Like so many singers in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Mr. Wayne tries in this record to sound as much as possible like Elvis. To my more modern ears, this spoils an otherwise enjoyable song. I liked that the only musical accompaniment in this song is one electric guitar with reverb.
Thomas Wayne (1940-1971) was born Thomas Wayne Perkins in Batesville, Mississippi. He was the brother of Luther Perkins, who was Johnny Cash's original guitarist. "Tragedy" reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over one million copies. Wayne had no further success on the charts and went on to become a sound engineer.
Sadly, both Perkins brothers died young: Luther died in a house fire in 1968 at the age of 40, and Thomas died in a car accident in 1971.
Created May 21, 2026.