Wayne Kemp on RFD

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 16 Dec 2006 9:33 am

Saw a very young Wayne Kemp on RFD "Porter Wagoner Show"last night. I beleive this was before he came out with "Award to an Angel. Has anybody heard anything on him lately. I beleive he lives in Hendersonville. Doyle

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 17 Dec 2006 9:54 am

I caught him on Porter this morning. I think that George Strait had that first tune on an album. His second selection I recognized too. I think Conway cut that one. If my memory serves me right I think he was once married to on of Ernest Tubb's daughters.You can find his name on a lot of hit songs in the last 30 years or so. Susie asked me if he was still around or not.

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 17 Dec 2006 11:05 am

Go to www.waynekemp.com and they have a small website for him. Got to play with Wayne a couple of gigs in the early 70's. He's one of the good guys.

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Ray Qualls
President(KSGA) www.rayqualls.com

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 17 Dec 2006 12:39 pm

I sure wish they'd release Wayne's albums on CD...I'd buy every one of them!We had him for 4 nights in a row at Nashville South in Macon when I was in the house band there...he and his band were great!Not only was he a great singer and writer,he played the cathair off a thinline Telecaster thru a Christmas Tree Sho~Bud amp...I'm a BIG Wayne Kemp fan!

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Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 17 Dec 2006 8:14 pm

Tried his website with no luck.

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 17 Dec 2006 8:42 pm

We worked with Wayne on several club dates in the 70's. We brought him into the park where we have a country-bluegrass festival on the back of the local firetruck after George Strait cut "The Fireman". He went along with it real well. I have nothing but good to say about him. If anybody down there runs into him, tell him Doyle said HI.

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 18 Dec 2006 5:37 am

Craig, his website has exceeded his bandwith download. Try later. Here's another one that you can download a couple of songs from. Ray http://countrycountryrecords.com/Wayne_Kemp.html

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Ray Qualls
President(KSGA) www.rayqualls.com

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 18 Dec 2006 7:05 am

I used to jam with him on occasion in Wilmington, California in the sixties. He was doing a Sunday afternoon thing at a club called the Sundown which used to be George's Roundup #2 or #3. I was playing right down the street at a joint called the Leilani Club. He had a guy named Sammy Watson on lead guitar who played a Telecaster with a Bigsby and did the best imitation of a pedal steel I'd ever heard. Wayne wasn't playing lead on that gig, he played a flat top and was the main vocalist. For his main gig at the time, I think he might have been in the house band at George's Roundup, maybe with Buddy Cagle.....JH in Va.

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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 18 Dec 2006 9:36 am

*[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 19 December 2006 at 03:49 AM.]

Chuck Cusimano · Post by **Chuck Cusimano** » 18 Dec 2006 12:54 pm

Yes! I watch the Porter Waggoner Show every Sunday Morning, and was Delighted to find Wayne Kemp on the show!!

I used to watch the "Wanda Jackson Show" on T.V. when I was still in high School, and Wayne was her lead guitar player. He played a white telecaster, and was featured each show to sing one of his own songs. I am also a HUGE WAYNE KEMP FAN!!

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 18 Dec 2006 3:46 pm

How many of you remember "Harlan County Line"? I remember one of the times that I got to play with him in Joplin, Mo. He had a big tall dude with him that played saxaphone. Seems like his name was Jerry but I could be wrong. This was in 1971 I think. I still have an autographed picture of him. Its one of my prized posessions along with an autographed picture of Mel Street.

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Ray Qualls
President(KSGA) www.rayqualls.com

Dale Bennett · Post by **Dale Bennett** » 18 Dec 2006 4:15 pm

Jerry, you are pretty close on your memory of Wayne. I remember Wayne took over the band at George's Roundup #1 and I was at #2. Buddy Cagle played bass for me a while and then I think he took over the band at #1. Wayne left Ca and I can't remember if he went to Ok or on to Nashville. I know he was very popular here in Ok. When I had the Gold Derrik here, I booked wayne in and my band backed him. The snow was up to our knees that night and I just new we would bomb. He was late getting there because of the snow, but would you believe he packed the house even in this weather. And yes he did play good guitar. He has a daughter that lives here and I see her every now and then.db

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 19 Dec 2006 12:01 am

Hey, thanks for the comebacks and stories. It seem's like we all agree on Wayne as a writer, picker, singer, and all around good guy. I'm sure we could go on several days on this. If anyone thinks of anything else on Wayne. I will appreciate hearing from you. Thanks again. Doyle

Eddie Lange · Post by **Eddie Lange** » 19 Dec 2006 10:04 am

My Dad and I remember Harlan County Line. Dad, you wanna chime in on this one?

