No clue who this guy was but I definitely knew both of those songs in the OP. And liked them both quite a bit

RIP

Yeah he wasn't very well known but respected songwriter. He started in the 60s and his 2 hits didn't happen till the 80s. His popularity waned as new music was becoming more popular.

If you played in bar bands in the 80s you probably played one or both of these songs. These were requested often. Even today I bet they are playing these, hell I have been in country honkey tonk bars and country bands played this.

I always respected He and Tom Petty keeping the electric 12 string relevant.