Leon Roger Payne (June 15, 1917 – September 11, 1969),[1] "the Blind Balladeer", was an American country music singer and songwriter.
[1] Myrtie died in San Antonio in 2008, and Leon's composition "I Love You Because" was played at her funeral service by pedal steel guitarist Emmett Roch, accompanied by musicians who were members of her church.
Leon wrote hundreds of country songs in a prolific career that lasted from 1941 until his death.
[1] Leon Payne also wrote under the pen name of "Pat Patterson" on tracks such as "It's Nothing to Me," performed by Sanford Clark.
[1] Much of his musical legacy is recordings of his songs by other artists, perhaps most famous of which are two minor hits for Hank Williams, "Lost Highway" and "They'll Never Take Her Love From Me.