Georgia Music Songwriters / Producers / Others H - M

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As an agent, Hodges represented such acts as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, the Allman Brothers Band, the Atlanta Rhythm Section, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Police and the Charlie Daniels Band, and he was the manager of Stevie Ray Vaughan at the time of his death.  He was co-founder, president Paragon Agency, Macon, Georgia, 1970-1979. Founder, chief executive officer Empire Agency, Atlanta, 1979-1984. Senior vice president concert music department I.C.M., Los Angeles, 1984-1988, Vice president, head concert department Nederlander Organization, since 1988. Founder, chief executive officer Strike Force, Inc., since 1982. Advisory board department contemporary music, Georgia State College 1980-1985.

Graham W. Jackson, Sr from Atlanta, GA is known for his ability to master multiple musical instruments and was a theatre organist, pianist and choral conductor. Jackson became a personal friend of Eleanor and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, playing numerous events in Washington, DC. He was present at Roosevelt's home in Warm Springs prior to his death collaborating on Antonin Dvorak's  song "Going Home" the day before. He played the song on accordion as the train with Roosevelt on board left the station. Jackson's photo, tears coming down his face while performing, was taken by a Life Magazine photographer and appeared on the cover of the magazine. November 30, 1971, he was named Official Musician of the State of Georgia by then Governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1985.

John Jarrod was born and reared in Gainesville, Georgia, and moved to Nashville in 1977 to pursue a career as a country music songwriter. His songs have been recorded by music artists like Reba McEntire, Georgie Strait, Diamond Rio, Alabama and others.

Doug Johnson from Swainsboro, GA is a songwriter and record music producer who began working with Bill Lowery (Lowery Group). Throughout his 30-plus year career as a songwriter, Johnson has had over 100 cuts, including 7 Number One Hits and 10 Top 10’s by everyone from Bertie Higgins and Alicia Bridges to George Strait, Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, Wynonna and Kenny Rogers, among others. Johnson made history when he broke a country music record with artist Lee Brice with the hit, Love Like Crazy, which spent an amazing 56 weeks on the charts.  In 2012, Doug Johnson joined the team at Black River Entertainment as the V.P. of A&R and is currently working with the artist roster of Kelsea Ballerini, Abby Anderson, Carolina Story, Hannah Kerr and Josh Wilson. 

Archie Jordan is a singer songwriter who resides in Perkins, GA. He signed as a writer with Chess Music in 1975, and two years later Archie Jordan was to have his first single (co-written with Hal David) titled It Was Almost Like A Song. In turn, it also happened to be his first hit, and his first song recorded by a major artist.

After six years... and some major hits... including What A Difference You've Made In My Life, Let's Take The Long Way Around The World (co-written with Naomi Martin) and It's All I Can Do (co-written with Richard Leigh), Archie moved from Chess and was signed as an exclusive writer for Tree International. In the mid-eighties, Archie signed with Lorenz Creative Services. During the early nineties, he wrote for BMG, where he turned out the hits Turn That Radio On (co-writer Paul Davis) for Ronnie Milsap and Love Is Strong for Paul Overstreet (co-writer). In the mid-nineties, Archie signed a contract with Major Bob Music, owned by Bob Doyle who discovered and manages Garth Brooks.

Al Kooper is a songwriter, musician and record producer. In 1965 he co-wrote the smash hit "This Diamond Ring" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. In 1972, Al Kooper moved to Atlanta, GA attracted by the music he heard there. He discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd at a favorite hangout. Forming his own label (Sounds of the South) to put out their records, he produced their first three albums, which included the massive hits "Sweet Home Alabama," "Saturday Night Special," and "Free Bird." In 2007, Kooper was inducted into the Rock n Roll Walk of Fame in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard. Later in the year he was named as recipient of the Les Paul Award for his life's work and was presented with the award in New York City by Les Paul, himself.

Hillary Lindsey, a native of Washington, GA, is a singer songwriter known for her songs recorded by music artists like Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood and many other artists. Eleven of her number one songs as a writer are Carrie Underwood tracks.

Bill Lowery, a native of Atlanta, GA, was a music publisher and executive. A music publisher’s success is simply a reflection of its catalog of song material and its writers. Lowery Music and its related publishing entities encompass virtually every separate sector of popular music. Its more than 5,000 titles include “Games People Play,” “Down in the Boondocks,” “Ahab the Arab,” “Key Largo,” “Traces,” “Stormy.” “Imaginary Lover,” “I Knew You When” and one of the biggest hits of them all, “(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden,” Joe South’s great tune, recorded by Columbia’s Lynn Anderson.

In addition to South, a virtual who’s who of songwriters of musical Americana, were members of the Lowery Music stable. They included Mac Davis, Freddy Weller, Jerry Reed, Buddie Bute, Ray Stevens, J.R. Cobb, Tommy Roe, Razzy Bailey, Bill Anderson, Susan Hutcheson, Bertie Higgins, Steve Dorff and Alicia Bridges, among others. Virtually all were hit recording artists as well. And artists as diverse as Brenda Lee, Billy Joe Royal, the Classic our, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, Linda Ronstadt, Mick Jagger, Gloria Estefan, Wynonna, David Sanborn and Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Orchestra have all recorded Lowery-published songs!