COUNTRY MUSIC MOURNS THE LOSS OF ONE OF ITS GREATEST SONGWRITERS
DON WAYNE
Don Wayne, 78 years old, lost his battle with cancer last night, and was taken to his heavenly home where he will no longer suffer. He was one of the kindest persons I have ever known in my entire life. When I was first recording he gave me all of his material that I liked, and I did record one of Don songs while he was writing for Tree Publishing. When we would see each other in the following years, he never failed to remember how excited I was to get one of his great songs. He was one of country music’s greatest songwriters and he will be sadly missed by our entire music community.
Don fought cancer for as long as he could, and now he will rest in peace with his Heavenly Father.
Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers in their time of extreme sorrow as they grieve Don’s passing from their life’s.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN THE PEACE AND LOVE OF OUR BLESSED LORD.
*As of this writing, I do not have funeral arrangements, but I will post them as soon as I am notified.
Birth Name: Donald William Choate Wayne
Birth Date: May 30, 1933
Place of Birth: Nashville, TN
Biography
“Some of the happiest times of my childhood were spent listening to country music on the radio or playing records on an old wind up victrola. Some of my favorite singers then were Eddie Arnold, Ernest Tubb, and Roy Acuff. One summer day when I was about eleven years old I was on my front porch pretending to play an old guitar someone had gave me. The lady next door called me over and asked me if I knew “Rainbow at Midnight” by Ernest Tubb. I said yes but I don’t know if I can remember all the words. She went in the house and came out with an Ernest Tubb Song Folio, and we sat there having a great time singing a lot of those old Ernest Tubb hits. I suppose that was the beginning of my dream of someday doing something in country music. I think ‘Country Bumpkin’ is by far my best song and it will always be special cause “it” came along and picked me up at a very low point in my songwriting career. I love all my songs but I also feel a special affection for those recorded by the heroes I idolized as a youngster, among those are ‘Don’t Water Down the Bad News’ by Ernest Tubb, ‘What in Her World Did I Do’ by Eddy Arnold and ‘MacArthurs Hand’ by Tex Ritter.” –Don Wayne
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Former Occupations:
Tool and diemaker |
Education:
Grade School–Elliot – Buena Vista (from 09/1939 to 05/1945) High School–Nort Nashville – William James High (White Bluff, TN) (from 1946 to 1948)–did not graduate |
Discography / Career Highlights
Career Milestones:
1953–first song recorded on major label, “Lonesome Waltz” (co-written with Vic McAlpin); recorded by George Morgan on Columbia Records
1959–first recording as an artist, “Poor Little Jimmy” on Look Records (owned by Hillous Butrum); song did not chart well but was later recorded by Hank Snow and Burl Ives
1963–signed exclusive writer agreement with Tree Publishing Co.
1964–first #1 song, “Saginaw, Michigan” recorded by Lefty Frizzell; was #1 for 5 weeks
1971–first and only appearance on the Grand Ole Opry
1974-75–made numerous appearances on the Ernest Tubb “Midnight Jamboree”
1959–first recording as an artist, “Poor Little Jimmy” on Look Records (owned by Hillous Butrum); song did not chart well but was later recorded by Hank Snow and Burl Ives
1963–signed exclusive writer agreement with Tree Publishing Co.
1964–first #1 song, “Saginaw, Michigan” recorded by Lefty Frizzell; was #1 for 5 weeks
1971–first and only appearance on the Grand Ole Opry
1974-75–made numerous appearances on the Ernest Tubb “Midnight Jamboree”
Awards:
1974–CMASong of the YearCountry Bumpkin
1974–ACMSong of the YearCountry Bumpkin
1974–NSAISong of the YearCountry Bumpkin
1974–NSAISongwriter of the Year
1974–CMASong of the YearCountry Bumpkin
1974–ACMSong of the YearCountry Bumpkin
1974–NSAISong of the YearCountry Bumpkin
1974–NSAISongwriter of the Year
Catalog Highlights:
“Saginaw Michigan” – Co-writer: Bill Anderson – Artists: Lefty Frizzell (1964)
“Country Bumpkin” – Artists: Cal Smith (1974)
“Belles of Southern Bell” – Artists: Del Reeves (1966)
“Birmingham Blues” – Artists: Jack Barlow (1969)
“It’s Time to Pay the Fiddler” – Artists: Cal Smith (1975)
“She Talked A Lot About Texas” – Artists: Cal Smith (1975)
“Mac Arthur’s Hand” – Artists: Cal Smith (1976), Tex Ritter
“What In Her World Did I Do” – Co-writer: Bobby Fischer – Artists: Eddy Arnold (1978)
“Hank” – Artists: Don Wayne (1971), Hank Williams Jr. (1972)
“Nashville” – Artists: David Houston (1970)
“If Teardrops Were Silver” – Artists: Jean Shepard (1967)
“Marriage Bit” – Artists: Lefty Frizzell (1968)
Comments:
Awarded 3 BMI performance awards and 1 ASCAP performance award
Send by Marty Martel martymartel@earthlink.net