On This Day in 2016, Country Music Said Goodbye to the Songwriter Who Penned Major Hits for George Jones, Tammy Wynette, and Porter Wagoner

On this day (October 30) in 2016, songwriter Curly Putman died in his Lebanon, Tennessee, home. He was 85 years old. Before his death, Putman penned some of the most enduring songs in country music history. His songs became hits for George Jones, Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, and several others.

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Born and raised in Alabama, Putman didn’t start seriously writing songs until 1960, after spending four years in the United States Navy. According to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, “I Think I Know” was the first of his songs to become a hit. Marion Worth took it to the top 10 on the country chart in 1960. Four years later, he moved to Nashville. Once there, he took a job with Tree International as a song plugger.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1966, Dolly Parton Recorded Her First-Ever Hit Single—and Then Re-Recorded 52 Years Later for Miranda Lambert]

A year after moving to Music City, Putman penned “Green, Green Grass of Home,” which later became a No. 4 hit for Porter Wagoner. Many of country’s biggest names released covers of the song over the years. He also wrote “Dumb Blonde,” which became Dolly Parton’s first single to reach the country chart.

Curly Putman Probably Wrote Your Favorite Country Song

Curly Putman left an indelible mark on the country music world because he did more than pen songs that became hits. He wrote songs that became milestones for major artists. Moreover, his songs have a rare impact and longevity.

Putman and Bobby Braddock co-wrote two of the most memorable songs in country music history. They penned “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” which became a No. 1 hit for Tammy Wynette in 1968. They also wrote “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the 1980 No. 1 single that gave George Jones’ career a second wind. It has also been hailed as one of the best and saddest songs the genre has to offer.

He wrote “It’s a Cheating Situation” with Sonny Throckmorton. Moe Bandy took the song to No. 2 on the country chart in 1979. Twenty years later, John Prine and Dolores Keane recorded it as a duet. They also wrote “Made for Lovin’ You,” a top-ten hit for Doug Stone in 1993.

“My Elusive Dreams,” co-written with producer Billy Sherrill, became a landmark song for Wynette. She joined David Houston on a duet version of the song in 1967. It became her first No. 1.

Putman was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1993.

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