Buddy Killen

American bassist, record producer, songwriter and music publisher. Cousin of Billy J. Killen. Born: November 13, 1932 in Florence, Alabama Died: November 1, 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee (pancreatic cancer) Killen was a bass player in the Grand Ole Opry before he was hired, in 1953 by Jack Stapp in the newly formed Tree Publishing Co., Inc., which over the years became one of the major publishing companies of Country music. When Stapp died in 1980, Killen became president and the sole owner the company, till he sold it to Sony in 1989. He later founded KMG Records (1997) and with his Killen Music Group, Killen published some songs on the soundtrack to the film Idlewild. He also co-published the popular "Me and My Gang" by Rascal Flatts and worked with artists such as Faith Hill, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire and Bill Anderson.