Tim DuBois

James Timothy DuBois (born May 4, 1948 is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Nashville-based songwriter and recording industry executive who has headed both Arista Records (Nashville Division) and Universal South Records.[1] As a songwriter he wrote five No. 1 country hits. His most successful song was the world-wide hit "Love in the First Degree" recorded by the group Alabama.

Tim DuBois
in Nashville, October 17, 2019
Born
James Timothy DuBois

(1948-05-04) May 4, 1948
Southwest City, Missouri, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materOklahoma State University
OccupationSongwriter, Record producer, Talent manager, Music executive
Years active1977–present

DuBois' started playing guitar in bands as a youth. He received three academic scholarships to Oklahoma State University to study accounting; he earned two advanced degrees and became a senior financial analyst for the Texas Federal Reserve Bank, as well as worked for Arthur Anderson. While pursuing his PhD., DuBois became interested in country music and began writing songs, eventually leading him to move to Nashville to pursue music. Writing successful songs led to his becoming a record producer, creating over 20 No. 1 and top five singles and more than a dozen gold, platinum, and double-platinum country albums. In 1984, he created the musical group Restless Heart. He was tapped by Clive Davis to create a Nashville office of Arista Records in 1989. He discovered and signed country artists Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, Blackhawk, Pam Tillis and Diamond Rio, all within an 18 month period.[2]

DuBois was recognized as the "most powerful person in the music industry" by Business Nashville in 1996, "Record Executive of the year" in 1992 by Pollstar, and was included in Entertainment Weekly’s list of the "101 Most Powerful People in Entertainment" in 1994 and 1995. He is a member of the Oklahoma State University's Hall of Fame (1996) and was the school's Accounting Alumnus of the year (1992).

Early career

Born in Southwest City, Missouri, Dubois played guitar in rock bands as a youth. His senior year in high school a camp roommate wrote a song; DuBois was fascinated with song lyrics and felt he could write a song himself.[3] His interest in songs (especially lyrics) continued for the rest of his life, but his academic studies were his immediate goal. He attended Oklahoma State University and studied accounting, winning three scholarships: an Arthur Andersen Scholarship, an Atlantic Richfield Scholarship and an Oklahoma State Regents Scholarship.[2] He received a bachelor's in accounting in 1971 and a master's in 1972, and became a CPA. He worked for the Arthur Andersen Firm for about a year then took a job in Dallas as a Financial Analyst for the Texas Federal Reserve Bank.[4] During his time in Texas, he became interested in country music, and pursued songwriting in his spare time. Attending an accounting convention in Dallas he met up with some of his former professors who convinced him to return to Oklahoma State to enter the PhD program at OSU's Spears School of Business. While in the PhD program, music fascinated him and consumed his time. He said, "I'm a true left brain, right brain conflict but it has served me very well".[5] He made trips to Nashville on weekends and he read every book he could find to learn about the business of songwriting. In 1975, he met Scott Hendricks, another Oklahoma State student. Dubois and Hendricks, along with DuBois' younger brother (also a musician) headed for Nashville.[3]

DuBois wrote letters to many Nashville music industry people and a few agreed to meet with him. Among those was John Ragsdale, brother of Ray Stevens, and they became friends. DuBois stayed at Ragsdale's house on many occasions. They co-wrote "A Good Old Fashioned Saturday Night Honky Tonk Barroom Brawl" recorded by Vernon Oxford and the song went to No. 55 on the Billboard country charts.[6] Energized by this success, DuBois took a leave of absence from His PhD studies and secured a job in Nashville teaching accounting at the University of Tennessee.

He taught night school, leaving the daytime free to knock on doors of music producers and publishers. In 1979, he was given his first job as a publishing company staff songwriter by Bob Montgomery for $75 a week. From 1979 to 1985, DuBois worked as both a publishing company staff writer and as an accounting professor. Throughout that period, DuBois composed over 20 country singles. A pivotal year for him was 1980: that year he got a job teaching at Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management and he had three hit songs on the country charts. These were: "Midnight Hauler" (Razzy Bailey); "Love in the First Degree" (Alabama") ;[7] and "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)"(Jerry Reed);[8]

DuBois opened the Nashville branch of Los Angeles-based artist management firm Fitzgerald-Hartley in 1986. Country artist Vince Gill soon joined the company's inaugural client, Restless Heart. DuBois and Gill collaborated on some songwriting projects including the Country Music Association's 1990 Song of the Year, "When I Call Your Name".

