Walt Aldridge
November 12, 1955
2018 Inductee

Walt Aldridge, a songwriter, singer, musician, engineer and producer has exercised his musical skills in Muscle Shoals and Nashville for twenty years.

Billboard magazine named Aldridge one of the Top Ten Country Songwriters of the year in 1989 and 1991 on the strength of such songs as Rickey Van Shelton's "I Am A Simple Man". His song "(There Ain't) No Gettin' Over Me" was ASCAP's most performed country song in 1982 and in the top 5 in 1983. "Holding Her and Loving You" was named song of the year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International. In 1992, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame awarded Aldridge with a bronze star in their Walk of Fame.

Aldridge was lead singer, guitarist and producer for the country rock group The Shooters, and wrote or cowrote all their Top 40 singles. The Shooters were among Billboard's Top 10 New Country Artists of the Year in 1987.

His work spans a wide spectrum of music, including the technopop song "My Love Is Chemical" which was recorded by Lou Reed as part of the soundtrack for the movie "White Nights", starring Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov. His songs have been recorded by a diverse group of artists - from Conway Twitty to peter Cetera and Pam Tillis to Blessid Union of Souls.

Although his primary focus has been songwriting, he has found time to lend his management skills to Fame and Rick Hall Publishing and Fame Productions and a co-publishing venture with EMI Music called Waltz Time Music. Additionally, he is becoming more and more involved with production. His credits include Lacy J. Dalton, Marty Stuart, Linda Davis, T.G. Sheppard, Fish Heads and Rice, and Jason Sellers. A new production agreement with Arista promises to involve Aldridge even more with record production.

Walt Aldridge has earned success in many areas of the music industry as a singer, musician, engineer, producer, publisher, and songwriter.

Billboard Magazine named him one of the Top 10 Country Songwriters of the year in 1989 on the strength of such songs as Shenandoah's hit "See If I Care." His song (There's) No Gettin' Over Me" was ASCAP's most performed country song in 1982 and in the Top 5 in 1983. "Holding Her And Loving You" was named "Song Of The Year" by the Nashville Songwriters Association, International.

Other hits include "Leave Him Out Of This," "I Am A Simple Man," "Crime Of Passion," "In Over My Heart," and "Doncha."