Dave Loggins dies at 76: Singer had 1974 hit Please Come to Boston

Country singer-songwriter Dave Loggins, who wrote the Masters golf tournament theme song Augusta and had a solo hit with the 1974 track Please Come to Boston, has died at the age of 76.

The musical artist died Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee at the Alive Hospice, according to The Tennessean.

Loggins holds the distinction of being ‘the only unsigned artist’ to capture a CMA Award, according to the outlet. He received the aforementioned honors in 1986 for his duet with Anne Murray titled Nobody Loves Me Like You Do.

The musical artist was born in Shady Valley, Tennessee and grew up in Bristol, Tennessee, later relocating to Nashville to pursue his career in music.

Described by the outlet as one of the Music City’s ‘most prolific songwriters,’ Loggins penned songs for a number of prominent artists in the country genre and beyond for more than 50 years.

Among the artists he wrote songs for included Reba McEntire, Smokey Robinson, Wynonna Judd, Joan Baez, Lee Greenwood, Alabama and Three Dog Night; as well as late stars such as Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Toby Keith and Ray Charles.

Loggins in his career had been nominated for four Grammys over the course of three decades.

He was nominated in 1992, for Best Country Song for She Is His Only Need; in 1985 for Best Country Song for Forty Hour Week (For A Livin’); in 1984 for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for Nobody Loves Me Like You Do; and in 1974 for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for Please Come To Boston.  

Dave Loggins in 1995 was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He told the institution that he considered his best career moments ‘touring England in the early ’70s with the Everly Brothers, meeting John Lennon at the Grammys in ’75, and writing six number one records and not winning songwriter of the year, and then having seven the next year to win.’

Loggins wrote Augusta, his musical contribution to the golf tournament, in 1981 and it began being played on CBS during the annual event in 1982, according to the AP. 

He spoke with the AP about his composition of the song in 2019, saying he was creatively inspired to write it while golfing on the famed course Augusta National in Georgia.

‘I stopped for a minute, looked up at the pine trees and the wind down there was just different in some regards,’ Loggins said. ‘Spiritually it was different. That course was just a piece of art.

‘I looked over at some dogwoods and, man, I just started writing the song in my head which is what I do when I get inspired. I had the first verse before I even got off the course.’

Dave Loggins was the cousin of Kenny Loggins, known for hits hits such as Footloose, Danger Zone and I’m Alright, according to the AP. 

A number of Dave Loggins’ peers and fans took to X/Twitter on Thursday to remember the late singer-songwriter.

Lee Greenwood called Loggins ‘an incredible singer, guitar player, and a writer’ who served as an inspirational presence in his career.

‘It was his music that drew me to Nashville, Tennessee in 1979,’ Greenwood said. ‘Dave was from Bristol, TN, but he made the world know who he was by the songs he wrote and sang.

‘We will miss his great talent, but his songs will live forever. We send prayers of healing and comfort to the Loggins family. I’m the number one fan of the man from Tennessee.’

ESPN reporter Ed Werder said, ‘Please Come to Boston. A great song from Dave Loggins, who has passed away.’

Jorunalist Alison Bonaguro posted a YouTube clip of Please Come to Boston, writing, ‘@kennychesney covered this Dave Loggins song, which I loved. But there’s nothing like the OG. RIP, Dave.’

There will not be a funeral held for Loggins at his personal request, The Tennessean reported. In lieu of flowers, Loggins’ family said donations can be made to the nonprofit Alive Hospice in the singer’s name.

The singer-songwriter is survived by his sons Quinn Loggins, Kyle Loggins, and Dylan Loggins, and grandson Braxton Loggins.