Claude "Curly" Putman Jr., born on November 20, 1930, in Princeton, Alabama, was a renowned American songwriter whose contributions significantly shaped modern country music. Putman, the son of a sawmill worker, served in the Navy on the USS Valley Forge before embarking on a career in music. He initially worked as a shoe salesman while waiting for his breakthrough in the music industry. His big break came when he was signed by Tree Publishing Company in Nashville, leading to an illustrious career in songwriting.

Putman is best known for penning the classic "Green, Green Grass of Home," a song that became a multi-million-selling standard recorded by numerous artists, including Tom Jones, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. The song's success marked Putman's emergence as a significant figure in the country music scene. He continued to write enduring hits such as "My Elusive Dreams," "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," and "He Stopped Loving Her Today," the latter of which won multiple awards, including the CMA Song of the Year in 1980 and 1981.

Throughout his career, Putman wrote numerous chart-topping songs for artists like Tammy Wynette, Tanya Tucker, and George Jones, among others. His work earned him induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1993. Putman's legacy is celebrated in his hometown, where a community park and a section of Alabama State Route 65 are named in his honor.

Curly Putman passed away on October 30, 2016, in Lebanon, Tennessee, due to congestive heart failure and kidney failure. His contributions to country music continue to be celebrated and remembered for their profound impact on the genre.