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 19 Dec 2006 10:28 am

I was just talkin' to a partner of mine. We have a small Promotion Co. up here, which we booked Wayne quite a few times back in the 70's. Helping to refresh my memory, he was tellin' me that about the first time we booked Wayne he had a steel player with him by the name of Zeke ???, can't remember his last name. Later on a guy by the name of Curtis Wayne traveled with him. Wayne Kemp and Curtis Wayne worked together or put together "Love Bug Talent Agency" as we recall. I think Cutis Wayne played lead or steel. Does these names ring a bell with any of you? Doyle

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 19 Dec 2006 10:36 am

Doyle,Zeke King played steel with Wayne...I've got Curtis Wayne's blackface Fender Showman amp out in the back of my truck-I use it in the studio almost every day...I bought it from his son,who is a recording engineer-he found it in the yard barn...Curtis and Wayne wrote"Love Bug"and"Next in Line"...they are both top notch cats!

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http://home.comcast.net/~steves_garage

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 20 Dec 2006 12:23 pm

Going through some of my old DJ promo 45s I found a record by Wayne. on a United Artist label from 1977. A song produced by Buddy killen called "Leona don't live here anymore" one side is mono and the other stereo.I have been putting all the old 45s on a DVD. Wayne was around the LA Long Beach area around 62. He wrote some great songs. "Louisian man" ect. The song above was written by "Sonny" Throckmorton and "Curly" Putnam however.

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Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 20 Dec 2006 3:22 pm

Before I was old enough to play in the clubs, I used to see Wayne on Cal's Corral on Sunday afternoons. He was great!

Wayne wrote a great tune called "Burn Another Honky Tonk Down."

Also Little Joe Carson used to show up on that show.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 20 Dec 2006 6:02 pm

Thanks again guys, I'm enjoyin' every minute of this. Steve, I see you live in Hendersonville. The steel man in our band, Tommy Minniear, who is a member here on the Forum was tellin' me that he thought Wayne lived pretty close to Lynn Ousley in Hendersonville,if that helps any. Maybe if Lynn see's this he can help us out. Doyle

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 21 Dec 2006 4:57 am

I know my favorite Wayne Kemp song is "The Image of Me". But then again, there's "I Wonder Who'll Turn Out the Lights". But then again there"s "The Fireman". I guess I like em all! I wish someone would download some of them for us to hear again. I'm like Steve as I'd buy all of them if they had them on CD'S. Go to the website as Wayne does have a new CD out that was produced by his son. www.waynekemp.com

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Ray Qualls
President(KSGA) www.rayqualls.com

Tommy Minniear · Post by **Tommy Minniear** » 21 Dec 2006 8:06 am

Wayne Kemp is one of country music's "legends" in the older Nashville songwriting circles. George Strait knows this and has recorded several of Wayne's songs over the years. My favorite being "Haven't You Heard".
Walter Haynes produced him when he was on Decca and by all rights Wayne should have had more success as a solo artist than he did.
I was fortunate enough to play steel for Wayne on several shows and trust me, he loves steel guitar! He played some fine Telecaster lead and it inspired you to play your absolute best. Between his singing, writing, and playing....it just brought out the best you had to offer.
According to the info on his website he has had a couple strokes, but is up and about and doing pretty good! I'm glad to hear that!
Wayne has always been capable writing with a good sense of humor too. As I near the end of this post I grinned to myself as I recalled his song: "Your Wife's Been Cheatin' On Us Again"....

I'm going to keep track and try to get a copy of his new CD. I'm anxious to see where his pen takes on some new songwriting adventures.

Tommy Minniear

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 26 Dec 2006 5:42 pm

I talked to a friend i used to work for on the road.He lives in Hendersonville and said he and Wayne Kemp are still writing songs together.Back in the early part of 1969 i believe it was.I recall cuz i took an over seas grand old opry tour.I gave up a sit down job to do this.

I was playing in Tucson,Az.and they booked Wayne in amd i backed him on steel.He was a super nice guy and a pleasure to work with.Now for a little trivia about Wayne for those who may not know this.He told me this himself.His hands and arms were badly scared.He said it was form getting his former steel player out of the burning car after an accident.I do not remember if his steel player lived and if there were other members of the band he got out at the risk of his own life.Now there is a real hero.
And woulden't you know it this friend of mine in Hendersonville does not use a computer.
This is how i remember what Wayne told me.If any one knows more on this feel free to correct any mistakes i made.Memory does fade.Lordy i feel old. [This message was edited by Tracy Sheehan on 26 December 2006 at 06:12 PM.]

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 27 Dec 2006 6:24 am

Tracy, thats pretty well what Wayne told me about the accident. I think there were some deaths in it but its been so long ago. Also, Wayne co-wrote a lot of songs with Mack Vickery. About 4 or 5 years ago, I posted on the forum here asking about Wayne. At that time, no one knew where he was or if he was still alive. I'm sure glad to find out about all this info. Seems like another song he had was "red, red wine" or something to that effect. He's still great!

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Ray Qualls
President(KSGA) www.rayqualls.com

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 31 Dec 2006 9:42 pm

I've heard storys on the wreck from Wayne also, and I'll never forget shaking his hand. It felt like real coarse sandpaper. I've been fortunate enough in my lifetime to be in the back-up band for quite a few Nashville acts, but I beleive Wayne Kemp will stay at the top of the list forever. A Pickin' Bro. Doyle