Curly Putman, American songwriter, Died at 85

  Music, Writer

Claude “Curly” Putman, Jr. was born on November 20, 1930, in Princeton, Jackson County, Alabama, and died on October 30, 2016.

He was an American songwriter,

He was based in Nashville.

Curly’s biggest success was “Green, Green Grass of Home” (1964, sung by Porter Wagoner), which was covered by Roger Miller, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Don Williams, Burl Ives, Johnny Darrell, Gram Parsons, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Roberto Leal, Dean Martin, Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Joe Tex, Nana Mouskouri, and Tom Jones.

During 1974, the Paul McCartney & Wings hit “Junior’s Farm” was inspired by their short stay at Putman’s farm in rural Wilson County, Tennessee.

Curly got married Bernice Soon in 1956.

He worked several jobs in different places in the late 1950s and early 60s, inspiring his later hit “My Elusive Dreams”.

Putman penned his first big hit, “Green, Green Grass of Home,” when working in Nashville plugging songs for Tree Records.

And the Alabama State Route 65 through the Paint Rock Valley in North Alabama is named in his honor, as well as the community park in Princeton.

Curly Putman passed away at 85 years old.