Born 95 Years Ago Today in the Peach State, the Country Music Star-Maker Who Produced 21 No. 1 Hits for Alabama and Worked With Reba McEntire and Toby Keith

Harold Shedd, born in Bremen, Georgia, on 8 November 1931, helped shape the careers of several major country acts as a producer and record executive. His work with Alabama began with their 1980 hit “Why Lady Why” and helped launch a run of 21 consecutive No. 1 singles, while his later industry role brought new artists to a wider audience.

Shedd spent 14 years playing in a local band and working in radio before moving to Nashville in the 1970s and co-owning Music Mill Studio. He produced Reba McEntire’s first Gold-selling record, *My Kind of Country*, and later headed Mercury Records’ Polydor Nashville, where he helped sign Shania Twain, Toby Keith, Billy Ray Cyrus and the Kentucky Headhunters. He co-produced Keith’s 1993 debut album, whose single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” topped the US country chart.