Leon Payne (June 15, 1917 – September 11, 1969), "the Blind Balladeer", was a country music singer and songwriter. 　　Leon Roger Payne was born in Alba, Texas on June 15, 1917. He was blind in one eye at birth, and lost the sight of the other eye in early childhood.[citation needed] He attended the Texas School for the Blind from 1924 to 1935, where he met his future wife, Myrtie Velma Courmier.[citation needed] They had two children together, as well as two children from Myrtie's previous marriage. Leon Payne died in 1969 in San Antonio, Texas. His wife Myrtie died in San Antonio in 2008, and Leon's composition "I Love You Because" was played at her funeral service.