NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — Canadian musician and songwriter Kerry Chater, who played bass for Gary Puckett and The Union Gap and later developed a career as a songwriter who wrote hits for the likes of Reba McEntire and George Strait, has died. He was 76.
Chater’s passing was first announced on social media by Canadian music journalist Eric Alper and later confirmed by multiple media sources. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Chater began his professional career in the industry in 1967 when he joined Gary Pickett to form the rock band Union Gap and spent the next four years as the band’s bassist and arranging music for live performances.
He also contributed to the band’s songwriting, co-writing songs such as “His Other Woman,” “I’m Just a Man,” and “Wait Till The Sun Shines on You.”
In 1970, Chater struck out on his own to pursue a career in songwriting and musical theater.
Eight years later, he teamed up with the noted country hitmakers Rory Bourke and Charlie Black to pen “I Know A Heartache When I See One” which proved to be a hit for Jennifer Warnes which cracked the top 20 on the Billboard 100 and climbed to 10 on the hot country charts.
Three years later, George Strait scored a #1 hit with “You Look So Good In Love” written by Chater, Rory Bourke, and Glen Ballard. The song went on to sell more than 3 million copies and has since been covered numerous times.
Chater also wrote or co-wrote hits for the likes of Alabama, Anne Murray, Lorrie Morgan, Mindy McCready, and Eddy Raven, among numerous others.
In 1987, Chater and his wife and writing partner, Lynn Gillespie Chater, relocated to Nashville where, in addition to music, they also moved into novels, writing a series of thriller novels, Kill Point, and Blood Debt, both of which made it onto Amazon’s Best Sellers list.
Kerry Chater is survived by his wife, Lynn Gillespie Chater, his sons Kerry Chater, Jr. and Christopher John Chater, daughter Jesse Kirchhoff, son-in-law Drew Kirchhoff, and granddaughters Nora Leigh, Madalene Leigh, Sydney Kirchhoff, and Rowen Kirchhoff, according to an obituary published by Williamsonsource.
