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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZHORTON, Johnny(b 3 April '29, Tyler TX; d 5 Nov. '60, Milano TX). Country singer, becoming the biggest star of a new decade when he was killed in a car crash: wife Billie Jean Jones was then widowed twice, having been married to Hank Williams. 'The Singing Fisherman' worked in Alaska, California fishing industries; attended U of Seattle; worked on local radio in East Texas, Hometown Jamboree CA; recorded for Abbott, Dot, Mercury without much success; moved to Shreveport and became regular on Louisiana Hayride. Signed to Columbia, had hits 'Honky Tonk Man', top ten 'I'm A One Woman Man' '56; 'Coming Home' '57; top ten 'All Grown Up' '58; 'When It's Springtime In Alaska' was no. 1 country '59, first of series of saga songs: 'The Battle Of New Orleans' (see Jimmy Driftwood) was no. 1 country and pop '59; 'Sink The Bismarck' no. 6 country, no. 3 pop (suggested by the film), 'North To Alaska' no. 1 country, no. 4 pop (from a John Wayne movie), both '60. Early hits re-charted after his death, albums kept selling incl. Honky Tonk Man '58, Makes History '59, Spectacular '60, On Stage '67, The World Of '71, On The Road '73, all on Columbia; biography Your Singing Fisherman published '83. Johnny Horton 1956--1960 was a four-CD set and book on Bear Family. |