Gary Shelton, known professionally as Troy Shondell, was born on 14 May 1939 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He began his musical journey at a young age, learning to play the trumpet and piano under the tutelage of his father. By 14, he had written his first pop song, "A Prayer and a Jukebox", which was later recorded by Little Anthony & the Imperials. During his high school years, he released several singles, including "Yours Till I Die" with Mercury Records. In 1961, under the name Troy Shondell, he co-founded Goldcrest Records and released "This Time", which became a significant hit, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and selling over three million copies. This success led to international recognition, including a top 20 placement in the UK. Despite subsequent singles like "Tears From an Angel" and "Island In The Sky" charting lower, his career saw a shift when he began working as a songwriter for Acuff-Rose in 1967. His composition "Still Loving You", originally written for Bob Luman, became a notable country hit in 1973. He returned to performing in the late 1970s, releasing several country singles and achieving chart success with tracks like "Lovin’ You" (1980) and "I’m Looking for Some New Blue Jeans" (1988). He continued his musical activities until his death on 7 January 2016.