5/21/2008 Amber Garner Well known song publisher Al Gallico, 88, died Thursday, May 15 in Los Angeles due to respiratory failure, reports cmt.com. “He was a big driving force in Country Music in Nashville, even though he was behind the scenes,” said producer/songwriter Billy Sherrill. Gallico was responsible for publishing such famous songs as “Stand By Your Man”, “Let Me Be There” and “The House of the Rising Sun.” He opened Al Gallico Music Corp. in 1963 and later formed Algee Music with Billy Sherill. Gallico’s place on Music Row was a very unique one as he was not from Nashville. “They all like him, which is hard to say of most out-of-towners. He came in and was one of the guys.” Gallico is a member of the Song Writers Hall of Fame and also received the Abe Oleman Publishers Award. Services will be held at Forest Lawn in Los Angeles. There will be a memorial in Nashville at a later date. Gallico is survived by his wife Grace, two daughters and many grandchildren.
