Wayne Carson Thompson is an American country musician. He is a songwriter, producer and plays percussion, piano, guitar, and bass. His most famous songs include "Neon Rainbow", "The Letter", "Always on My Mind" (with Mark James and Johnny Christopher), and "Soul Deep". Biography edit: Born 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 Thompson was perhaps best known around the Ozarks as a member of radio and television mainstay the Tall Timber Boys. Carson wanted to pick up a guitar when he was about 14, after hearing a recording by Merle Travis. Even so, 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; and moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1962. He eventually came back to Springfield where he began working with music publisher and promoter Si Siman. Together they pitched songs for years, but without success until Siman's friend and producer Chet Atkins took a liking to a tune called "Somebody Like Me" and wanted to have Eddy Arnold record it. Carson 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, and spent 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 No. 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. In 1997, Carson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Well-known songs edit: "Somebody Like Me" - Eddy Arnold, "Always On My Mind" - Brenda Lee, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, The Pet Shop Boys, "The Letter" - The Box Tops, The Beach Boys, Joe Cocker featuring Leon Russell, "Keep On" - Bruce Channel, "Who's Julie" - Mel Tillis, "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)" - Gary Stewart, Wade Hayes, "Neon Rainbow" - The Box Tops, "Soul Deep" - The Box Tops, Clarence Carter, Gary U.S. Bonds, Tina Turner, Eddy Arnold, Gin Blossoms, "The Clown" - Conway Twitty, "Slide Off Your Satin Sheets" - Johnny Paycheck, "Whiskey Trip" - Gary Stewart, "No Love At All" - B.J. Thomas, "Drinkin' Thing" - Gary Stewart, Wade Hayes, "Barstool Mountain" - Moe Bandy, "Carryin' On" - Tina Turner, "That's The Only Way To Say Good Morning" - Ray Price, "A Horse Called Music" - Willie Nelson, Randy Travis, "Dog Day Afternoon" - Shelby Lynne, "I See the Want To in Your Eyes" - Conway Twitty, "(Don't Let The Sun Set On You In) Tulsa" - Waylon Jennings, "Something's Wrong In California" - Waylon Jennings, "I Want Some More" - Dan Auerbach, "I Couldn't Spell !!*@!" - Sam The Sham, "The Letter," "Neon Rainbow" and "Soul Deep" were all Top 40 hits for the Box Tops; "The Letter" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1967. Notes edit: ^ Brothers, Michael A. "Lyrics that endure" (March 16, 2006), Springfield News-Leader, p. 1C

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