Nat Stuckey, 54; composed country hit `Sweet Thang'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Nat Stuckey, who wrote the country hit "SweetThang," died Wednesday of lung cancer at 54.

Mr. Stuckey had three No. 1 songs to his credit: "Sweet Thang,"recorded by Loretta Lynn and the late Ernest Tubb; "Waitin' in YourWelfare Line," recorded by Buck Owens, and "Pop a Top," recorded byJim Ed Brown.

Mr. Stuckey himself recorded "Sweet Thang" 20 years ago.

He performed for a time as a member of the Louisiana Hayridecountry music show in Shreveport, La. When he came to Nashville in1968, he signed a …