Expert: BethB - 11/4/2009

Question
QUESTION: Can you advise who wrote "The Ride" that D. A. Coe recorded? Also would like to know who when it was written and if anyone else has recorded it....

Many Thanks!

ANSWER: Hi Sid!  Here's what I was able to find about "The Ride":

"The Ride" is a song written by Gary Gentry and J.B. Detterline Jr., performed by country singer-songwriter David Allan Coe and released in 1983. The ballad tells the story of an encounter with the ghost of Hank Williams, Sr.  The song first appeared on Coe's "Castles in the Sand/Once Upon a Rhyme" album.  It was first covered by Hank Williams, Jr. and later by Tim McGraw (appearing at the end of the "Real Good Man" music video, which was recorded live).

Hope this helps!
--Beth

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Beth,
Thanks for the information.... I'm hoping that you are correct. My question was for curiosity sake only, because I could not find it on 3 different  search engines. This may be a duplicate answer/reply back to you... I'm not sure the first one was sent, so I chose to fill you in on the other answer I received from the other expert I ask in this question block....  
I received a answer when the question went out the first time. Pasted below is his answer to the same question.  Thanks again... Sid.

Expert   Dr. J. M. Allen
Subject   The Ride sang by DAC
Question      Can you advise who wrote "The Ride" that D. A. Coe recorded? Also would like to know who when it was written and if anyone else has recorded it....
Many Thanks,
Sid
Answer   David Allan Coe wrote that himself back around 1964.
don't know of anybody else having a hit with it...somebody else may have recorded it but apparently didn't go anywhere

Answer
Hi again Sid!  Thanks for the follow-up!  I got the information I gave you from Wikipedia, and Gary Gentry's website.  While Wikipedia isn't always 100% accurate, the other site seems pretty on-target.  I've included both of those links for you below if you'd like to read more about it.  (The story about Gary performing "The Ride" at the Grand Ole Opry is pretty cool.)  Thanks again for the follow up and feedback, and I hope this helps!
--Beth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ride_(song)

http://www.garygentrysongwriter.com/id11.html