Leon Payne

Leon Roger Payne ( born June 15, 1917 in Alba, Texas, † September 11, 1969 in San Antonio, Texas) was an American country musician and songwriter. At Payne's most successful compositions include Country classics like Lost Highway and I Love You Because.

  • 2.1 Singles
  • 2.2 albums

Life

Childhood and youth

Leon Payne, who was blind from birth, grew up in Texas in Wood County. At age 18, he completed his secondary education at the Texas School for the Blind, which he had attended since the age of seven. There he met his future wife Myrtle know and was encouraged by his teachers to devote himself to music. Payne began to play the guitar, piano, organ, drums and trombone and performed for friends and acquaintances.

Career

Soon Payne had first professional engagement. Mid -1930s, he played in a number of local bands, and in 1935 made ​​his first appearance on the radio. Two years later he joined Bob Wills ' Texas Playboys at which time he stayed in his career loosely connected. At the same time, Payne began to write his first songs in 1939 and got an opportunity einzuspielen first plates. Well-known early pieces were You Do not Love Me But I'll Always Care and Down Where The Violets Grow.

The 1940s Payne spent most of it, as The Blind Texas Hitchhicker to pull through the country, performing in vaudeville and variety of country shows. 1948 Payne was a member of Jack Rhodes ' Rhythm Boys and occasionally played with Bob Wills. A year later he formed his own band, the Lone Star Buddies, which included Payne as a guitarist and singer, Frankie Surisek ( steel guitar ), Ernest Hunter (fiddle ), Peter Burke ( bass) and Joe Reesideau (piano and accordion). With this group Payne got appearances in shows like the Louisiana Hayride successful, the Big D Jamboree and the most successful radio show in North America, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. At the same time he was successful as a songwriter. George Morgan had with Payne's Cry-Baby Heart a hit and Hank Williams made ​​it with Lost Highway at No. 12 on the country charts. Williams should bring They'll Never Take Her Love From Me another title by Payne in the charts. Leon Payne himself had with I Love Because his biggest hit in 1950. He had written the title for his wife and childhood sweetheart Myrtle. Later, many well-known artists recorded their own version, including Ernest Tubb, Jim Reeves, Don Gibson Johnny Cash and a pop version by Al Martino. Even the young Elvis Presley played during his Sun sessions 1954 a cover of the song.

In the following years, musicians such as Hank Snow and Carl Smith had repeatedly successes with Paynes titles. Payne played a to 1964 plates; Mid -1950s, he tried at Starday Records under the pseudonym "Rock Rogers " Rockabilly and 1963 he released two albums. 1965 Payne suffered a heart attack as a result he had to restrict his tours, gave the music but not on. Other artists had continued success with his titles; Things Have Gone To Pieces in the same year for George Jones hit and 1967, Don Gibson Lost Highway on.

Leon Payne died in 1969 due to a further heart attack. He was posthumously recorded in 1970 with over 1000 composed pieces into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Discography

Singles

Discography is not complete.

  • My Baby Left Me

Albums

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