Born on This Day in 1932, the “Tall Texan” Who Wrote Songs Recorded by Willie Nelson, Bob Marley, and Conway Twitty

On this day (January 26) in 1932, Claude Gray was born in Henderson, Texas. After a brief radio career, he released his first single in the late 1950s. He continued to release hits throughout the 1960s. Gray also penned several songs that were later recorded by some of the biggest names from multiple genres. Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, and Bob Marley are just a few of the artists who cut Gray’s compositions.

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Gray landed a deal with D Records in 1959. Later that year, he released “I’m Not Supposed,” which reached the Cashbox country chart but failed to chart on the Billboard tally. In 1960, he had his first hit with “Family Bible.” The song peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard chart.

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“Family Bible” is attributed to Gray, Walt Breeland, and Paul Buskirk. However, it was actually written by Willie Nelson. At the time, he was still more than a decade away from finding consistent success. As a result, he sold “Family Bible” for $100, according to the Academy of Country Music. The song’s success helped give him the confidence to stick to writing songs.

A year later, in 1961, Gray released his self-penned hit “I’ll Just Have a Cup of Coffee (Then I’ll Go).” It peaked at No. 4 on the country chart. Conway Twitty later recorded a version of the song. Additionally, reggae legend Bob Marley covered the song under the title “One Cup of Coffee.”

Gray’s biggest hit as a recording artist came later that year. He took the Roger Miller-penned “My Ears Should Burn (When Fools Are Talked About)” to No. 3 on the country chart.

Country Classics Written by Claude Gray

While Claude Gray wasn’t the biggest star country music has ever seen, he wrote some timeless songs that were later recorded by legendary artists.

For instance, Gray wrote “Home Coming in Heaven” and recorded it in 1960. Two years later, George Jones covered the song.

Gray wrote “I Never Had the One I Wanted” and recorded it in 1966. The next year, Ernest Tubb and Johnny Paycheck recorded covers of the tune. Dale Watson recorded his version of it in 2007.

“Family Bible” remains Gray’s most-recorded song. Willie Nelson recorded it in 1971, and it remains a regular addition to his setlists. Connie Smith, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Charley Pride, Bobby Bare, Faron Young, Ernest Tubb, and Porter Wagoner are among the many artists who have recorded versions of the song over the years.

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