Frank Dycus was a colorful character and one of Music Row’s best raconteurs.  Frank was the brilliant songwriter of hits for George Strait, Jerry Lee Lewis, George Jones, Mark Chesnutt, Porter Wagoner, Tracy Byrd, and others. He sadly passed away in 2012. 

Frank’s brilliance, like so many in the creative community was flanked with his own mental health struggles.  To honor the memory of the legendary Frank Dycus and assist music industry professionals who are facing similar mental health struggles,  The Frank Dycus Endowment for Mental Health has been created to provide outpatient mental health resources to the music community that meant so much to him.

Marion Franklin Dycus was born in Hardmoney, Kentucky and was one of 7 children. He hitchhiked to California at age 15, then returned to Kentucky and joined the Air Force for a seven-year stint.

He spent time in Kansas working at Boeing and hosting a radio show before moving to Nashville in 1967. Dycus first tasted songwriting success in 1970, when George Morgan had a hit with his co-written “Lilacs and Fire.” Porter Wagoner took the Dycus song “Charley’s Picture” to No. 15 in 1971.

The songwriter’s first top-10 hit was with the 1974 Jerry Lee Lewis single “He Can’t Fill My Shoes.” The Wagoner and Dolly Parton 1976 top-10 hit duet “Is Forever Longer Than Always” was also from the Dycus catalog.

Dycus is perhaps best known for the trio of hits he co-wrote for George Strait, 1981’s “Unwound” and “Down and Out,” plus 1982’s “Marina Del Ray.” George Jones won a 1992 CMA Award for “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” which Dycus also co-wrote.

The songwriter hit No. 1 with “Gonna Get a Life,” sung by Mark Chesnutt in 1995, which helped Dycus earn SESAC’s Songwriter of the Year honors.

Dycus also wrote charted singles for Johnny Bush, Red Sovine, Johnny Paycheck, Joe Sun, Stella Parton, David Ball, Doug Supernaw, Gary Allan, Ronny Robbins, The Rovers, Southern Reign, Gary Stewart and his frequent song collaborator, Dean Dillon.

HERE is more information about the Mental Health Fund at Music Health Alliance and how to apply for a grant.