Owen Bradley

William Owen Bradley (October 21, 1915 – January 7, 1998) was an American musician, bandleader and record producer who, along with Chet Atkins, Bob Ferguson, Bill Porter, and Don Law, was a chief architect of the 1950s and 60s Nashville sound in country music and rockabilly.

Bradley started with piano at a young age, and began performing professionally as a teenager. At age 20, he joined WSM (AM) as an arranger and musician, and by 1942 had become the station's musical director. At the same time, Bradley led a dance band that enjoyed popularity in local society circles.

In 1947, Bradley was hired by the head of Decca Records' country music division, Paul Cohen, to assist with recording sessions and later establish the label's operations in Nashville. In 1954, Bradley established Bradley Studios, later commonly known as the Quonset Hut Studio, which was the first music industry-related business in what is now known as Music Row, and helping establish Nashville as a recording industry center.

In 1958, Bradley became vice president of Decca's Nashville division. This period marked the beginning of the Nashville sound, a movement that aimed to broaden country music's appeal by incorporating pop elements. Bradley's work extended to producing records for artists like Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, playing a key role in their career successes.

Bradley sold Bradley Studios to Columbia Records in 1962, and two years later established Bradley's Barn, a new recording studio that continued to attract a range of recording artists. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1974, reflecting his impact on the industry. Bradley's later years saw him working on selected projects, including k.d. lang's Shadowland album.

Bradley's contributions have been recognized with various honors, including the dedication of a public park and a bronze likeness in Nashville. His legacy in the music industry is marked by his role in shaping the Nashville sound and influence on several generations of musicians.

Birth and Death Data: Born Westmoreland (town in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States), Died January 7, 1998 (Nashville (capital and largest city of Tennessee, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1967

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, leader, organ, other, songwriter, electric organ, producer, vibraphone, clarinet

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 888 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 2169 6/30/1950 Goodnight Irene Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, organ  
Decca NA 2188 7/4/1950 I'm moving on Walter "Hank" "Sugarfoot" Garland instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2189 7/4/1950 Guitar shuffle Walter "Hank" "Sugarfoot" Garland instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2208 9/9/1950 Christmas island-1 The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, organ  
Decca NA 2209 9/9/1950 C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S-1 The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, organ  
Decca NA 2211 9/9/1950 I need attention bad-2 The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2258 10/30/1950 Flying eagle polka Walter "Hank" "Sugarfoot" Garland ; Sugar Footers instrumentalist, electric organ  
Decca NA 2259 10/30/1950 Sentimental journey Walter "Hank" "Sugarfoot" Garland ; Sugar Footers instrumentalist, electric organ  
Decca NA 2260 10/30/1960 It is no secret Walter "Hank" "Sugarfoot" Garland ; Sugar Footers instrumentalist, electric organ  
Decca NA 2261 10/30/1950 Doll dance Walter "Hank" "Sugarfoot" Garland ; Sugar Footers instrumentalist, electric organ  
Decca NA 2264 10/30/1950 Blue Danube waltz Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2265 10/30/1950 Vienna life Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2266 10/30/1950 Artist's life Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2267 10/30/1950 Emperor waltz Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2280 12/1/1950 Wine, women and song Owen Bradley instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2281 12/1/1950 Voices of Spring Owen Bradley instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2282 12/1/1950 Tales from the Vienna woods Owen Bradley instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2283 12/1/1950 You and you Owen Bradley instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2288 12/13/1950 I give you my love Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2289 12/13/1950 Just live for today Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2290 12/20/1950 Goodnight sweet princess Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2291 12/20/1950 Little small town girl Owen Bradley leader  
Decca NA 2292 1/11/1951 Don't stay too long The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2293 1/11/1951 I'm steppin' out of the picture The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 2294 1/11/1951 May the good Lord bless and keep you-2 The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano, organ  
(Results 126-150 of 888 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bradley, Owen," accessed January 7, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106914.

Bradley, Owen. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 7, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106914.

"Bradley, Owen." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 7 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106914

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.