Jerry Owen Bradley, the Nashville executive whose credits include the creation of country’s first platinum album, Wanted: The Outlaws, and the signing of Kenny Chesney to his first publishing deal, died Monday (7/17) at his home in Mount Juliet, Tenn. He was 83.

The Country Music Hall of Fame member was best known for running RCA’s Nashville Operations for a decade before becoming GM of Opryland Music Group, which was created when Gaylord purchased the Acuff-Rose catalog. He got his start engineering sessions at Forest Hills Music Studio aka Bradley Barn, the famous studio owned by his father, Owen, working with artists such as Loretta Lynn, Mickey Newbury and The Who.

He spent 1970-1973 as an RCA staff producer until he was named VP of Nashville Operations, guiding the recording careers of Ronnie Milsap, Alabama and Charlie Pride while producing hits by Pride, Dottie West and Jimmie Dean.

On the heels of Willie Nelson’s 1975 hit album Red Headed Stranger, Bradley saw an opportunity to capitalize on country’s Outlaw Movement with the release of a compilation featuring songs by RCA act Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Tompall Glaser and Nelson. The album went to #1 on the country chart for six weeks and in November became the first country album to be certified platinum by the RIAA.

He also helped Dolly Parton emerge as a solo artist, after being brought to the label by Porter Wagoner, and created early homes for Steve Wariner and Gary Stewart.

After stepping down from RCA, Bradley became vice president at Opryland USA, ultimately working as GM of Opryland Music Group, which owned the Acuff-Rose catalog.

While the catalog had classics from Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, Don Gibson, John D. Loudermilk and others, Bradley reinvigorated the company by signing new writers such as Dean Dillion (the single most recorded songwriter in George Strait’s catalog), Casey Beathard and Chesney.

In 1990, Opryland Music Group became the first Nashville publishing company to win both ASCAP and BMI’s Song of the Year honors.

Bradley retired in 2003 when Sony/ATV Music purchased Acuff-Rose/Milene Music. In retirement, Bradley continued in leadership capacities at the Country Music Association, having had a key role in the creation of Fan Fair in the mid-1970s.

He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019.