On Wednesday (October 9), some of the brightest stars in country music came together at the Von Braun Center at Probst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama for a tribute concert dubbed The Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon. The stacked lineup included George Strait, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Riley Green, Zach Top, Mark Chesnutt, and many more.
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A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Dillon has written or co-written some of the biggest country hits from the last four decades. He penned hits for the likes of Strait, Waylon Jennings, Brooks & Dunn, Keith Whitley, and several more. Watch Top cover “Miami My Amy” made famous by Keith Whitley in the ‘80s.
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Zach Top Covers a Dean Dillon Classic
Dean Dillon co-wrote “Miami, My Amy” with Hank Cochran and Royce Porter. Keith Whitley recorded the song and released it as the second single from his 1986 album L.A. to Miami. It peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was Whitley’s first top-20 country hit.
The song tells the heartwarming story of a long-distance relationship. A man from Los Angeles, California visits Miami, Florida where he meets and falls in love with a woman named Amy. When he goes home, he worries that he’ll never see her again. However, she calls him and invites him to come back to Miami to be with her.
“Miami, My Amy” went on to be one of Whitley’s signature songs as well as one of the most-covered songs in his catalog. Notably, Daryle Singletary recorded a version of the song for his 2007 covers album Straight from the Heart.
More recently, the song found a new audience when it became a trending sound on TikTok. Many creators used the sound in wholesome, heartwarming, or nostalgic videos.
Dean Dillon Tribute Show Breaks a Record
Between Dean Dillon’s long list of hit songs and the artists gathered to celebrate his career, the tribute concert pulled a massive crowd. People came from all over the world to see the show. According to a local news outlet, some fans came all the way from Germany for the concert.
The Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon broke the record for the highest-grossing concert in the history of the Von Braun Center. Additionally, Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle named October 9 Dean Dillon Day.
Featured Image by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Stagecoach
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