Thomas Wayne (singer)
American singer (1940–1971)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Wayne Perkins (July 22, 1940 – August 15, 1971)[1] was an American singer. He is best remembered as a one-hit wonder for "Tragedy".
Thomas Wayne | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 22, 1940 Batesville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 1971 (aged 31) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Rockabilly, rock and roll, R&B, pop |
| Years active | 1958–1964 |
| Labels | Fernwood, Mercury Phillips International |
Career
Wayne was the brother of Johnny Cash's guitarist, Luther Perkins.[2] He released several singles between 1958 and 1964, primarily on the labels Fernwood and Mercury, including "This Time", which would later become a hit for Troy Shondell. He scored a major U.S. hit with the song “Tragedy" (credited to Thomas Wayne with the DeLons), which peaked at No. 20 on the R&B Singles chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959.[3] It sold over one million copies, earning gold disc status.[4]
The song proved to be his only hit, however. Later, Wayne worked as a sound engineer, before he died in a car accident, at the age of 31, in Memphis in 1971.[4]