George Strait Producer and Songwriter Blake Mevis Has Died
You’re assured nothing in the music business. For any artist to rise to the level of having a career—let alone a notable one—it takes incredible timing, a little bit of magic, and a lot of luck. It also takes people behind the scenes making critical connections at important moments in a career, often while receiving little or no recognition themselves.
Blake Mevis was responsible in part not just for one Hall of Fame career being launched into the country music stratosphere, but two. As the guy who introduced country music legend and Hall of Famer George Strait to now Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter Dean Dillon, Blake Mevis helped forge one of the most legendary and successful artist/songwriter partnerships in country music history, and participated in the partnership in large part as well.
It was the song “Unwound” written by Dean Dillon with Frank Dycus that Blake Mevis brought to George Strait in early 1981 as a suggestion for the lead single from Strait’s debut album Strait Country. George fell so in love with the song, he decided to select five more Dean Dillon co-writes for the record, and so began the historic collaboration that continues to this day. “That pretty much solidified the relationship between George and myself because he never forgot that,” says Dillon.
“Unwound” ended up being George Strait’s breakout hit, going #6 on the country charts. Strait later released “If You’re Thinking You Want a Stranger (There’s One Coming Home) as a single,” which was co-written by Blake Mevis. “Friday Night Fever” from Strait Country was co-witten by Mevis and Dean Dillon.
Blake Mevis was also the producer of Strait Country, along with Strait’s second album Straight from the Heart, which included the Blake Mevis song “Fool Hearted Memory” co-written with Byron Hill. “Fool Hearted Memory” became George Strait’s first #1 hit, and the rest was history.
Blake Mevis did much more than just introduce George Strait and Dean Dillon, and help launch Strait’s career by allowing him to stick to a more traditional country sound that was counterintuitive to everything else going on in Nashville at the time. Mevis also produced Keith Whitley’s first two albums, L.A. to Miami (1985) and portions of Don’t Close Your Eyes (1988). He also produced albums from Vern Gosdin, Charley Pride, Clay Walker, and The Kendalls.
As a songwriter, Blake Mevis had songs recorded by Don Williams, Charlie Rich, and Jim Ed Brown to name a few. Brown cutting Blake Mevis’s “If The World Ran Out Of Love Tonight” put Mevis on the map as a songwriter when it went Top 10. Blake Mevis also wrote Charley Pride’s last #1 song “Night Games,” and co-wrote the Joe Nichols signature song that helped launch his career, the #1 “Brokenheartsville” released in 2002.
Originally from Plymouth, Indiana, Blake Mevis moved to Nashville in 1971, and began his career working for publishing companies, finding his first job with Loretta Lynn’s Coal Miner’s Music, then later working for both ABC and MCA Records, and also becoming the President of Charley Pride’s publishing company, Pride Music Group.
Blake Mevis died on February 9th from a COVID-related stroke and double pneumonia. He was 73 years old.
February 15, 2022 @ 7:30 pm
Blake Mevis did much more than just introduce George Strait and Dean Dillon, and help launch Strait’s career by allowing him to stick to a more traditional country sound that was counterintuitive to everything else going on in Nashville at the time.
Maybe I am misremembering, but as I recall, Strait parted ways with Mevis as they were recording the album after Strait from the Heart because Mevis was pressuring Strait to record more pop-flavored songs and Strait didn’t want to do that. AFAIK Mevis didn’t hold any ill will against Strait for that though.
February 15, 2022 @ 8:28 pm
You very well may be right. I’m not really sure about that. All I can tell you is that “Strait Country” and “Straight from the Heart” are about as traditional country as you can find, and Blake Mevis produced both of them. Where things went after that, I really don’t know. “Right or Wrong” (the next album) I think is one of the weaker of Strait’s early albums, while “Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind” (his 4th album) is a damn masterpiece like the first two.
