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But just as his star was on the rise, tragedy struck. En route to a gig, a drunk driver crashed into the car that was carrying Kemp and his band. The car burst into flames. Two of Kemp's band-mates were killed, and Wayne suffered third degree burns on his face, hands and legs. Wayne's doctors told
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and hit the road, playing guitar with Conway Twitty's band. His own solo recording career began the year after, with hits like "Won't You Come Home (And Talk To A Stranger)", "Bar Room Habits", and "I'll Leave This World Loving You."
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For the next two decades, Kemp pursued his solo career while writing for others and earning a reputation as a master of the country & western heartbreak song. Kemp achieved significant success writing songs for
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charts. His highest-peaking single was "Honky Tonk Wine", which peaked at No. 17 in 1973. The song is included on his second studio album,
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But, with hard work and determination, Kemp proved them wrong. In 1968, he had his first #1, "
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Kemp died at the age of 74, on 9 March 2015, in Macon County
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Kemp's first break came in 1965, when a friend passed his demo tape to
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singer-songwriter. He recorded between 1964 and 1986 for JAB Records,
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and Door Knob
Records, and charted twenty-four singles on the
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scored a #1 country hit when he released a cover of Kemp's "
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Kemp was born, one of nine children, to a musical family in
1019:"Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Wayne Kemp dies"
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867:. Anderson & Son Funeral Homes and Memorial Park
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American country music singer-songwriter (1940–2015)
865:"Wayne Kemp June 11, 1940 ~ March 9, 2015 (age 74)"
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239:him he would never again be able to play guitar.
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514:"Won't You Come Home (And Talk To A Stranger)"
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968:"'Love Bug' Songwriter Wayne Kemp Dead at 74"
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279:("The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised"),
1065:"RPM Country Tracks for March 2, 1974"
890:. Record Research, Inc. p. 221.
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1207:20th-century American male musicians
995:"Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame"
966:Betts, Stephen L. (March 10, 2015).
734:"Your Wife Is Cheatin' on Us Again"
1157:American country singer-songwriters
745:"Just Got Back From No Man's Land"
999:nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com
328:Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
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705:"Love Goes to Hell When It Dies"
655:"Waiting For The Tables To Turn"
326:Wayne Kemp was inducted into the
1217:Singer-songwriters from Oklahoma
1212:American male singer-songwriters
1192:20th-century American guitarists
1177:Singer-songwriters from Arkansas
921:. 9 October 1976. pp. UA–4.
718:I'll Leave This World Loving You
680:"Leona Don't Live Here Anymore"
317:I'll Leave This World Loving You
1202:Country musicians from Arkansas
1197:Country musicians from Oklahoma
1142:People from Greenwood, Arkansas
1040:"Search results for Wayne Kemp"
209:, which reached No. 25 on
1182:United Artists Records artists
888:Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008
544:"Who'll Turn Out The Lights?"
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1162:People from Muldrow, Oklahoma
805:Country Past, Present, Future
430:Country Past, Present, Future
1021:. Tennessean.com. 1941-06-01
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488:"Babblin Incoherently"
38:Background information
933:"Chart position for
915:"UA Country Artists"
613:"Kentucky Sunshine"
555:"Award To An Angel"
335:Lafayette, Tennessee
73:Lafayette, Tennessee
1167:MCA Records artists
265:One Piece At A Time
218:Greenwood, Arkansas
56:Greenwood, Arkansas
647:non-album singles
602:"Honky Tonk Wine"
530:"Bar Room Habits"
501:"The Image Of Me"
435:Release date: 1983
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252:Tree International
211:Top Country Albums
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1074:24 September
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244:Next In Line
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229:George Jones
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144:George Jones
107:Years active
68:(2015-03-09)
53:June 1, 1940
1137:2015 deaths
1132:1940 births
979:October 28,
871:October 28,
479:CAN Country
414:MCA Records
341:Discography
293:Faron Young
289:Jack Greene
273:The Fireman
261:Johnny Cash
152:Johnny Cash
140:Formerly of
1126:Categories
1108:Wayne Kemp
1093:Wayne Kemp
1025:2015-03-11
1004:2021-03-08
851:References
583:"Darlin'"
524:Wayne Kemp
473:US Country
378:Wayne Kemp
366:US Country
179:Wayne Kemp
90:Occupation
49:1940-06-01
23:Wayne Kemp
919:Billboard
627:"Listen"
330:in 1999.
305:Tom Petty
135:Door Knob
111:1967–1986
942:Allmusic
233:Love Bug
1112:Discogs
460:Single
450:Singles
412:Label:
386:Label:
199:Mercury
132:Mercury
84:Country
1099:
894:
830:(with
466:Album
346:Albums
319:" and
307:, and
116:Labels
80:Genres
75:, U.S.
58:, U.S.
825:1986
811:1984
792:1983
767:1982
731:1981
702:1980
677:1977
652:1976
624:1974
599:1973
580:1972
541:1971
511:1969
485:1967
457:Year
425:1983
399:1974
373:1971
353:Year
246:" by
187:Decca
120:Decca
1097:IMDb
1076:2010
1051:2010
981:2016
950:2010
892:ISBN
873:2016
275:"),
267:"),
63:Died
43:Born
1095:at
1069:RPM
1044:RPM
838:70
817:75
798:55
784:64
773:78
759:75
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737:35
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420:25
191:MCA
124:MCA
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