Claude "Curly" Putman, Jr. (born November 20, 1930 in Princeton, Jackson County, Alabama) is an American songwriter, based in Nashville. His biggest success was "Green, Green Grass of Home" (1964, sung by Porter Wagoner), which was covered by Elvis Presley, Johnny Darrell, Gram Parsons, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roberto Leal, Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Joe Tex, Nana Mouskouri and, of course, Tom Jones. The Paul McCartney & Wings hit "Junior's Farm" was inspired by their short stay at Putman's farm.
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Putman was the son of a sawmill worker, and was raised on Putman Mountain in Alabama. He joined the Navy and spent four years on the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge. Married Bernice Soon in 1956. Tried several jobs in different places in the late 1950s and early 60s, inspiring his later hit "My Elusive Dreams". Wrote his first big hit, "Green, Green Grass of Home," when working in Nashville plugging songs for Tree Records.
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | ||
| 1960 | "The Prison Song" | 23 | — |
| 1967 | "My Elusive Dreams" | 41 | 134 |
| "Set Me Free" | 67 | — | |