Chris Cantry An Original Nashville Outlaw

As a songwriter, a storyteller, and the original Nashville outlaw of the 60's, Chris Gantry has written over 1,000 songs.

- Tamma Hicks & Rusty Hicks

Some of those stories were collaborations with Nashville's best including Kris Kristofferson, Mel Tillis, Shel Silverstein, and Eddie Rabbitt. Over 100 of his songs have been recorded by artists such as Johnny Cash, Reba Mcentire, KD Lang, Robert Goulet, Wayne Newton and others.

Gantry penned the American classic, “Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife” by Glen Campbell, which won three BMI honors including the Millionaire's Award for over two million performances. Gantry has written for Sony Music, Warner/Chapell Music, Faverett Music Group.

In addition to songwriting, Chris is a prolific writer of prose, novels, and poetry. He won the Tennessee Williams Playwriting Contest with a collection of one-act plays entitled Teeth and Nails. His autobiography, “Gypsy Dreamers In The Alley,” explores his life in the Nashville music business from his arrival to modern day.

Who or what made you decide to write a book?

My publicist suggested that I write this book because it has been written and said that when I came to Nashville in 1963 I brought the seed that eventually started the outlaw movement here. I never really understood it, never really thought about it that way; however, I do remember that when I came here there was only me and Billy Swan, but there was a Counter Culture in Nashville. And The Counter Culture in Nashville was aware