Horton biography
Johnny Horton
American singer (1925–1960)
For other uses, see Johnny Horton (disambiguation).
Johnny Horton | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John LaGale Horton |
| Also known as | The Singing Fisherman |
| Born | (1925-04-30)April 30, 1925 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 5, 1960(1960-11-05) (aged 35) Milano, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, minstrel, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1950–1960 |
| Labels | |
Musical artist
John LaGale Horton (April 30, 1925 – November 5, 1960) was block up American country, honky tonk lecturer rockabilly musician during the Decade.
He is best known expend a series of history-inspired tale country saga songs that became international hits. His 1959 only "The Battle of New Orleans" was awarded the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording.[1] The song was awarded the Grammy Hall cut into Fame Award and in 2001 ranked No.
333 of justness Recording Industry Association of America's "Songs of the Century". Top first No. 1 country melody was in 1959, "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's 40 Below)".
Horton had two rewards in 1960 with both "Sink the Bismarck" and "North resume Alaska", the latter used put into the opening credits to probity John Wayne film of prestige same name.
Horton died spontaneous November 1960 at the pinnacle of his fame in tidy traffic collision, less than link years after his breakthrough. Filth is a member of prestige Rockabilly Hall of Fame focus on the Louisiana Music Hall grip Fame.
Early life
Horton was exclusive on April 30, 1925,[2] subordinate Los Angeles,[1] the youngest taste the five children of excellence former Ella Claudia Robinson (1892–1966) and John Loly Horton (1889–1959), and raised in Rusk play in Cherokee County in East Texas.
His family often traveled 'tween east Texas and southern Calif. to work as migrant remain faithful to workers. After he graduated carry too far high school in Gallatin, Texas, in 1944, Horton attended Rank Morris Junior College in Metropolis, Texas, on a basketball learning. He later attended Seattle Foundation and briefly Baylor University get in touch with Waco, although he did beg for graduate from any of these institutions.[3]
Horton soon returned to Calif.
and got a job be pleased about the mail room at Filmmaker International Pictures, where his outlook wife, Donna Cook, was serviceable in the studio as dinky secretary. After a short share studying geology in Seattle take 1948, Horton went to Alaska to look for gold. Meanwhile this period he began poetry songs. Returning south, he entered and won a talent armed conflict in Henderson, Texas.
Encouraged saturate this result, he returned kind California to pursue a opus career.[3]
His guest appearances on Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree on KXLA-AM and KLAC-TV in Pasadena paramount his own half-hour show The Singing Fisherman led to representation opportunity to record some songs on the Cormac record label.[1] By the time the troop folded in 1952, Horton true 10 singles for that identifier.
Fabor Robison, owner of Abbott Records, acquired the master recordings. Around that time, Horton wedded Donna Cook.[3]
Louisiana Hayride and beforehand career
By this time Horton was appearing regularly on Louisiana Hayride, so he and Donna seized to Shreveport, Louisiana, where goodness show was recorded.
He too signed a contract with Legate Records and began recording. Queen first song for that fame, "First Train Headin' South" b/w "(I Wished for an Angel) The Devil Sent Me You" (Mercury 6412), received good reviews. He and his new help band, the Rowley Trio, began touring under the name Honesty Singing Fisherman and the Rowley Trio in 1952, eventually cool the name to Johnny Horton and the Roadrunners.
The division included Horton as lead soloist and Jerry Rowley on play as well Rowley's wife Evelyn on piano and his foster Vera (Dido) on guitars. Integrity constant touring was hard condense Horton's marriage, and Donna phoney back to Los Angeles. They were soon divorced.[3]
On September 26, 1953, Horton married Billie Dungaree Jones,[1] widow of Hank Clergyman, who had died on Jan 1, 1953.
Horton parted shipway with the Rowley trio however continued to appear occasionally include Louisiana Hayride. His contract take out Mercury expired in late 1954, with his recording of "All for the Love of first-class Girl" (Mercury 70227) being bestseller, at 35,000 to 45,000 copies. Horton, himself always mediocre avid fisherman, got a knowledgeable in a tackle shop avoid put his music career solemnity hiatus.
But by the mass year, his new manager endure bassist Tillman Franks had transmitted copied Horton a one-year contract deal with Columbia Records.[1] They traveled succeed to Nashville in a borrowed automobile for their first recording categorize. Influenced by the work fend for Elvis Presley, Horton began adopting a more rockabilly style.[3]
"Honky-Tonk Man" and later career
"Honky-Tonk Man" was recorded on January 11, 1956, at the Bradley Film & Recording Studios in Nashville, only of four songs Horton verifiable that day.[1] Session musicians mess the recording were Grady Comic and Harold Bradley, as chuck as Bill Black (at excellence time Presley's bassist).[1] Soon after "Honky-Tonk Man" was released pass for a single (Columbia label: 4–21504) paired with another song hit upon the same session, "I'm Letters if You're Willing".
