George Richey

George was a successful songwriter/record producer based in California before coming to Nashville in 1967. George joined Columbia/Epic (now Sony Records) as a staff producer at the behest of legendary producer Billy Sherrill. While at Columbia/Epic, George worked with artists such as The Oak Ridge Boys, The Starter Brothers, Burl Ives and Connie Smith, among many others. During that time he produced the crossover country/pop hit “Kay” with John Wesley Ryles. 

In 1969 George became the head of Capitol Records Nashville, where he continued producing. Some of the legendary names produced by George at Capitol were Merle Haggard, Tex Ritter, Roy Rogers, Sonny James and Freddie Hart. In 1970 George produced “Easy Loving” with Freddie Hart, named the Country Music Association song of the year in both 1970 and 1971. The best-selling single at Capitol Records that year, “Easy Loving” even outsold the Beatles current single at the time. 

Twice named Producer of the Year by the Academy of Country Music, George has earned gold and platinum records with such diverse artists as Elton John, Aaron Neville, Tammy Wynette, Lorrie Morgan, Freddie Hart, and for companies such as MCA Records, RCA Records, Sony Records, Capitol Records and A & M Records.

In addition to his prowess as a producer, George has also garnered 18 BMI awards for songwriting. He’s written hits recorded by dozens of artists, including Tammy Wynette, Kenny Rogers, George Jones, Faith Hill, Billy Gilman, Marina McBride, Aaron Neville, Reba McEntire and many others. Songwriting led George to establish his own publishing company, Brougham Hall Music Inc., of which he was both founder and president until selling to British firm ATV Music, now part of Sony/ATV/Tree Music. Brougham Hall Music Inc. owned and published such well-known songs as “Lucille” by Kenny Rogers, “Blanket On The Ground” by Billie Jo Spears, as well as hits by George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette and countless others. 

George put in time on both sides of the recording studio. Until devoting himself exclusively to his other musical talents, George was for many years in great demand as a record session keyboardist. His piano skills can be heard on recordings by Tammy Wynette, Marty Robbins, Johnny Paycheck, Ringo Starr, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich and others. 

After many years of working in nearly every aspect of the recording industry, George married Tammy Wynette and spent the next two decades dedicated to managing her career and nurturing their life together. 

On Legal Action Against Showtime for Their Series “George and Tammy”

Today, as the widow of George Richey and a dedicated guardian of his enduring legacy, I formally launched action against Showtime. This action is in response to the series “George and Tammy,” which has portrayed George Richey in a light far removed from reality. This portrayal has egregiously violated the terms of a legal agreement designed to shield our family from the perpetuation of false narratives by Tammy Wynette’s daughters about George Richey and our lineage.

In our quest for justice, we have enlisted the expertise of esteemed attorney Todd McMurtry, renowned for his representation of high-profile cases, including Nicholas Sandmann. Our legal team is unwavering in its resolve to champion our rights that have been so blatantly violated.  

Our efforts to rectify inaccuracies with the production team before the airing of “George and Tammy” were met with indifference, leaving us no choice but to pursue legal redress. The series unfairly tarnishes the memory of George Richey and deceives the public about his actual contributions to the world of music and the essence of his true character.  

Respect and dignity for my late husband’s memory are not negotiable, nor is our right to enforce the strict agreement made to protect our family’s name. We stand firm in our commitment to restore the integrity of George Richey’s legacy and to hold accountable those who have sought to unduly profit at the expense of our pain.

This legal endeavor is borne out of a necessity imposed upon us by the actions of others. With a heavy heart but a steadfast spirit, we seek redress through the courts, trusting in the judicial process to unveil the facts, restore integrity to George Richey’s legacy, and give back our rights that Showtime unjustly took. 

For further information, inquiries can be directed to:

Hemmer Wessels McMurtry PLLC

(859) 344-1188