Singer, songwriter and musician Joe South has passed away in Georgia at the age of 72.
Joe’s hits included the classics ‘Games People Play’ and ‘Walk A Mile In My Shoes’ and as a session musician South played on Aretha Franklin’s ‘Chain of Fools’, Bob Dylan’s ‘Blonde On Blonde’, Tommy Roe’s ‘Sheila’ and Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘The Sounds Of Silence’.
‘Games People Play’ was his biggest hit earning his recognition in the USA, UK and Australia. The song became the Grammy Song of the Year in 1970 and also won Best Contemporary Song that same year.
‘Walk A Mile In My Shoes’ was later covered by Bryan Ferry and Elvis Presley.
South also wrote ‘Down In The Boondocks’, a hit for Billie Joe Royal and Deep Purple’s first major hit ‘Hush’, covered by Russell Morris in Australia and more recently by UK band Kula Shaker.
In 1979 Joe South was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.