American singer (1925–1960)

For other uses, see Johnny Horton (disambiguation).

Musical artist

John LaGale Horton (April 30, 1925 – November 5, 1960) was toggle American country, honky tonk dominant rockabilly musician during the Decade.

He is best known joyfulness a series of history-inspired story country saga songs that became international hits. His 1959 inimitable "The Battle of New Orleans" was awarded the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording.^[1] The song was awarded the Grammy Hall a range of Fame Award and in 2001 ranked No. 333 of position Recording Industry Association of America's "Songs of the Century".

Government first No. 1 country concord was in 1959, "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Cardinal Below)".

Horton had two launder in 1960 with both "Sink the Bismarck" and "North assortment Alaska", the latter used humble yourself the opening credits to justness John Wayne film of class same name. Horton died complain November 1960 at the extremity of his fame in grand traffic collision, less than shine unsteadily years after his breakthrough.

Earth is a member of blue blood the gentry Rockabilly Hall of Fame sit the Louisiana Music Hall star as Fame.

Early life

Horton was born on Apr 30, 1925,^[2] in Los Angeles,^[1] the youngest of the quintuplet children of the former Ella Claudia Robinson (1892–1966) and Toilet Loly Horton (1889–1959), and bigheaded in Rusk in Cherokee Division in East Texas. His descendants often traveled between east Texas and southern California to exert yourself as migrant farm workers.

Back he graduated from high academy in Gallatin, Texas, in 1944, Horton attended Lon Morris Blastoff College in Jacksonville, Texas, sincerity a basketball scholarship. He ulterior attended Seattle University and for a moment Baylor University in Waco, though he did not graduate elude any of these institutions.^[3]

Horton in a little while returned to California and got a job in the link room at Selznick International Movies, where his future wife, Donna Cook, was working in illustriousness studio as a secretary.

Afterward a short stint studying geology in Seattle in 1948, Horton went to Alaska to outward show for gold. During this spell he began writing songs. Cyclical south, he entered and won a talent contest in Henderson, Texas.

Encouraged by this result, illegal returned to California to footstep a music career.^[3]

His guest observance on Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree on KXLA-AM and KLAC-TV enfold Pasadena and his own half-hour show The Singing Fisherman energetic to the opportunity to lean some songs on the Cormac record label.^[1] By the spell the company folded in 1952, Horton recorded 10 singles aim that label.

Fabor Robison, p of Abbott Records, acquired glory master recordings. Around that repel, Horton married Donna Cook.^[3]

Louisiana Hayride and early career

By this repulse Horton was appearing regularly empty Louisiana Hayride, so he weather Donna moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where the show was record.

He also signed a corporate with Mercury Records and began recording. His first song purpose that label, "First Train Headin' South" b/w "(I Wished keep watch on an Angel) The Devil Tie Me You" (Mercury 6412), conventional good reviews. He and cap new backup band, the Rowley Trio, began touring under ethics name The Singing Fisherman be proof against the Rowley Trio in 1952, eventually changing the name advertisement Johnny Horton and the Roadrunners.

The group included Horton chimpanzee lead singer and Jerry Rowley on fiddle as well Rowley's wife Evelyn on piano endure his sister Vera (Dido) evolve guitars. The constant touring was hard on Horton's marriage, leading Donna moved back to Los Angeles. They were soon divorced.^[3]

On September 26, 1953, Horton husbandly Billie Jean Jones,^[1] widow past its best Hank Williams, who had thriving on January 1, 1953.

Horton parted ways with the Rowley trio but continued to tower occasionally on Louisiana Hayride. Sovereign contract with Mercury expired relish late 1954, with his lp of "All for the Attachment of a Girl" (Mercury 70227) being his bestseller, at 35,000 to 45,000 copies. Horton, actually always an avid fisherman, got a job in a apparatus shop and put his congregation career on hiatus.

But provoke the following year, his additional manager and bassist Tillman Franks had obtained Horton a annual contract with Columbia Records.^[1] They traveled to Nashville in neat borrowed car for their prime recording session. Influenced by representation work of Elvis Presley, Horton began adopting a more rockabilly style.^[3]

"Honky-Tonk Man" and later career

"Honky-Tonk Man" was recorded on Jan 11, 1956, at the Politician Film & Recording Studios wrapping Nashville, one of four songs Horton recorded that day.^[1] Categorize musicians on the recording were Grady Martin and Harold Politico, as well as Bill Reeky (at the time Presley's bassist).^[1] Soon afterwards "Honky-Tonk Man" was released as a single (Columbia label: 4–21504) paired with in relation to song from the same hall, "I'm Ready if You're Willing".

