The musician passed away at MACon County General Hospital in Lafayette, Tennessee on Monday (09Mar15).

Born Clarence Wayne Kemp, he began his career as a guitar player and played back up to artists like George Jones and Red Sovine.

He later found success as a songwriter, penning hits such as Johnny Cash's One Piece at a Time, GEORGE STRAIT's The Fireman and Jones' Love Bug, a track Strait also covered in 1994.

Kemp also wrote tunes for Johnny Paycheck, Conway Twitty and Ricky Van Shelton, and enjoyed success as a solo artist with the hit Honky Tonk Wine.

He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.