Walt Aldridge, an esteemed country music songwriter from Alabama, passed away on November 19, 2025, at the age of 70 following a prolonged illness. Over a career of more than four decades, he wrote or co-wrote 56 songs that made it to Billboard’s Country Music Charts.
Born James Walton Aldridge Jr. on November 12, 1955, Aldridge was raised in the Muscle Shoals area of Alabama. He began his career at the renowned Fame Recording Studios, where he collaborated closely with legendary producer Rick Hall, establishing himself as a skilled songwriter, musician, engineer, and record producer.
Aldridge achieved significant success with three No. 1 songs: Ronnie Milsap’s “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me” in 1981, Earl Thomas Conley’s “Holding Her and Loving You” in 1983, and Heartland’s “I Loved Her First” in 2006. His compositions were recorded by prominent artists such as Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Conway Twitty, and Lou Reed.
Fame Recording Studios & Publishing Co. stated after his passing: “We are deeply saddened to say that our dear friend and colleague Walt Aldridge has passed away,” the statement said. “There was a time in the 80s when Walt’s songwriting, along with Robert Byrne, Tommy Brasfield, and Mac McAnally, carried most of the weight of the Muscle Shoals music industry through a difficult time in our history,” the statement continued.
Aldridge spent 17 years at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he served as a staff songwriter, musician, and engineer. During his tenure, he helped produce approximately 200 albums, working on projects with Billy Ray Cyrus, Peter Cetera, Lacy J. Dalton, Darryl Worley, Jerry Reed, and others.
In the late 1980s, Aldridge also took the role of lead singer and guitarist for The Shooters, a country rock band under Epic Records. The group charted seven singles and was named one of Billboard’s Top 10 New Country Artists of the Year in 1987.
Throughout his career, Aldridge received significant recognition. His song “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me” was named ASCAP’s most performed country song in 1982. Billboard magazine recognized him as one of the Top Ten Country Songwriters of the Year in both 1989 and 1991. He earned over 20 gold and platinum certifications, seven number one record certifications, and more than 30 performance awards from ASCAP.
His songs appeared on albums that sold over 60 million copies and were recorded by more than 80 major-label artists. In 2017, Aldridge was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, followed by induction into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2018.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Aldridge taught for approximately 10 years as a professor in the Entertainment Industry Department at the University of North Alabama. He had studied at the university earlier in his life and completed an internship at Fame Studios as part of the music business program.
His obituary described him as a loving son, an amazing husband, a devoted brother, a kind father, and a faithful friend. It highlighted his faith as a source of strength during his illness.
Outside of his music career, Aldridge enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling, and woodworking. His preferred pastime was gardening, where he cultivated vegetables and flowers annually. He expressed that it connected him to his father. Spending time with his family was of utmost importance to him.
Aldridge was preceded in death by his parents, James and Peggy Aldridge, and his brother-in-law, Toby Faucett. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie; his daughters, Rachael Stolt and Hannah Aldridge; his bonus children, Stephen Kirk, Justin Kirk, Kelly Allen, and Christian Kirk; nine grandchildren; and his sister, Ramona Faucett.