In 1989, Clive Davis, founder of Arista Records, appointed DuBois to open the Nashville division of the label. Arista Nashville sold 80 million albums in its first eleven years of business, breaking acts like Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Pam Tillis, Diamond Rio, Steve Wariner, and Brad Paisley. DuBois later joined producer Tony Brown to operate Universal South Records,[9] launching the careers of Joe Nichols, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and Shooter Jennings.[10]

In 1991, DuBois married Pamela Smith from Dallas, Texas, a friend he had known for fifteen years. Their daughter, Jamie Grace DuBois, was born in 1994.

Career today

In 2007, DuBois returned to the faculty of Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management, where he is developing courses related to the music business. He has also joined forces with Marc Dottore to form Dottore-DuBois Artist Management.[11] DuBois resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

In February 2010, ASCAP announced they would elevate their Nashville outlet to a Regional Office, led by DuBois. DuBois holds the position of Vice President and Managing Executive.[12] After restructuring ASCAP, DuBois was asked to join London Broadcast Company in January 2012, based in Dallas, Texas. He started a joint-venture called AMP (Artists, Managers, Partners) which he is still managing.

Organizations

DuBois serves on the boards of the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Americana Music Association, and SunTrust Bank, and as chairman of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau. He is a past board member of Leadership Music, Country Music Foundation, National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Nashville Songwriters Foundation, and Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Awards and recognition

Tim DuBois has been recognized as "Record Executive of the Year" by Pollstar, and as one of the entertainment industry's "101 Most Powerful People" by Entertainment Weekly. He was inducted into Oklahoma State University's Hall of Fame in 1996. Throughout his songwriting career, DuBois has earned five number-1 singles, 24 top-ten singles, six ASCAP Awards, nine BMI Country Awards, two BMI Pop Awards and a number of other songwriting accolades.

Songwriting awards

Organization Award Song Date
Country Music Association Song of the Year "When I Call Your Name" 1991
Academy of Country Music Song of the Year Nomination "When I Call Your Name" 1991
Grammy Awards Song of the Year Nomination "When I Call Your Name" 1991
Music City News Awards Single of the Year "When I Call Your Name" 1991
Nashville Songwriters Association International Award of Merit "When I Call Your Name" 1991
Academy of Country Music Song of the Year Nomination "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)" 1982
Grammy Awards Song of the Year Nomination "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)" 1982
Nashville Songwriters Association International Award of Merit "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)" 1982
Academy of Country Music Song of the Year Nomination "Love in the First Degree" 1982
Music City News Awards Top Country Hits Awards "Love in the First Degree" 1982
Nashville Songwriters Association International Songwriter of the Year Finalist 1982

