Country music and Muscle Shoals songwriting legend Walt Aldridge has died at the age of 70.
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Aldridge, a multi-talented songwriter, musician, producer and engineer, passed away on November 19, 2025, after a long illness. Numerous outlets have reported on Aldridge’s death. But most importantly, it was shared by FAME Recording Studios.
The studio wrote, “We are deeply saddened to say that our dear friend and colleague Walt Aldridge has passed away. We cannot possibly put into words how much Walt meant to the the FAME family! There was a time in the 80’s when Walt’s songwriting along with Robert Byrne, Tommy Brasfield and Mac McAnally carried the most of the weight of the Muscle Shoals Music industry through a difficult time in our history.”
Born James Walton Aldridge Jr. on November 12, 1955, in Florence, Alabama, Aldridge became one of the most respected figures in country songwriting over a career spanning more than four decades.
Walt Aldridge Leaves Behind A Mighty Country Music Legacy
Over his career, he wrote or co-wrote more than 50 Top 40 country hits.
Aldridge’s breakthrough came in 1981 with “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me,” performed by Ronnie Milsap. The song reached No. 1 on country charts and crossed over into pop success. He followed that success with a series of chart-topping and Top 10 songs. He co-wrote “Holding Her and Loving You” by Earl Thomas Conley and “Till You’re Gone” by Barbara Mandrell, both of which became No. 1 hits.
Before focusing primarily on songwriting, Aldridge spent 17 years as a staff engineer at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he worked on hundreds of recordings across genres. His deep roots in the Muscle Shoals scene helped shape the sound of Southern music for generations.
Aldridge was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017 and later into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. He also taught at the University of North Alabama, sharing his knowledge with aspiring music professionals.
Aldridge’s death is being mourned across the music community. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren, as well as countless songs that will continue to resonate.