Born 65 Years Ago Today in California, the Award-Winning Songwriter Behind Major Hits From Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, and Craig Morgan

On this day (August 27) in 1961, Jeffrey Steele was born in Burbank, California. He had a recording career, starting with Boy Howdy, the band he co-founded. Then, he went solo. However, he found more success as a songwriter. Since relocating to Nashville in the mid-90s, he has penned songs that became hits for some of Music City’s biggest names. Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, and Craig Morgan are among those who have turned Steele’s compositions into hits. Rascal Flatts have had major success with several of his songs, including “What Hurts the Most.”

Steele grew up in a musical family and took the stage for the first time when he was eight years old. He joined his brother’s band as a guest vocalist during a church function and seemingly got hooked on performing. As a teenager, he played keys for rock bands in clubs along the Sunset Strip and country acts in the San Fernando Valley. He also toured as a sideman, playing a variety of instruments in country bands.

Jeffrey Steele’s Recording Career

Already a well-rounded musician by the early 1990s, Jeffrey Steele co-founded Boy Howdy with Cary and Larry Park and Hugh Wright. They signed a deal with Curb in 1992 and released their debut album, Welcome to Hollywood, later that year. The next year, they had two top-10 hits with “She’d Give Anything” and “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That Anymore.” Steele co-wrote both of the hits, which earned him a pair of BMI Awards.

According to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Steele relocated to Nashville in 1994. Two years later, Boy Howdy disbanded, and he embarked on a solo career. He released seven solo albums between 2001 and 2008. He also scored a top-40 country hit with his 2001 single “Somethin’ in the Water.” Steele had already written several hit singles for other artists by then.

Songwriting Success

Jeffrey Steele found success as a songwriter not long after moving to Nashville. In 1997, Kevin Sharp took his song “If You Love Somebody” to No. 4 on the country chart. The next year, Diamond Rio made “Unbelievable” a crossover hit. It reached No. 2 on the country chart and No. 36 on the Hot 100.

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Steele’s biggest hit as a writer came in 2006 when Rascal Flatts took “What Hurts the Most” to No. 1 on the country and adult contemporary charts. It also reached No. 6 on the Hot 100. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards, including Best Country Song, and has since been certified 5x Platinum.

Below are a few of the highlights from Jeffrey Steele’s impressive catalog.

• “These Days”–Rascal Flatts (No. 1)
• “The Cowboy in Me”–Tim McGraw (No. 1)
• “Something to Be Proud Of”–Montgomery Gentry (No. 1)
• “My Wish”–Rascal Flatts (No. 1)
• “Love Is a Beautiful Thing”–Phil Vassar (No. 2)
• “Knee Deep”–Zac Brown Band & Jimmy Buffett (No. 1)
• “International Harvester”–Craig Morgan (No. 10)
• “Brand New Girlfriend”–Steve Holy (No. 1)
• “Big Deal”–LeAnn Rimes (No. 6)

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