John Gale "Johnny" Horton (April 30, 1925 – November 5, 1960) was an Americ… Read Full Bio ↴John Gale "Johnny" Horton (April 30, 1925 – November 5, 1960) was an American country music and rockabilly singer most famous for his semi-folk, so-called "saga songs" which began the "historical ballad" craze of the late 1950s and early 1960s. With them, he had several major successes, most notably in 1959 with the song "The Battle of New Orleans" (written by Jimmy Driftwood), which was awarded the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. The song was awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award, and in 2001 ranked No. 333 of the Recording Industry Association of America's "Songs of the Century".
During 1960, Horton had two other successes with "North to Alaska" for John Wayne's movie, North to Alaska, and "Sink the Bismarck". Horton is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Johnny Horton had several top ten songs in the late 50's and early 60's and was on the verge of becoming one of the top stars of the 60's when he met with tragedy.
He was born John Gale Horton in Los Angeles in 1925. He was raised in Tyler, Texas. Horton worked in the fishing industry in Alaska and California, and attended Seattle University. He worked for a while as a carpenter, and played basketball at Baylor University. He worked at a local radio station in East Texas and at the Hometown Jamboree in California. He did some recording with little success for the Abbott, Mercury, and Dot labels and picked up the nickname the Singing Fisherman. Horton became a regular on the Louisiana Hayride.
Johnny married Billie Jean Jones, the widow of country music legend Hank Williams. He sang country songs and signed a recording contract with Columbia, where he would achieve his greatest success. Some of his first hits included Honky Tonk Man, I'm A One-Woman Man in 1956, Coming Home in 1957 and All Grown Up in 1958. He topped the country charts in 1959 with When It's Springtime In Alaska.
Johnny Horton then began to record a series of saga songs that crossed over to the pop charts. He covered Jimmy Driftwood's The Battle Of New Orleans in 1959. The song topped the country charts and it reached number one on the pop charts, where it remained for a solid six weeks. The song was a tribute to the final battle of the War of 1812. He also recorded Sink The Bismarck in 1960, a song that was suggested by the film of the same title; it went top ten country and pop. Johnny Horton was a star. He sang the title song for the John Wayne movie North To Alaska and it too made the top ten in both charts during the same year.
On November 5, 1960, while North To Alaska was still climbing the charts, Horton was killed in an automobile accident in Milano, Texas following an appearance at the Skyline Club in Austin. He is buried in Hillcrest Cemetary in Haughton, LA.
Following Horton's death some of his earlier hit songs made the charts once again. Albums of his recordings were compiled and issued in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and they are still selling.
His biography was published in 1983 under the title Your Singing Fisherman.
During 1960, Horton had two other successes with "North to Alaska" for John Wayne's movie, North to Alaska, and "Sink the Bismarck". Horton is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Johnny Horton had several top ten songs in the late 50's and early 60's and was on the verge of becoming one of the top stars of the 60's when he met with tragedy.
He was born John Gale Horton in Los Angeles in 1925. He was raised in Tyler, Texas. Horton worked in the fishing industry in Alaska and California, and attended Seattle University. He worked for a while as a carpenter, and played basketball at Baylor University. He worked at a local radio station in East Texas and at the Hometown Jamboree in California. He did some recording with little success for the Abbott, Mercury, and Dot labels and picked up the nickname the Singing Fisherman. Horton became a regular on the Louisiana Hayride.
Johnny married Billie Jean Jones, the widow of country music legend Hank Williams. He sang country songs and signed a recording contract with Columbia, where he would achieve his greatest success. Some of his first hits included Honky Tonk Man, I'm A One-Woman Man in 1956, Coming Home in 1957 and All Grown Up in 1958. He topped the country charts in 1959 with When It's Springtime In Alaska.
Johnny Horton then began to record a series of saga songs that crossed over to the pop charts. He covered Jimmy Driftwood's The Battle Of New Orleans in 1959. The song topped the country charts and it reached number one on the pop charts, where it remained for a solid six weeks. The song was a tribute to the final battle of the War of 1812. He also recorded Sink The Bismarck in 1960, a song that was suggested by the film of the same title; it went top ten country and pop. Johnny Horton was a star. He sang the title song for the John Wayne movie North To Alaska and it too made the top ten in both charts during the same year.
On November 5, 1960, while North To Alaska was still climbing the charts, Horton was killed in an automobile accident in Milano, Texas following an appearance at the Skyline Club in Austin. He is buried in Hillcrest Cemetary in Haughton, LA.
Following Horton's death some of his earlier hit songs made the charts once again. Albums of his recordings were compiled and issued in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and they are still selling.
His biography was published in 1983 under the title Your Singing Fisherman.
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The Essential Johnny Horton
Johnny Horton Lyrics
All Grown Up (Hey daddy, hey daddy I'm all grown up) Standing at your…
Cherokee Boogie Well, A Cherokee chief as he dances along Sings an…
Evil Hearted Me Well, when the sun rose this morning I was feeling mighty…
Goodbye Lonesome (Hello, Baby Doll) I've been here for a long long time waitin' all…
Got the Bull by the Horns I love the brunets the red heads and blonde haired…
Honky Tonk Man I'm a honky tonk man, and I can't seem to…
Honky-Tonk Hardwood Floor The fiddles are squeakin' The guitars are speakin' The pia…
Hooray for That Little Difference Well, a long time ago in a foreign land The Lord…
I Love You Baby I love you baby, I don't mean maybe You drive me…
I'll Do It Every Time Well i called you on the phone to tell you…
I'm A One-Woman Man If you told me that you loved me, I would…
I'm Coming Home Get your face all pretty and your hair done right 'Cause…
Johnny Reb You fought all the way, Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb You fought…
Let's Take the Long Way Home Let's take the long way home tonight Maybe I can hold…
Lost Highway I'm a rolling stone all alone and lost for a…
Lover's Rock LOVER'S ROCK WRITER DAVE BURGESS Now there's a little place…
North To Alaska North to Alaska, go north, the rush is on North to…
Ole Slew Foot High on the mountain tell me what you see Bear tracks…
Out in New Mexico OUT IN NEW MEXICO WRITER JOHNNY HORTON It was in the…
Sal's Got a Sugar Lip SAL'S GOT A SUGARLIP WRITER JIMMIE DRIFTWOOD Come here Sall…
She Knows Why I have a story I'd like to tell broken heart's…
Sink The Bismark In may of nineteen forty-one the war had just begun The…
Sleepy-Eyed John Well a-way down yonder on the Candy Creek I whittled out…
Take Me Like I Am I'm livin' on the other side of the track, it's…
The Battle of New Orleans In 1814 we took a little trip Along with Colonel Jackson…
The Electrified Donkey Oh, well, I bought me a donkey, about four foot…
The Golden Rocket From old Montana down to Alabam I've been before and…
The Mansion You Stole The mansion I own has captured your heart You said it…
The Wild One Give me my cycle with star-filled sky above And a good…
When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below) I mushed from Port Barren through a blizzard of snow Been…
Words Words can cause our love to tumble Jealous words are so…
Sanguis
on I Hate Niggers
John Gale "Johnny" Horton did NOT write or sing the song "I Hate Niggers". That song was by Johnny Rebel and not written or released for some years after Johnny Horton died.