From:   "Dik de Heer"  
Date:  Sat Nov 16, 2002  6:16 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Troy Seals
 
TROY SEALS

Born 16 November 1938, Big Hill, Kentucky

Troy Seals is a cousin of Jimmy Seals (ex-Champs, Seals & Crofts) and
Dan Seals (aka England Dan), and Brady Seals (ex-Little Texas, now a solo
artist) is Troy's nephew. He has been married to Jo-Ann Campbell since
1964. The couple recorded a highly rated single for Atlantic, "I Found A
Love Oh What A Love" (# 67 in early 1965) as Jo-Ann and Troy, with a
surprisingly good version of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love" on the flip.
Soon after this, their son was born and Jo-Ann and Troy ceased recording
and performing. In 1969 they moved to Nashville and Troy was hired by
Norbert Putnam to run a publishing company. The only writing Seals had
done until then were a couple of instrumental things for James Brown,
but he developed into a very successful country songwriter.
He wrote several tunes that topped the country charts: "There's A Honky
Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me Back In)"** (Conway Twitty, 1974), "Feelins' "
(Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn, 1975), Don't Take It Away" (Conway Twitty,
1979), " When We Make Love" (Alabama, 1984)," Seven Spanish Angels"
(Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, 1985) and "I Won't Need You Anymore
(Always & Forever)" (Randy Travis, 1987). Most of these were co-written
with others, as was his most recorded song, "We Had It All" (with Donnie
Fritts as co-writer), which has been recorded by Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee,
Rita Coolidge, Waylon Jennings, Stu Stevens, Scott Walker and others.
His other compositions include "Boogie Woogie Country Man" (Jerry Lee
Lewis, my favourite post-Sun recording by the Killer), "Pieces of My Life"
(Elvis Presley), "Rattle the Windows" (Shenandoah), and "Two Old Cats
Like Us" (Ray Charles with Hank Williams Jr.). He recorded two albums as
a '70s solo artist and played guitar on many famous sessions. During the
'70s, he also recorded with Doug Kershaw and Lonnie Mack.

** Cliff Richard's version for the UK market was withdrawn when he
discovered what honky tonk angels were!