Wayne Kemp

Wayne Kemp (June 1, 1940 – March 9, 2015) was an American country music singer and songwriter. He recorded between 1964 and 1986 for JAB Records, Decca, MCA, United Artists, Mercury and Door Knob Records, and had twenty-four charting singles on the Hot Country Songs charts. His highest-charting single was "Honky Tonk Wine", which peaked at No. 17 in 1973. The song is included on his second studio album, Kentucky Sunshine, which reached No. 25 on Top Country Albums.

Kemp was born, one of nine children, to a musical family in Greenwood, Arkansas. His parents played multiple instruments, and encouraged their children to pursue music. When Kemp was six, the family moved to Muldrow, Oklahoma, and he performed in church and at local events. By the age of 16, he was writing songs and playing guitar professionally with Tulsa country musician Benny Ketchum.

In 1965, a friend had shown Kemp's songs to George Jones. Jones recorded two of Kemp's songs, "Love Bug" , and continued writing for other artists. Kemp achieved success writing songs for Johnny Cash ("One Piece At A Time"), George Strait ("The Fireman"), Johnny Paycheck ("The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised"), Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie Milsap, Jack Greene, Faron Young, Mickey Gilley, Charley Pride, Tom Petty, and Willie Nelson. Ricky Van Shelton scored a number one country hit with a cover of "I'll Leave This World Loving You" and Emmylou Harris covered "Feelin' Single, Seein' Double" on her album Elite Hotel.

Wayne Kemp was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.

Kemp died at the age of 74, on 9 March 2015, in Macon County General Hospital, Lafayette, Tennessee. He was suffering from multiple ailments and was on kidney dialysis when he died.

Discography Albums Year Album details Chart Positions US Country 1971 Wayne Kemp Release date: August 1971 Label: Decca Records— 1974 Kentucky Sunshine Release date: 1974 Label: MCA Records25 1983 Country Past, Present, Future Release date: 1983 Label: Door Knob—

Singles