Kentucky native and singer songwriter, Frank Dycus, passed away this past Friday at the age of 72. Dycus wrote over 500 songs including George Strait's hits "Unwound" and "Marina del Ray," as well as George Jones "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair."
Born in Hardmoney, Ky., Frank Dycus was one of 13 kids. At the age of 15, he hitchhiked to California, only to return back to Kentucky. He would then enter the Air Force for seven years.
Dycus first hit song was "Lilacs and Fire," which reached to number 17 on the Billboard country singles chart for George Morgan. He would also write Mark Chesnutt's "Gonna Get a Life," Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton's "Is Forever Longer Than Always," Jerry Lee Lewis' "He Can't Fill My Shoes," Ricky Van Shelton's "A Bridge I Didn't Burn," and many more.
Jim Lauderdale wrote several songs with Dycus. In reflecting on Frank Dycus, he told The Tennessean paper, “He was a real hillbilly poet, with a great sensibility and a way with words. He was a wise person and a deep thinker. I’m sure going to miss him, and a lot of other people will, too.”
