Jimbeau Hinson Cause of Death: The Oak Ridge Boys Songwriter Dies at 70

An official press statement said that Jimbeau Hinson, a composer best known for creating songs for the Oak Ridge Boys, David Lee Murphy, Kathy Mattea, Patty Loveless, and John Conlee, among other artists, passed away at the age of 70 on March 4.

After undergoing a quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2021, Hinson suffered a stroke.

Even though his health improved over the following eight months, he recently experienced a second stroke, which has resulted in a deterioration in his condition in the months that followed.

Jimbeau Hinson, the late songwriter

Thanks to Loretta Lynn, the Wilburn Brothers signed Hinson to a publishing deal when he was 16 years old, who brought him to Nashville.

"Let Me Be The One," "When You Give It Away," and "Colors" are among the songs written by the 70-year old.

Reba McEntire ("Red Roses (Will not Work Now)"), Tammy Wynette ("Red Roses (Will not Work Now)"), Rick Skaggs, Connie Smith, Rodney Crowell, and a host of other artists recorded songs for Hinson.

He has also composed the Oak Ridge Boys' 1981 country No. 1 hit "Fancy-Free," as well as Steve Earle's "Hillbilly Highway" and "Down the Road" (both from his seminal 1986 album Guitar Town).

Hinson's accolades, discography

Hinson received his first ASCAP Award with the song "Sugar in the Flowers," which was recorded by Anthony Armstrong Jones in 1969 when he was only 18 years old.

Billboard reported that Hinson received his second ASCAP award was for the song "Find Yourself Another Puppet," which was recorded by Brenda Lee.

Also, in 1980, Lee recorded Hinson's "Broken Trust," which peaked at No. 9 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs list, which Lee wrote.

Several albums were released by Hinson, the most recent of which being "Strong Medicine," released in 2013 on Wrinkle Records.

Through this album, he described his experiences with HIV and his relationship with his long-term partner Brenda Fielder.

"Beautiful Jim," a documentary film based on Hinson's life and directed by Rex Jones, was born out of that album.

The University of Mississippi's Southern Documentary Project screened Jim's documentary film.

He was in the middle of writing an autobiography titled "The All of Everything in the Life and Times of Jimbeau Hinson" when he passed away.