Joe Sun was a respected American country singer-songwriter who recorded for Ovation and Elektra Records, placing 14 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Over his career he released 15 albums, toured the USA and Europe, voiced national Budweiser radio ads, produced two Grammy-nominated foreign albums (1989/90), and appeared as Tommy Fratter in the film Marie alongside Sissy Spacek and Morgan Freeman.

I first met Joe in Nashville in 1984 after Sonet asked me to produce an album with him. True to form, he arrived at my hotel room and immediately challenged me: “What does an English guy like you know about country music?” I replied, “Not as much as you — but my job is to bring out the best in you.” That set the tone for a relationship that was productive, if occasionally strained.

The next day he played me his songs. I heard  ...