Discography
Title Artist
A Good Nights Love Tammy Wynette
A Good Old Fashioned Saturday Night Honky Vernon Oxford
Tonk Barroom Brawl Vernon Oxford
Back To The Heartbreak Kid Kathy Mattea
Back To The Heartbreak Kid Restless Heart
Big Dreams In A Small Town Restless Heart
Blind Faith And The Naked Truth Razzy Bailey
Blue Rendevouz Lloyd David Foster
Crazy Blue Billy Montana
Dancys Dream Restless Heart
Don't Ask The Reason Why Secret Of My Success
D-R-U-N-K David Allen Coe
Few And Far Between Restless Heart
Gone Away Steve Ripley
Hard Times Restless Heart
Have Your Memory Come Again Kenny Dale
Heartbreak Kid Juice Newton
Heaven Sent Sylvia
Heaven Sent Bryan White
Hummingbird Ricky Skaggs
Hummingbird Restless Heart
I Forgot How Bad My Good Woman Can Be Razzy Bailey
I Love The Way She Keeps Me In The Dark Conway Twitty
I Was Meant To Be With You Diamond Rio
It's Been One Of Those Days Bobby Vinton
It's Been One Of Those Days Lang Scott
I've Never Been So Sure Restless Heart
Jenny Come Back Restless Heart
Jesse's Soul Radney Foster
Julie Do I Ever Cross Your Mind Wood Newton
Let The Heartache Ride Restless Heart
Love In The First Degree Alabama
Love The Hurt Away Wood Newton
Love Will Get Your Through Time With No Money The Girls Next Door
Midnight Hauler Razzy Bailey
Oklahoma Swing Vince Gill & Reba McEntire
Quittin' Time Asleep At The Wheel
Restless Heart Juice Newton
Restless Heart Restless Heart
Say You'll Stay Wayne Massey
She Got The Goldmine Johnny Paycheck
She Got The Goldmine Jerry Reed
She's Got A Drinkin' Problem Gary Stewart
She's Got A Drinkin' Problem Johnny Paycheck
Somewhere There's A Love Song Charlie Rich
Southern Comfort Joe Stampley
Straight For Your Love Terri Heart
Sweet Temptation The Kendalls
Sweet Red Wine Gary Morris
Tell Your Dream To Me Marty Robbins
The Bluest Eyes In Texas Restless Heart
The Boys On A Roll Restless Heart
The Truth Hurts Restless Heart
This Road Mike Reid
This Time Restless Heart
Too Many Hearts In The Fire Bobby Smith
Tryin To Get To New Orleans The Tractors
Unconditional Love Glen Campbell
Victim Of The Game Restless Heart
We Owned This Town Restless Heart
When I Call Your Name Vince Gill
Who Better Than an Angel Janie Frickie
Working Woman Rob Crosby
You Seen One You Seen 'em All Bettye Lovette
You Seen One You Seen 'em All Ruth Ann
You've Got The Touch Lloyd David Foster

Record production credits
Artist Title Record label Date Award or recognition
Blackhawk Strong Enough Arista Records 1996 Certified Gold
Diamond Rio IV Arista Records 1995 Certified Gold
Blackhawk Blackhawk Arista Records 1994 Certified Double Platinum
Diamond Rio Love A Little Stronger Arista Records 1994 Certified Platinum
Diamond Rio Close to the Edge Arista Records 1993 Certified Gold
Steve Wariner Drive Arista Records 1993
Diamond Rio Diamond Rio Arista Records 1991 Certified Platinum
Exile Justice Arista Records 1991
Steve Wariner I Am Ready Arista Records 1991 Certified Gold
Restless Heart The Best of Restless Heart RCA Records 1991
Exile Still Standing Arista Records 1990
Restless Heart Fast Movin’ Train RCA Records 1990 Certified Gold
Restless Heart Big Dreams In A Small Town RCA Records 1988 Certified Gold
Restless Heart Wheels RCA Records 1986 Certified Gold
Restless Heart Restless Heart RCA Records 1985

Song production credits
Title Artist
(Back to The) Heartbreak Kid
Big Dreams In A Small Town
Gone Away
Heaven Sent
Hummingbird Restless Heart
Hummingbird Ricky Skaggs
I Was Meant To Be With You
Jesse's Soul
Love In the First Degree
Midnight Hauler
Oklahoma Swing
Quittin’ Time
She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)
She's Got A Drinking Problem
The Bluest Eyes In Texas

References
  1. "Universal South launches eb & flo Records". bizjournals.com. Nashville Business Journal. October 9, 2002. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  2. "Spears School Tributes: 100 for 100/Tim DuBois DuBois married Pamela Smith from Texas in 1991. They have one daughter, Jamie Grace DuBois". Business.okstate.edu. Oklahoma State University. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  3. Dubois, Tim (October 17, 2019). "My Life in Music (Address to Nashville Centennial Club)". The Centennial Club, Nashville, Tennessee.
  4. "Tim Dubois/Influential leaders/Honorees". aacsb.edu. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  5. Hutson-Miller, Kaylea M. (October 20, 2015). "DuBois among five Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Inductees". Grove, Oklahoma: Grand Lake News. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  6. "Hot Country Singles". Billboard. 89 (9). March 5, 1977. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  7. "Reed Strikes Gold Again". Showcase. 77 (145). The Tennessean. August 29, 1982. p. 55. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 284.
  9. "Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company | Home Page". Universalmusic.com. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
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