Wayne Carson, born Wayne Carson Head on May 31, 1943, in Denver, Colorado, was a renowned American country musician, songwriter, and record producer. Sometimes credited as Wayne Carson Thompson, he was the son of Odie and Olivia Head, who were professional musicians known by their stage names "Shorty and Sue." They were part of the KWTO music staff in Springfield, Missouri.

Carson's musical journey began at the age of 14 when he picked up a guitar after being inspired by Merle Travis. He was drawn to the emerging sound of rock 'n' roll and led bands in various cities, including Denver. In 1962, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue his music career, initially using his parents' stage name before becoming known as Wayne Carson.

In the mid-1960s, Carson returned to Springfield and collaborated with music publisher Si Siman. Their breakthrough came when producer Chet Atkins decided to have Eddy Arnold record Carson's song "Somebody Like Me," which became a number one hit on the country charts in 1966.

Carson's songwriting prowess was further solidified with hits like "The Letter," which became an international success for The Box Tops and was later covered by Joe Cocker and Leon Russell. He also wrote "Neon Rainbow" and "Soul Deep" for The Box Tops. His song "Always on My Mind," co-written with Mark James and Johnny Christopher, won Grammy awards for Song of the Year and Best Country Song in 1983 and was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1982 and 1983.

In recognition of his contributions to music, Carson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1997. He passed away on July 20, 2015, at the age of 72, after battling various ailments.