The title says it all. And to some degree it was. You can rave all you want about Harlan Howard or Hank Williams, but Curly Putman was at least their equal.

The songs he wrote were mini masterpieces of tragedy. Especially as produced into mini-operas by Billy Sherrill.

And they were (are?) classics.

There was the Tom Jones masterwork “The Green Green Grass of Home” but for us that doesn’t even make the top 3, which runs as follows:

Moe Bandy & Janie Fricke - Cheatin’ Situation

Tammy Wynette - D-I-V-O-R-C-E

...and maybe the best of all (and maybe the best country song ever?!)

George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today

...try not to tear up when you hear it.

Curly had a way with words. He “spelt out all the hurting words”.

Let’s remember him fondly.

- TH