Mike Curb Remembers Songwriter Kyle Jacobs: “Kyle Was an Inspiration to All”

Founder of Curb Records and Curb | Word Chairman Mike Curb has released a statement following the death of Kyle Jacobs.

Jacobs, a hit songwriter and producer in Nashville and husband of country singer Kellie Pickler, died on Friday (Feb. 17) at the age of 49 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Jacobs signed a publishing deal with Curb Music in 2003 and less than a year later had a hit with American Idol contestant Kimberly Locke’s debut single, “8th World Wonder.” The song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.  

“Kyle Jacobs was one of those amazing creative talents who understood all genres of music,” Curb says in a statement to American Songwriter. “He came into Curb’s life when he wrote ‘8th World Wonder,’ which was the first pop single by Kimberly Locke after her amazing performance on American Idol.”

Curb also notes Jacobs’ rare accomplishment with co-writing Garth Brooks’ 2007 hit, “More Than a Memory,” with Lee Brice and Billy Montana. “More Than a Memory” became the first song to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in its near 50-year history at the time.

“Among his many other successes, he composed Tim McGraw’s hit ‘Still’ and Lee Brice’s No. 1 Billboard single, ‘Rumor,’ and he co-produced with Ben Glover Lee Brice’s current and most successful album [Hey World released in 2020], which has just been certified platinum,” Curb continues. He also cites “Save the Roses” and “Do Not Disturb” off Hey World as “some of the most poignant songs ever written, which are a major tribute to Kyle’s legacy that we will always cherish.

“Most importantly, Kyle was part of our Curb | Word family and an inspiration to all of us,” Curb concludes.

Adds Colt Murski, vice president of country publishing and creative at Curb | Word: “Kyle was such an amazing person. He was my best friend, my best man, and my champion. I had the honor of working with him for over 18 years and cherished every moment. He was an amazing musician, songwriter, and producer. 

“He was a part of so many amazing songs. He was a friend to so many people and he touched so many lives around the world. He was the kind of guy you could go to for advice, guidance, or a good laugh. I’m going to miss him forever.”

Two days before his death, Jacobs shared a celebratory post on social media about Hey World‘s platinum certification. “An amazing crew of incredibly talented peeps put this one together,” Jacobs said of the album on which he was a co-writer and co-producer. “Deeply honored to be a creative part of it…Thank you Jesus!!”

In addition to his career as a songwriter, Jacobs also starred alongside his wife on I Love Kellie Pickler, which ran for three seasons on CMT from 2015 to 2017.

Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images