http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/arts/music/larry-henley-a-writer-of-wind-beneath-my-wings-dies-at-77.html 2014-12-20 04:11:45 Larry Henley, a Writer of ‘Wind Beneath My Wings,’ Dies at 77 Mr. Henley, a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, was also an activist for the rights of songwriters. === Larry Henley, a songwriter best known for “Wind Beneath My Wings,” died on Thursday in Nashville. He was 77. His death, after a long illness, was confirmed by Charlie Andrews, his lawyer and business manager. “Wind Beneath My Wings,” which Mr. Henley wrote with Jeff Silbar, was a No. 1 hit in 1989 for The song, written in 1982, has also been recorded by Lou Rawls, Sheena Easton, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Gary Morris and numerous others. Mr. Henley was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. Born in Arp, Tex., on June 30, 1937, Mr. Henley grew up in Odessa, Tex., and had originally planned on an acting career before becoming a singer and songwriter. He was a member of the Newbeats, a Louisiana singing group that had a Top 10 hit in 1964 with the infectious Weary of life on the road, Mr. Henley eventually settled in Nashville and pursued a songwriting career. Among the many country hits he co-wrote are Tammy Wynette’s " ‘Til I Get It Right” and Janie Fricke’s “He’s a Heartache (Looking for a Place to Happen).”