From the 1950s to the 1970s, Knight wrote almost 1,000 songs. More than 40 singers recorded his tunes, which include the 1970 Presley hit "The Wonder of You" and Martin's "Somewhere There's a Someone" and "That Old Time Feelin'." Nelson and McCartney sang the same Knight hit, "Lonesome Town," decades apart.
Perry Como, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr. and Mickey Gilley also recorded some of Knight's songs.
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Knight went to Los Angeles in 1958 and met Nelson through a mutual friend. Within six months, Nelson's version of "Lonesome Town," a ballad about being lonely in Hollywood, was on Billboard's Top 10, as was its flip side, "I Got a Feeling," another Knight tune. In all, Nelson recorded 21 Knight originals.
I didn't recognize Knight's name when I started reading the article about his death, but I sure do recognize the songs he wrote for Ricky Nelson. Some people might look down on Ricky, but he could rock, witness "I Got a Feeling." He could to ballads, witness "Lonesome Town." I think I'll listen to those two right now. A list of some of Knight's credits is here.
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