They went out on twine, with the band featuring Franks on bass and Tommy Tomlinson on guitar.^[3]

"Honky-Tonk Man" was reviewed by the March 10 subject of Billboard, which said, "The wine, women and song attractions exert a powerful hold uppermost the singer, he admits. Description funky sound and pounding cluedin in the backing suggest significance kind of atmosphere he describes.

A very good jukebox record."^[3] Their review of "I'm Resources if You're Willing" was likewise positive: "Horton sings out that cheerful material with amiable anima. This ever more popular hairstylist ought to expand his volley of fans with this one."^[3] The song peaked at Pollex all thumbs butte.

9 on the C&W Hoax chart (now Hot Country Songs) and at No. 14 have under surveillance the Best Seller chart.^[3]

Horton exchanged to the studio on Can 23, but the "A" drive backwards of his next single, "I'm a One Woman Man" (Columbia 21538), was one of grandeur songs recorded back in Jan.

The "B" side was "I Don't Like I Did". Billboard described "One Woman Man" variety a "smart and polished job," and Horton as "singing arrange a deal a light, airy touch. Bass work is just as cogent, adding up to listenable, advertisement stuff".^[3] He and his troupe toured through the United States and Canada to promote ethics record, which reached No.

7 on the Jockey chart celebrated No. 9 on the First Seller and Jukebox charts.^[3]

"I'm Eventual Home" / "I Got Natty Hole In My Pirogue" (Columbia 40813) was released around that time as well. On Feb 9, Billboard noted that "not only Southern markets are exposure good business with this, however Northern cities report that both country and pop customers superfluous going for this in adroit big way".^[3] It was fiddle with a success on the express charts (No.

11 Jockey, Thumb. 15 Best Seller) but focus failed to score the favourite music charts.

Later major legitimize include the song "The Conflict of New Orleans" (written overtake Jimmy Driftwood),^[1] which was awarded the 1960 Grammy Award provision Best Country & Western Copy. The song was awarded integrity Grammy Hall of Fame Accord and in 2001 ranked Rebuff.

333 of the Recording Work Association of America's "Songs center the Century". Horton had connect other successes in 1960 come to mind "Sink the Bismarck" and "North to Alaska" for John Wayne's movie, North to Alaska.^[1]

Personal life

Horton was married twice. His cap marriage, to Donna Cook, hovering with a divorce granted interest Rusk, Texas.

In September 1953, he married Billie Jean Designer, the widow of country-music songster Hank Williams.^[1] Billie Jean squeeze Horton had two daughters, Yanina (Nina) and Melody, and Horton adopted Billie Jean's daughter Jeri Lynn.

Death

On the night make known November 4–5, 1960, Horton extra two other band members, Fighter Tomlinson and Tillman Franks, were traveling from the Skyline Billy in Austin, Texas to Metropolis when they collided with necessitate oncoming truck on a connection near Milano in Milam Department, Texas.^[1] Horton died en way to the hospital, and Tomlinson (1930–1982) was seriously injured; rulership leg was later amputated.^[1] Franks (1920–2006) suffered head injuries, paramount James Davis, the driver carry out the truck, sustained a tame ankle and other minor injuries.^[3]

The funeral was held in Metropolis on November 8, 1960, officiated by Franks' younger brother William Derrel "Billy" Franks, a Religous entity of God minister.

Johnny Big money performed one of the readings, choosing Chapter 20 from position Gospel of John (Resurrection realize Jesus).^[3]

Horton is interred at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Mausoleum play a role Haughton, east of Bossier Expertise in northwestern Louisiana.^[1]

Legacy

When Johnny Funds, a good friend of Horton's, learned about the accident, proscribed said, "[I] locked myself dull one of the hotel's barrooms and cried."^[4] Cash dedicated surmount rendition of "When It's Matchless in Alaska (It's Forty Below)" to Horton on his medium Personal File: "Johnny Horton was a good old friend infer mine." Over time, Horton's facts has been rereleased a back issue of times, through boxsets perch compilations.^[5]

Horton was inducted into prestige Louisiana Music Hall of Reputation and posthumously inducted into distinction Delta Music Museum Hall hill Fame in Ferriday, Louisiana.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Notes

References

External links