February 15, 2022 @ 9:09 pm
I remember reading that in the liner notes to his first box set in 1995. I thought Strait was just hitting his stride with Right or Wrong, honestly — “Let’s Fall to Pieces Together “ is my favorite GS song to this day — but I do agree with you on the other 3 albums wholeheartedly. Especially FW.
February 16, 2022 @ 4:47 am
Strait recorded eight full songs after “Strait From The Heart” with Mevis that were scrapped. Only some of them were released on the box set. After that departure, he went with Ray Baker who produced “Right Or Wrong” and then another handful of songs that were recorded and scrapped before finally landing with Bowen.
February 16, 2022 @ 8:01 am
Blake was fired by George for refusing to take the seagulls out of Marina-del-Rey is what I was told
February 16, 2022 @ 9:52 am
Condolences to Blake Mevis’s family and friends. I know he missed in country music.
February 15, 2022 @ 10:03 pm
Am I the only one who thinks that George Strait is kind of a snooze? I don’t know just find his delivery and songs flat. I prefer Alan Jackson. And give me the raw fire and emotion The Voice Vern Gosdin or Toby Keith any day.
I did like the film Pure Country though
February 16, 2022 @ 4:41 am
Yes, you’re the only one who thinks George is a snooze. It’s okay though. You still have Toby “Red Solo Cup” and “Trace “Badonkadonk” to fall bavk on.
February 16, 2022 @ 7:32 am
“A” must stand for A-Hole. VernTobyTrace said he preferred Alan Jackson. You attacked him by naming shitty songs by others that easily came to your mind. It is dinks like you that make it hard to read these comments.
February 16, 2022 @ 9:33 pm
Thanks Matsfan , and even though Toby Keith and Trace Adkins have some dumb songs, I’ll put Every Light In The House Is On or Should’ve been A Cowboy up against anything Strait does . And Alan Jackson one ups Strait by his terrific ability to write his own songs
February 16, 2022 @ 5:51 am
My main gripe with George Strait is that he uses his guitar mainly as a prop.
He might strum it four or five times during a song, and that’s it; just letting it hang from his neck the rest of the time.
I think he needs to take some guitar lessons.
February 16, 2022 @ 4:25 pm
Weeeehhhhhhhhhhh 🙁
February 18, 2022 @ 1:00 am
@Big Tex–Yeah, Strait used his guitar as a prop on stage, but so did Jones.
Johnny Cash could perform in intimate settings with just himself and his guitar–and even sometimes, harmonica–but he also used it as a prop when performing on big stages. in front of large audiences, sometimes even having it strapped to his back while he sang.
Willie’s one artist where you recognize his acoustic guitar on any of his recordings once he starts playing it.
Maybe someone with deep knowledge of the subject could do a survey piece on all the great country artists and which ones really play and which ones largely fake it.
February 18, 2022 @ 8:54 am
Disagree.
I don’t recall George Jones using his guitar merely as a prop. And, yes, Cash used to – occasionally – slide his guitar down and around to his back – but, as you point out, there was never any doubt that he could, indeed, play well in a strictly acoustic, one-man setting. His American Recordings album proves that in spades.
But nothing Cash or Jones ever did comes close to approximating the revolting “Hey, look, I’ve got a guitar,” fakery we get from George Strait.
February 18, 2022 @ 11:46 am
Good lord. So ignorant.
February 18, 2022 @ 12:42 pm
WapitI:
Buy you a guitar, take some lessons, then get back to us and reply from a perspective of knowledge.
February 18, 2022 @ 12:46 am
@VTT–I was not a huge Strait fan, but looking back at the ’90s now, with all those excellent, New Traditionalist country singers, and revisiting the recordings, I think there’s a reason that Strait was able to stand out from the pack, and it was his pure vocals and consistency.
I liked a lot of what Toby did, but he was more of a bombastic personality, showman and songwriter but not on George Strait’s level as a singer.
