Hoyt Axton
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Biography
Country and folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist Hoyt Axton â born in Duncan, Oklahoma on March 25, 1938 â was best known for writing or co-writing the hits âJoy to the Worldâ (Three Dog Night), âGreenback Dollarâ (The Kingston Trio), âNever Been to Spainâ (Three Dog Night / Elvis Presley), and âThe No No Songâ (Ringo Starr). The cousin of folks singer Arlo Guthrie and son of songwriter Mae Boren Axton, who co-wrote âHeartbreak Hotelâ (Elvis Presley), Hoyt Axton began his musical journey after he was discharged from the US Navy. He began performing folk songs at clubs and coffee houses in Southern California. He released his debut album, The Balladeer: Recorded Live at the Troubadour, in 1962 which was swiftly followed by the album Greenback Dollar. The Kingston Trio then released their version of the song âGreenback Dollar,â which Hoyt had co-written with Ken Ramsey. While he continued to release his own albums â including Hoyt Axton Explodes! (1964), Long Old Road (1964), My Griffin is Gone (1969), Joy to the World (1971), and Less Than the Song (1973) â he didnât achieve commercial success on the Country Music Album chart until 1974âs Life Machine (number 21). He released several more Top 40 albums including Southbound (1975), Fearless (1976), Snowblind Friend (1977), Road Songs (1978), A Rusty Old Halo (1979), Where Did the Money Go? (1980), and Live! (1981). Hoyt Axton also scored some hit singles with âWhen the Morning Comesâ with Linda Ronstadt (1974), âBoney Fingersâ with Renee Armand (1974), âFlash of Fireâ (1976), âDella and the Dealerâ (1979), âA Rusty Old Haloâ (1979), and more. Throughout Hoyt Axtonâs career, his songs were covered by a myriad of artists including Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, John Denver, Harry Belafonte, David Clayton-Thomas, and many others. He also had a successful career as an actor, appearing in many films and television series. After suffering two heart attacks in one week, Hoyt Axton died in Victor, Montana on October 26, 1999, at the age of 61.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Roll Your Own
- Saturday's Child
- Seven Come
- Send Me to the Electric Chair
- J. C. Holmes Blues
- Snowblind Friend
- Jailhouse Blues
- Southbound
- Sometimes It's Easy
- Blue Spirit Blues
- Speed Trap (Out Of State Cars)
- St James Infirmary
- Telephone Booth
- Swananoah Tunnel
- That's All Right
- The Heart You Break (May Be Your Own)
- Legend of John Henry
- The Way Of The World
- Them Downers
- There's a Tiger in the Closet
- This Little Light
- They've Been on Their Jobs Too Long
- Thomas Hall
- Thunder 'N Lightnin'
