Curly Putman
Encyclopedia
Claude "Curly" Putman, Jr. (born November 20, 1930 in Princeton, Jackson County, Alabama
) is an American songwriter, based in Nashville. His biggest success was "Green, Green Grass of Home" (1964, sung by Porter Wagoner
), which was covered by Elvis Presley
, Johnny Darrell
, Gram Parsons
, Joan Baez
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Johnny Cash
, Roberto Leal
, Merle Haggard
, Bobby Bare
, Joe Tex
, Nana Mouskouri
and, of course, Tom Jones
. The Paul McCartney & Wings hit "Junior's Farm
" was inspired by their short stay at Putman's farm.
. Married Bernice Soon in 1956. Tried several jobs in different places in the late 1950s and early 60s, inspiring his later hit "My Elusive Dreams". Wrote his first big hit, "Green, Green Grass of Home," when working in Nashville plugging songs for Tree Records.
Jackson County, Alabama
Jackson County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Andrew Jackson, general in the United States Army and President of the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 53,227. The county seat is Scottsboro. Jackson County is a prohibition or dry county,...
) is an American songwriter, based in Nashville. His biggest success was "Green, Green Grass of Home" (1964, sung by Porter Wagoner
Porter Wagoner
Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...
), which was covered by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Johnny Darrell
Johnny Darrell
Johnny Darrell was an American country music artist.Darrell was born in Hopewell, Alabama but grew up in Marietta, Georgia. After a stint in the army, he moved to Nashville and began managing a Holiday Inn near Music Row when he was discovered by Kelso Herstin, a producer working for United...
, Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
, Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Roberto Leal
Roberto Leal
Roberto Leal, stage name of António Joaquim Fernandes, is a Portuguese-Brazilian singer, born in Macedo de Cavaleiros municipality, Braganza district, in northeast Portugal. He has sold more than 17 million albums, and has received 30 golden records and 5 platinum records.In 1962 his family moved...
, Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
, Bobby Bare
Bobby Bare
Robert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:...
, Joe Tex
Joe Tex
Joseph Arrington, Jr. , better known as "Joe Tex", was an American Southern soul singer-songwriter, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s...
, Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and...
and, of course, Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
. The Paul McCartney & Wings hit "Junior's Farm
Junior's Farm
"Junior's Farm" is a song written by Paul and Linda McCartney and performed by Paul McCartney and Wings. A number-three hit single in the United States, it was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee in 1974, while the band was staying at the farm of Curly Putman Jr., which accounts for the title. The...
" was inspired by their short stay at Putman's farm.
Biography
Putman was the son of a sawmill worker, and was raised on Putman Mountain in Alabama. He joined the Navy and spent four years on the aircraft carrier USS Valley ForgeUSS Valley Forge
USS Valley Forge may refer to: was an Essex-class aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1946, converted to an amphibious assault ship and decommissioned in 1970 was a guided missile cruiser commissioned in 1986 and decommissioned in 2004...
. Married Bernice Soon in 1956. Tried several jobs in different places in the late 1950s and early 60s, inspiring his later hit "My Elusive Dreams". Wrote his first big hit, "Green, Green Grass of Home," when working in Nashville plugging songs for Tree Records.
Selective list of Putman hit songs
- "Green, Green Grass of Home" (Putman)
- "My Elusive DreamsMy Elusive Dreams"My Elusive Dreams" is a country music song written by Billy Sherrill and Curly Putman, which has been recorded by several artists. The best-known version was recorded as a duet by David Houston and Tammy Wynette, becoming a No. 1 hit in October 1967; the song also peaked at No...
" (Putman/Billy SherrillBilly SherrillBilly Sherrill is a record producer and arranger who is most famous for his association with a number of country artists, most notably Tammy Wynette...
) - "Dumb BlondeHello, I'm Dolly-The World of Dolly Parton and Other Re-Releases:In 1972, it was re-released with As Long As I Love, as "The World of Dolly Parton", discs 1 and 2...
" (Putman) - "D-I-V-O-R-C-ED-I-V-O-R-C-E"D-I-V-O-R-C-E" is an American country music song written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman, and made famous by Tammy Wynette. Wynette's version was a number one country hit in 1968.-Background:...
" (Putman/Bobby BraddockBobby BraddockRobert Valentine Braddock is an American country music songwriter and record producer. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Braddock has contributed numerous hit songs during more than 40 years in the industry, including 13 number-one hit...
) - "He Stopped Loving Her TodayHe Stopped Loving Her Today"He Stopped Loving Her Today" is the title of a song by American country music artist George Jones that has been named in several surveys as the greatest country song of all time. It was released in April 1980 as the lead single from the album I Am What I Am. The song was Jones's first No. 1 single...
" (Putman/Bobby BraddockBobby BraddockRobert Valentine Braddock is an American country music songwriter and record producer. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Braddock has contributed numerous hit songs during more than 40 years in the industry, including 13 number-one hit...
) - "Let's Keep It That Way" (Putman/Rafe Vanhoy)
- "I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again" (Putman/Rafe Vanhoy/Don Cook)
- "Blood Red and Going Down" (Putman)
- "Do You Wanna Go To Heaven" (Putman/Bucky Jones)
- "Smooth Sailing" (Putman/Sonny ThrockmortonSonny ThrockmortonJames Fron "Sonny" Throckmorton is an American country music singer and songwriter. Known primarily for his songwriting, Throckmorton has had more than 1,000 of his songs recorded by various country singers...
) - "Set Me Free" (Putman/Marvin Walters)
- "It's a Cheating Situation" (Putman/Sonny ThrockmortonSonny ThrockmortonJames Fron "Sonny" Throckmorton is an American country music singer and songwriter. Known primarily for his songwriting, Throckmorton has had more than 1,000 of his songs recorded by various country singers...
) - "It Don't Feel Like Sinnin' To Me" (Putman/Mike Kosser)
Albums
- 1967: Lonesome Country of Curly Putman (ABC)
- 1969: World of Country Music (ABC)
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
||
| 1960 | "The Prison Song" | 23 | — |
| 1967 | "My Elusive Dreams My Elusive Dreams "My Elusive Dreams" is a country music song written by Billy Sherrill and Curly Putman, which has been recorded by several artists. The best-known version was recorded as a duet by David Houston and Tammy Wynette, becoming a No. 1 hit in October 1967; the song also peaked at No... " |
41 | 134 |
| "Set Me Free" | 67 | — | |