Alan Jackson, also, as you point out, adds the dimension of being a prolific writer of his own material, but I think that Strait was a better vocal interpreter.
February 15, 2022 @ 10:58 pm
Blake produced only two songs included on Keith’s album “ Don’t Close Your Eyes.” The remaining songs were produced by Garth Fundis and Keith. The two songs Blake produced were released as singles while the remainder of album was being completed. Both singles failed to make top fifteen on charts.Blake produced an entire album for Keith in 1987 that was shelved. Both Keith and RCA were not happy with its less traditional sounding production. It was very similar in sound to the “LA to Miami “album. Blake was Keith’s best man in his marriage to Lorrie.
February 16, 2022 @ 6:11 am
I’m so sorry to hear about Blake Mevis passing away!
My condolences.
February 16, 2022 @ 9:44 am
Sad news. Requiescat in pace, Blake Mevis.
February 16, 2022 @ 5:12 pm
Besides losing the artists themselves, it also always sad for me to hear those behind the scenes (producers, studio musicians, etc.) who helped create the music I grew up loving pass away, too. Despite some of Blake’s work with Strait and Whitley being a bit more 80’s pop country influenced than what they’re mainly known for, I also really enjoy the records he made with both artists. “Miami, My Amy,” and “Marina del Rey” are two of my all time favorites, especially. And yes, I even love the sound of the seagulls at the end of latter song!
February 16, 2022 @ 7:10 pm
I had an introduction to Blake and his wife, last February when I was in Punta Gorda, FL. I was sharing with his wife that my son is a Singer/Songwriter. Blake bursted out…“ Well I’m a Legend!” I had no idea who he was at the time. I came across the news of his passing today. Very sad. He was a nice guy, very passionate about country music, we talked for about an hour. It was an honor to have met him. Rest in peace Blake…Yes, you truly are, and always will be a Legend!
February 17, 2022 @ 12:02 pm
Blakus: My friend and my Hero. I hear all the things written here, most good and some bad. Well I’ve known Blake since 1975 when he and Jan lived in Madison. I baby-sit Gina and Blake once when they had to go somewhere. I bet nobody ‘other than Jan’ knows the first record Blake produced. They say that some people are Stright Arrows and Boy Scouts, Blake Mevis was both of these ‘in spades’. He always told me ‘when’ he started making money, he was going to buy ‘real estate’ and so he did. The reason I was there when Blake recorded ‘Unwound’ with George Strait was because Blake had me take George’s Band downtown and show them Broadway. Blake was using Nashville pickers. That song turned out ok, don’t you know. I took a Rocket Ship to the Moon a couple of times and every time I got there Blake was waiting for me. Thanks for the friendship Blakus and ‘I love you’.
February 18, 2022 @ 9:15 am
RIP Blake.
One correction to the above article – George Strait’s follow-up to “Unwound” is the mostly forgotten “Down And Out” also co-written by Dean Dillon. After Strait’s strong debut that single stalled at #16. The subsequent release “If You’re Thinking You Want A Stranger” put him back on track when it peaked at #3.
George parted ways with Blake Mevis because he wanted him to record more pop-leaning material like Marina Del Ray for his third album. But George definitely wanted to remain traditional country. Mevis had also advocated that George change his image and lose the cowboy hat. Strait’s track record of success at that point of his career gave him leverage with his record label. Ray Baker was brought in to produce the next album. Baker had a history of producing traditional country recordings with Moe Bandy but it was his recent work with Merle Haggard that convinced Strait. That collaboration only lasted for one album [Right Or Wrong] until Strait teamed with new MCA label head Jimmy Bowen to co-produce his subsequent releases.
March 18, 2022 @ 9:55 am
Blake Nevis was my neighbor across the street in Springfield, TN. Blake always seemed like a real nice person, and a very quiet person for the large personality that he was, I have been in his home and met his family like any other neighbor and at first did not know who he was for a long time other than my neighbor. Sad to hear of his passing.