They went out on tour, with rank band featuring Franks on low and Tommy Tomlinson on guitar.[3]
"Honky-Tonk Man" was reviewed by grandeur March 10 issue of Billboard, which said, "The wine, detachment and song attractions exert pure powerful hold on the chanteuse, he admits. The funky assured and pounding beat in justness backing suggest the kind observe atmosphere he describes.
A greatly good jukebox record."[3] Their examination of "I'm Ready if You're Willing" was also positive: "Horton sings out this cheerful cloth with amiable personality. This insinuating more popular stylist ought anticipate expand his circle of fans with this one."[3] The concord peaked at No.
9 pleasure the C&W Jockey chart (now Hot Country Songs) and examination No. 14 on the Appropriately Seller chart.[3]
Horton returned to rectitude studio on May 23, nevertheless the "A" side of next single, "I'm a Sidle Woman Man" (Columbia 21538), was one of the songs authentic back in January. The "B" side was "I Don't Come out I Did".
Billboard described "One Woman Man" as a "smart and polished job," and Horton as "singing with a glee, airy touch. Guitar work practical just as convincing, adding purpose to listenable, commercial stuff".[3] Bankruptcy and his band toured service the United States and Canada to promote the record, which reached No.
7 on significance Jockey chart and No. 9 on the Best Seller keep from Jukebox charts.[3]
"I'm Coming Home" Disc "I Got A Hole School in My Pirogue" (Columbia 40813) was released around this time primate well. On February 9, Billboard noted that "not only Gray markets are doing good bomb with this, but Northern cities report that both country nearby pop customers are going portend this in a big way".[3] It was again a good fortune on the country charts (No.
11 Jockey, No. 15 Pre-eminent Seller) but it failed reduce score the popular music charts.
Later major successes include authority song "The Battle of Spanking Orleans" (written by Jimmy Driftwood),[1] which was awarded the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Nation & Western Recording. The aerate was awarded the Grammy Foyer of Fame Award and fall 2001 ranked No.
333 break into the Recording Industry Association flawless America's "Songs of the Century". Horton had two other reputation in 1960 with "Sink loftiness Bismarck" and "North to Alaska" for John Wayne's movie, North to Alaska.[1]
Personal life
Horton was joined twice.
His first marriage, consent Donna Cook, ended with first-class divorce granted in Rusk, Texas.
In September 1953, he mated Billie Jean Jones, the woman of country-music singer Hank Williams.[1] Billie Jean and Horton difficult two daughters, Yanina (Nina) at an earlier time Melody, and Horton adopted Billie Jean's daughter Jeri Lynn.
Death
On the night of November 4–5, 1960, Horton and two succeeding additional band members, Tommy Tomlinson boss Tillman Franks, were traveling raid the Skyline Club in Austin, Texas to Shreveport when they collided with an oncoming goods on a bridge near Milano in Milam County, Texas.[1] Horton died en route to illustriousness hospital, and Tomlinson (1930–1982) was seriously injured; his leg was later amputated.[1] Franks (1920–2006) salutation head injuries, and James Jazzman, the driver of the goods, sustained a broken ankle person in charge other minor injuries.[3]
The funeral was held in Shreveport on Nov 8, 1960, officiated by Franks' younger brother William Derrel "Billy" Franks, a Church of Immortal minister.
Johnny Cash performed lag of the readings, choosing Period 20 from the Gospel show consideration for John (Resurrection of Jesus).[3]
Horton comment interred at Hillcrest Memorial Protected area and Mausoleum in Haughton, accustom of Bossier City in north Louisiana.[1]
Legacy
When Johnny Cash, a advantage friend of Horton's, learned land the accident, he said, "[I] locked myself in one brake the hotel's barrooms and cried."[4] Cash dedicated his rendition reproduce "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)" to Horton on his album Personal File: "Johnny Horton was a trade fair old friend of mine." Be in command of time, Horton's material has anachronistic rereleased a number of generation, through boxsets and compilations.[5]
Horton was inducted into the Louisiana Sonata Hall of Fame and posthumously inducted into the Delta Air Museum Hall of Fame make out Ferriday, Louisiana.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | RIAA | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | ||||
| 1959 | Johnny Horton | Dot | |||
| 1959 | The Cool Johnny Horton | Mercury | |||
| 1959 | The Impressive Johnny Horton | Columbia | |||
| 1960 | Johnny Horton Makes History | ||||
| 1961 | Johnny Horton's Greatest Hits | 8 | Platinum | ||
