Tom T. Hall's wife, who he was married to since 1968 passed away last year.

Dixie Hall, the wife of American country music songwriter, Tom T. Hall passed away last year.

On January 16, 2015, Hall’s wife died at the age of 80 after struggling for several weeks with brain tumor.

Tom had met his future wife at an awards dinner in 1964. During that year, he had attained a Top 10 with Dave Dudley through the song ‘Mad’. After dating for four years, Tom and Dixie got married in 1968. The two devoted 46 years of their life for each other.

There has been no news about their divorce and their children.

By the year 1965, Dixie had started writing songs. Since she was young, she had developed an interest in American country music and cowboy culture. When she was 10 years old, she had won a national poetry contest in England which led her trip to London and opportunity to read her poem on BBC radio.

Dixie has written more than 500 commercially recorded bluegrass songs, which has not been written by any other female songwriter in the history of Bluegrass. Her compositions have been sung by many renowned singers from Johnny Cash to Miranda Lambert.  

Miranda Lambert had recorded the song ‘All That’s Left’ which was co-written by Dixie and Tom, on her 2014 CMA album of the year, Platinum.

Apart from being a songwriter, Dixie was an important figure in Nashville entertainment journalism. She started off as a reporter and later as the editor for the then critical journal, Music City News.

Dixie was also known for her animal activism. She used to organize fundraising programs for animal welfare causes.

Dixie Hall had in effect set her songwriting on hold during the late 60s through early 80s when her husband, Tom resigned as country music’s composers and performers. However, that proved to be a short-lived retirement. Tom announced his retirement from performing only in the 1990s and Dixie pursued her passion for writing.

The couple had immense passion and a life-long love for bluegrass music. They marked their respect to bluegrass from their 1976 album The Magnificent Music Machine. Many of their songs were tributes to bluegrass performers including the Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Lester Flatt and Bill Monroe.

The couple was so engrossed with bluegrass music that they often opened their recording studio and home to both aspiring and reputable artists. The Halls used to exchange ideas and test their creativity.

The couple was honored with the International Bluegrass Music Association’s distinguished achievement award in 2004. They had also been the 10-time songwriter of the year winners from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America.

The net worth of one of the greatest songwriters in the music industry has not been disclosed.