Wayne Carson, the Grammy Award-winning songwriter behind the hit country song "Always On My Mind," died on Monday, Springfield News-Leader reported. He was 72 years old. Carson suffered from various illnesses, including congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and gallstones. Carson had been in hospice care for the past month after a gallstone flare-up.
"He had numerous health issues," Wyndi Harp, Carson's wife, told the News-Leader.
Carson was born as Wayne Carson Head (also known as Wayne Carson Thompson) on May 31, 1943 in Denver, Colo. to professional musicians Odie and Olivia Thompson. He started playing guitar at the age of 14 and got his first big break in the music business when country star Eddy Arnold recorded Carson's song "Somebody Like Me," according to USA Today. The song became a number one hit.
His second chart-topping hit, "The Letter," was recorded by Memphis rock group the Box Tops.
Carson also wrote and produced rock and rhythm and blues. His most successful song was the country hit "Always On My Mind," according to the BBC. 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.
The song reached the number one spot on the 1982 Billboard chart when Willie Nelson re-recorded it. Nelson's version won two Grammy awards in 1983, one for Best Country Song and another for Song of the Year.