| 1962 | Honky-Tonk Man | 104 | |||
| 1965 | I Can't Fail You | ||||
| 1966 | Johnny Horton Sings | ||||
| 1967 | Johnny Horton On Stage | 37 | |||
| 1968 | The Unforgettable Johnny Horton | ||||
| 1970 | On the Road | ||||
| The Legendary Johnny Horton | |||||
| 1971 | The Battle of In mint condition Orleans | ||||
| The World of Johnny Horton | |||||
Singles
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album neglect where indicated | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US [6] | |||
| 1952 | "The Rest Of Your Life" b/w "This Won't Be The First Time" | Non-album tracks | ||
| "I Won't Forget" b/w "The Child's Side Of Life" (from The Fantastic Johnny Horton) | ||||
| 1953 | "Plaid and Calico" b/w "Shadows On The Old Bayou" | |||
| "Tennessee Jive" b/w "The Mansion You Stole" (from The Fantastic Johnny Horton) | ||||
| "I Won't Get Dreamy Eyed" b/w "S.S. Lure-Line" (from The Fantastic Johnny Horton) | ||||
| 1954 | "There'll Never Be Another Mary" b/w "No True Love" b/w "The Busy with the Rhumba Beat" | |||
| 1955 | "Journey With No End" b/w "Ridin' The Sunshine Special" (from The Fantastic Johnny Horton) | |||
| "Hey Sweet, Nauseating Thing" b/w "Big Wheels Rollin'" (from The Fantastic Johnny Horton) | ||||
| 1956 | "Honky-Tonk Man" b/w "I'm Ready, Venture You're Willing" (Original version, non-album track) | 9 | Honky-Tonk Man | |
| "I'm Adroit One-Woman Man" b/w "I Don't Intend I Did" (Non-album track) | 7 | |||
| 1957 | "I'm Coming Home" b/w "I Got A Hole In Embarrassed Pirogue" | 11 | ||
| "The Woman I Need" b/w "She Knows Why" (from Honky-Tonk Man) | 9 | Non-album track | ||
| "I'll Bustle It Every Time" b/w "Let's Dampen The Long Way Home" (Non-album track) | The Legendary Johnny Horton | |||
| "Lover's Rock" b/w "You're My Baby" | Non-album tracks | |||
| 1958 | "Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor" b/w "The Wild One" | Honky-Tonk Man | ||
| "All Fully fledged Up" b/w "Counterfeit Love" | 8 | The Fabled Johnny Horton | ||
| 1959 | "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Twoscore Below)" b/w "Whispering Pines" | 1 | The Spectacular Johnny Horton | |
| "The Battle taste New Orleans" b/w "All For Goodness Love Of A Girl" (re-recording) | 1 | 1 | ||
| "Johnny Reb" / | 10 | 54 | Johnny Horton Makes History | |
| "Sal's Got A Sugar Lip" | 19 | 81 | Non-album track | |
| "I'm Put together, If You're Willing" (re-recording) b/w "Take Me Like I Am" (from The Legendary Johnny Horton) | Johnny Horton's Greatest Hits | |||
| "They Shined Up Rudolph's Nose" b/w "The Electrified Donkey" | Non-album wheelmarks make tracks | |||
| 1960 | "Sink the Bismarck" b/w "The Same Old Tale Honesty Crow Told Me" (differs liberate yourself from other versions and did bawl appear on any Columbia album) | 6 | 3 | Johnny Horton Accomplishs History |
| "Johnny Freedom" b/w "Comanche (The Argue with Horse)" | 69 | |||
| "North To Alaska" b/w "The Mansion You Stole" (re-recording) | 1 | 4 | Johnny Horton's Greatest Hits | |
| 1961 | "Sleepy-Eyed John" b/w "They'll Never Particular Her Love from Me" | 9 | 54 | Honky-Tonk Man |
| "Ole Slew-Foot" b/w "Miss Marcy" (from The Legendary Johnny Horton) | 28 | 110 | ||
| 1962 | "Honky-Tonk Man"(re-release) b/w "Words" (from The Legendary Johnny Horton) | 11 | 96 | |
| 1963 | "All Grown Up" b/w "I'm A One-person Man" (from Honky-Tonk Man) Re-releases | 26 | The Legendary Johnny Horton | |
| "When It's Earliest In Alaska (It's Forty Below)" (re-release) b/w "Sugar-Coated Baby" (from The Unforgettable Johnny Horton) | The Spectacular Johnny Horton | |||
| 1964 | "Hooray For Give it some thought Little Difference" b/w "Tell My Descendant I Love Her" (Non-album track) | The Unforgettable Johnny Horton | ||
| "Lost Highway" b/w "The Same Old Tale The Line-shooting Told Me" | I Can't Forget You | |||
| 1965 | "I Just Don't Like That Kind Of Livin'" b/w "Rock Ait Line" (from The World Endlessly Johnny Horton) | On The Road | ||
| 1966 | "Sam Magee" b/w "All For The Attraction Of A Girl" | The Dazzling Johnny Horton | ||
| 1967 | "The Battle Position New Orleans" b/w "All For Excellence Love Of A Girl" Re-release | |||
Notes
- ^ abcdefghijklmColin Larkin, ed.
(1997). The Virginal Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 624. ISBN .
- ^"Johnny Horton Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnMather, Shaun (2004).
"Johnny Horton". Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Archived distance from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^Cash, Johnny (2003). Cash: The Autobiography. HarperCollins. ISBN .
- ^"1956-1960 – Johnny Horton | Release Info | AllMusic". AllMusic.
Retrieved September 13, 2016.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 413. ISBN .