In 1987, “Always on My Mind” returned to the charts yet again, this time in an upbeat version by United Kingdom duo Pet Shop Boys.
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One of Mr. Carson’s most famous songs, “The Letter“, was released in 1967 by Memphis band The Box Tops.
Carson’s wife, Wendy Harp Head, confirmed the songwriter’s death to The Springfield News-Leader.
Even though he spoke at a number of songwriting seminars later in his career, Carson always maintained that writing a song wasn’t something that could be taught – that it was more like discovering a story that was already there, waiting to be told. Carson had been in hospice care for the past month after a gallstone flare-up. It was originally recorded by Gwen McCrae and Brenda Lee, but the song gained popularity after Elvis Presley recorded his version in 1972 during his divorce from ex-wife Priscilla. Born Wayne Carson Thompson in Denver, his parents were professional musicians.
Carson’s first major achievement as a songwriter came in 1966 when Eddy Arnold recorded his “Somebody Like Me“, which went to No. 1 and stayed there for four weeks.
Although Carson was semi-retired in recent years, one of his songs was included on the album I Want Some More by Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach.
But it’s “Always on My Mind“, a song Carson reportedly wrote at his kitchen table in about 10 minutes, which would eventually earn him Grammy, CMA and ACM awards.
To hear Willie Nelson perform “Always On My Mind”, written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher and Mark James, click on the video player below.
Carson, along with two co-writers, then won Grammys for the song in 1983 after it became a hit for country giant Willie Nelson.
After that, Carson’s songs such as “The Letter“, “Soul Deep” and “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles)” found success with various recording artists.
Carson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1997. Thomas, Ray Price, Waylon Jennings, Shelby Lynne, the Beach Boys and Tina Turner.
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Services will be held at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens in Nashville, according to a member of Carson’s management team.
