Remembering Greg Guidry: 80s Pop Singer "Goin' Down"

Recently I came across a social media posting of a Billboard music chart from 1982, and one song that stood out was "Goin' Down" by Greg Guidry. I was trying to remember the sound of it, and I recognized the singer (I bought the album in 1982 as I recall).  I had no idea that he died by suicide at age 49. How tragic. His great voice and music lives on though. Today's blog is to bring him back to the forefront of your mind.  

ABOUT:  Gregory Mark Guidry (January 23, 1954 – July 28, 2003)  

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he played piano and sang gospel as a child, and sang in a band with future Doobie Brother Michael McDonald as a teenager. With help from Rich Lang, a friend and fellow musician, they wrote and recorded several demos, drove to New York City from St. Louis, and signed a publishing contract with CBS Records in 1977 and wrote songs for Climax Blues Band, Robbie Dupree, Exile, Johnnie Taylor, Sawyer Brown, and Reba McEntire.

In 1981, he sang as a backing vocalist for the Allman Brothers Band on their 1981 album Brothers of the Road.  He signed with Columbia in 1982 and released an album, Over the Line, which produced two hit singles, "Goin' Down" (US No. 17, US AC No. 11) and a duet with his sister Sandy, "Into My Love" (US No. 92). While he continued to do songwriting work later in the 1980s, he did not issue a follow-up album until 2000, when Soul'd Out and Private Session were released, and his debut album was re-released. On July 28, 2003, Guidry died in a fire at age 49.  His charred body was found in a car parked in his garage in Fairview, Tennessee.  (Source: wikipedia)

 

Article about Greg's passing:

Williamson County, Tennessee: Burned body identified as songwriter 

Associated Press , August 1, 2003

FAIRVIEW, Tenn. (AP) -- A charred body found Monday in a car parked inside a home's garage has been identified as that of singer-songwriter Greg Guidry. He was 53.

Guidry, who sang with Michael McDonald and the Allman Brothers Band, had a hit single in 1982 with "Goin' Down." The song reached No. 17 on the pop charts.

He and his five siblings sang in a gospel group known as the Guidry Family and as teenagers were signed as an R&B act to Curtom Records by Curtis Mayfield.

Police are investigating the incident and have not ruled out foul play. The body was identified by dental records.

"We did a full investigation on Monday and Tuesday and have some ideas but will wait for the autopsy report," said Keith Crowell, Fairview's fire chief.

Guidry had been living at the home where his body was found since April. Fairview is a small town just outside Nashville. He is survived by a son, daughter and grandson.