Born in the Mile-High City 83 Years Ago, the Songwriter Who Wrote His First No. 1 Over the Phone and Penned Hits for Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, and Conway Twitty

July 21, 2026, 7:07am

On July 20, 1943, Wayne Carson was born in Denver, Colorado. While he was a multi-instrumentalist who recorded for several labels, he is best remembered as a versatile and prolific songwriter. Carson penned hits for pop, country, and R&B artists. Those who had success with his compositions include Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Eddy Arnold, Conway Twitty, and the Box Tops.

Carson grew up around country music. His parents performed as Shorty. When he was young, his family relocated from Colorado to Springfield, Missouri, because his dad landed a spot in the Tall Timber Boys, who were regulars on the Ozark Jubilee. When he was a teen, he started playing guitar. Before long, he was touring with early rock and roll bands.

Videos by American Songwriter

Wayne Carson Finds Songwriting Success

According to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Wayne Carson came to Music City for the first time in 1962. A year later, he inked a deal with Decca Records. A short time later, he moved back to Springfield to write songs for Si Siman’s publishing company. They pitched Carson’s songs for years before Siman’s friend Chet Atkins heard “Somebody Like Me” and wanted it for Eddy Arnold.

Arnold liked the song, but felt something was missing. So, he called Carson and asked if he could write a third verse. “Well, the third verse goes like this,” the songwriter began. Then, pulled said verse out of thin air before the call ended. It became Carson’s first No. 1 as a songwriter when it started a four-week run at the top of the country chart in November 1966.

The next year, The Box Tops took “The Letter” to No. 1 on the Hot 100. It has since been covered by the likes of the Beach Boys, B.B. King, The Arbors, The Ventures, Tom Jones, Al Green, and Sammi Smith.

Carson rose to the height of his songwriting powers in the 1970s. He co-wrote his biggest hit, “Always on My Mind,” with Johnny Christopher and Mark James. Brenda Lee and Elvis Presley had minor hits with it in 1972 and 1973, respectively. Roughly a decade later, Willie Nelson recorded the definitive version of the song. It topped the country chart and landed at No. 5 on the Hot 100. Additionally, it won Song of the Year and Country Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 1982. It was also the CMA Song of the Year in 1982 and 1983.

Carson Penned Timeless Hits

While “Always on My Mind” was a massive hit, it was far from the only successful song Wayne Carson penned in the 1970s. Below is a short list of his high-profile tunes.