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About |
Wayne Carson, internationally known music maker, is right at home in rock 'n roll, country, and rhythm and blues.
Two-time Grammy award winner, he is a songwriter, producer and musician, equally comfortable on percussion,
piano, guitar, or bass. His most famous songs include "Neon Rainbow", "The Letter", "Always on My Mind"
(with Mark James and Johnny Christopher), and "Soul Deep".
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Born Wayne Carson Thompson in Denver, Colorado. His parents, Odie and
Olivia Thompson, played music professionally. They met in Nebraska while
working for radio station KMMJ, moved to Colorado and eventually to
Springfield, Missouri to join the KWTO-AM music staff. By then, they were
better known by their stage names, Shorty and Sue Thompson. Shorty was
perhaps best known around the Ozarks as a member of radio and television
mainstay the Tall Timber Boys.
Wayne picked up a guitar when he was about 14 after hearing a recording by
Merle Travis. He was quickly taken by the newer sound of rock 'n' roll. He lived
in several cities, including Denver, as a young man leading bands. He moved
to Nashville, Tennessee in 1962. He eventually moved back to Springfield
where he began working with music publisher/promoter Si Siman.
Together they pitched songs for years ... but without success ... until Siman's
friend, producer Chet Atkins took a liking to a tune called "Somebody Like Me"
and wanted Eddy Arnold to record it.
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Wayne was taken aback when he got a call from Arnold, one of the most
successful country acts of all time: "Eddie said, 'Wayne, I love the song, but it
needs another verse'," Carson recalled. "So I said, 'Well, the third verse
goes like this' and I just wrote it right there over the phone." The song became
his first number one hit in late 1966, spending four weeks on top of the country
charts.
"Always on My Mind" won Grammy awards in 1983 for Song of the Year and
Best Country Song; in 1982 it reached #1 on the Billboard charts. The Country
Music Association named it the Song of the Year in 1982 and 1983. Also in
1982, The Nashville Songwriters Association International named it Song of
the Year and the Academy of Country Music named it Single of the Year.
The song "The Letter" was nominated for two Grammys. Both songs have
appeared in numerous television shows and movies. (*See Music - TV & Film).
Wayne's brother wrote once: "The late 50's and early '60's was the beginning of
young America starting their personal music collections, which continues on
today. Referred to as "my music" each individual, not realizing, kept a diary of
themselves in the form of music ... how they laughed, cried, fell in love ...
and out ... the good and bad times, all related to the words and music in the
songs." Wayne Carson's song are intertwined therein through memories of
millions. |
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In 1997, Carson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame . He continues to promote NSAI and the
songwriting community by appearing for events throughout Nashville, Tennessee.
Wayne's favorite recreations are golf and fishing. He loves dogs and devotes a great deal of his time and resources
to the rescue of Boston Terriers, often fostering and rehabilitating abandoned or abused animals in his home in
Franklin, Tennessee. With a vacation home in Alabama, Wayne will tell you he is living the blessed life thanks to his
music.
"Semi-retired" (do songwriters ever completely retire??) Wayne writes, on occasion, with old friends or with new
writers and artists who want to tap the creative genius that keeps a writer successful in the business for over four decades.
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