters Country musicians from Georgia (U.S. state) Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)