Thomas Wayne (singer)

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".

For the DC Comics characters, see Thomas Wayne, And, and Batman (Thomas Wayne).
Thomas Wayne
Born(1940-07-22)July 22, 1940
Batesville, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedAugust 15, 1971(1971-08-15) (aged 31)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresRockabilly, rock and roll, R&B, pop
Years active1958–1964
LabelsFernwood, 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 #20 on the R&B Singles chart and #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]

References
  1. Thomas Wayne at Allmusic
  2. Discography Archived 2012-07-20 at archive.today, Emory University
  3. Billboard, Allmusic
  4. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 120. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
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