Songwriter of 'Marina del Rey' Country Hit Dies

Frank Dycus, who co-wrote the hit song “Marina del Rey” for country musician George Strait, died on Friday at the age of 72, the Tennessean reported on Saturday.

Dycus wrote about 500 songs during his 45-year career, and he wrote Marina del Rey in collaboration with Dean Dillon. In addition to writing songs for George Strait, he also wrote for George Jones and Jerry Lee Lewis, toured with Buck Owens and worked with Dolly Parton.

He was one of 13 children born in Hardmoney, Ky. on Dec. 5, 1939, moved to California in 1955 and joined the Air Force soon after. He moved to Nashville in the 1960s and found his fame when he co-wrote two top 10 hits in the 1980s – Marina del Rey and Unwound for Strait.

George Strait’s Marina del Rey hit peaked at #6 in the U.S. and #2 in Canada in 1982.