George Strait and Other Stars to Honor Iconic Songwriter in Alabama Tribute Concert
@ReadWhatRickWrote 
You might not recognize his name, but if you’re a country music fan, you certainly know his songs.
Dean Dillon is the mastermind behind “Tennessee Whiskey,” a classic hit initially recorded by David Allan Coe, later by George Jones, and most recently revived by Chris Stapleton.
Originally a recording artist himself, Dillon transitioned to songwriting in the ‘80s. His impressive catalog includes hits recorded by Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Alabama, among many others.
A Tennessee native, Dillon has forged a particularly strong connection with George Strait. Dillon has written or co-written 19 of Strait’s singles, including “Marina del Rey,” “The Chair,” “I’ve Come to Expect It From You,” “Easy Come, Easy Go,” “She Let Herself Go,” and “The Best Day.” In total, Strait has recorded 55 songs that Dillon has contributed to, according to a press release.
As a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Dillon has seen 26 of his songs top the country charts. Remarkably, he had three number-one hits within a single year in 1995, 1996, and 1998.
On October 9, George Strait will headline a star-studded tribute concert, “Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon,” at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center Propst Arena. The lineup also includes Vince Gill, Ronnie Dunn, Riley Green, Justin Moore, Jamey Johnson, Pam Tillis, Zach Top, Mark Chesnutt, Billy Currington, Gramps Morgan, and Dean Dillon himself.
The 7 p.m. concert will be filmed for a TV special to be broadcast later. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday via ticketmaster.com and the VBC Box Office, located at 700 Monroe Street.
In recent years, the Von Braun Center, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, has become a hub for country music tributes. Previous events at the VBC have honored legends such as George Jones, Randy Travis, and Lee Greenwood.
