Joe Scaife | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joe Carlos Scaife |
| Born | November 26, 1955 Helena, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Origin | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | June 12, 2024 (aged 68)[1] Franklin, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation | Record producer |
| Years active | early 1980s-2024 |
Joe Carlos Scaife (1955–2024) was a music producer and engineer in Nashville who produced many mainstream country hit records over a 25 year span in the late 20th and early 21st century. Among them are K.T. Oslin's "80s Ladies", Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart", and the Gretchen Wilson's songs "Redneck Woman" and "Here for the Party".[2] The hallmark of Scaife's career was his ability to recognize potential in unknown performers, then pair the newcomers with perfect country songs that fit them.[2] He first learned record production from his father, Cecil Scaife, who was a prominent record executive. Joe Scaife attended Belmont University, and his connection at Belmont sparked interest by his family to advocate for the establishment of a school of music there; the idea evolved into the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.[3] As a music producer, engineer and singer, Joe Scaife was responsible for selling 80 million records.[2] He died June 12, 2024, at age 68.[2]