| Elbert West | |
| Birth Name: | Elbert Lee West |
| Birth Date: | 22 July 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Welch, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Instrument: | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Genre: | Country |
| Occupation: | Singer-songwriter |
| Years Active: | 1990–2013 |
| Label: | Broken Bow |
Elbert Lee West (July 22, 1967 – May 18, 2015) was an American country music artist. Initially a session songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, West saw his first chart success in the 1990s as a co-writer on singles for country singer Tracy Lawrence, including the Number Ones "Sticks and Stones" and "Can't Break It to My Heart".[1] [2] West co-wrote album tracks for other artists, including tracks for Tim McGraw and John Michael Montgomery.[3]
Elbert West was born on July 22, 1967.[4] Early in his musical career, West wrote songs for Tracy Lawrence, Tim McGraw, and John Michael Montgomery.
By 2001, he had signed to Broken Bow Records, then a newly formed independent label, and his debut album, Livin' the Life, was released that year.[1] West co-wrote ten of the album's thirteen tracks,[3] while others – including "(This One's Gonna) Leave a Mark", previously recorded by John Michael Montgomery – were co-written by Randy Archer and Johnny Park, formerly of the duo Archer/Park. "Diddley", which peaked at No. 56 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, was the album's lead single and West's only single to chart. "Diddley" was also made into a music video, which aired on CMT.[2] Erik Hage of AllMusic gave the album four stars out of five, saying, "West has a big, husky baritone, a keen songwriting ability, a defiant attitude, and is a major country talent."[5] After a falling out over a record, West left Broken Bow Records.
In 2013, West started having seizures. He died in Portland, Tennessee, on May 18, 2015, at the age of 47 from a stomach aneurysm. West is survived by his wife Tammy and their three children.[6] [7]
| Livin' the Life | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Elbert West |
| Cover: | livinthelife.jpg |
| Italic Title: | no |
| Released: | 2001 |
| Genre: | Country |
| Label: | Broken Bow |
| Producer: | D. Scott Miller |
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| 2001 | "Diddley" | 56 | Livin' the Life |
| "Unpredictable" | — | ||
| 2002 | "(This One's Gonna) Leave a Mark" | — | |
| 2004 | "A Beautiful Day for Goodbye" | — | singles only |
| "Kimberly Cooper's Eyes" | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Diddley" | |
| "Unpredictable" | Michael Merriman | |