A classically trained violinist, Boudleaux Bryant played with the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra during the 1937-38 season. Drawn to country
fiddlin' music, he joined a band and while performing in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin in 1945, met and married elevator operator, Matilda Genevieve
"Felice" Scaduto.
They began writing songs together and working for Acuff-Rose Music in
Nashville, Tennessee, composed the classic 50s Pop and Country hit
songs, "Bye Bye Love", "Wake Up, Little Susie", "Problems", "Poor
Jenny", "Take a Message To Mary", and "All I Have to Do is Dream". They
also wrote the classic country song, "Rocky Top" which became the
official state song for Tennessee in 1982 and the "fight song" for the
University of Tennessee sports teams.
Boudleaux and Felice Bryant were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of
Fame in 1987, just a few months before his death. In 1991 they were
inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. During their careers, the
Bryants earned a total of 59 BMI Country, R&B, and Pop music
awards.
He always went by his middle name "Boudleaux", a name given to him by
his father in honor of a French man who had saved his life in France
during World War I.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986.
He and Felice Bryant were awarded a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee on November 5, 2006.