Nigel Olsson's father-in-law died January 20 of natural causes.
Songwriter and musician Larry Butler was 69.
The Pensacola native began playing piano at age 4 and performed in a band in Florida before moving to Memphis to become a member of the Gentrys, who scored a Top 10 pop hit in 1965 with Keep on Dancin'.
In Nashville, Butler was a top session musician, working with Conway Twitty and Bobby Goldsboro. He produced records for Capitol and CBS before being named head of United Artists Records' Nashville division in 1973. This was where he played a major role in launching Kenny Rogers' solo career by producing hits such as The Gambler.
Larry and co-writer Chips Moman won a Grammy in 1975 for best country song for (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, a major hit for B.J. Thomas. Butler won another Grammy in 1979 for overall producer of the year in the nonclassical division. Another honour was being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Walkway of Stars.
Butler maintained ties to the Gulf Coast, helping to found the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival in 1984. He moved back to the area in 2000. After Hurricane Ivan devastated the region in 2004, he contacted his friend Willie Nelson about doing a benefit concert for Rebuild Northwest Florida. Along with local singer Will Hedgecock, they raised over a half-million dollars for the organisation.
He continued to work and perform locally until his death. He is survived by his spouse Peggy Butler and daughter Schanda Butler Olsson.
