Bobby Braddock, born in Lakeland, Florida on 5 August 1940, became one of country music's most influential songwriters after a brief performing career, penning classics such as Tammy Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and George Jones's "He Stopped Loving Her Today". He is also credited with discovering and mentoring Blake Shelton, helping launch the singer's career in the 1990s. His body of work has shaped the sound of country music for five decades and produced some of the genre's best-loved hits.

Braddock moved to Nashville in his early 20s, initially working as pianist in Marty Robbins's road band before Robbins gave him his first hit as a songwriter in 1966. His first number one came in 1968 with "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", co-written with Curly Putman, and the pair later wrote Jones's 1980 career-saving hit "He Stopped Loving Her Today", widely regarded as one of the greatest country songs ever recorded. In the mid-1990s, Braddock heard a tape of Blake Shelton singing, championed him within the industry, funded a demo session and helped secure him a record deal; he went on to produce or co-produce Shelton's first five albums, including hits like "Austin" and "The Baby".