Hoyt Axton
First rising to prominence as a songwriter, Hoyt Axton carved out successful careers as a singer and actor as well; rooted equally in country, folk and pop, his gravelly baritone and wry, earthy songs projected an uncommon wit, warmth, and optimism, yielding a consistently engaging body of work extending across four decades. Axton was born March 25, 1938 in Duncan, OK, the son of a naval officer and his English teacher wife. Raised primarily in Jacksonville, FL, he studied classical piano as a child before switching to guitar, writing his first songs at 15. Despite the musical impact of his mother, Mae Boren Axton -- the co-author of Elvis Presley's landmark 1956 chart-topper "Heartbreak Hotel" -- he initially pursued a career in athletics, attending Oklahoma State University on a football scholarship before serving a stint in the navy. From there Axton relocated to San Francisco, performing at local folk clubs and in 1962 writing his first hit, the Kingston Trio's "Greenback Dollar." Later that year he issued his first album, The Balladeer, a live effort recorded at the Hollywood nightspot the Troubadour; a concurrent appearance on the television western Bonanza also launched his acting career.
Axton resurfaced in 1963 with Thunder 'N Lightnin', followed later that year by Saturday's Child; around that same time one of his best friends suffered a fatal drug overdose, inspiring his song "The Pusher," a hit for the rock band Steppenwolf subsequently included on the soundtrack to the film Easy Rider. Despite his success as a songwriter, Axton's performing career failed to catch fire, and after 1965's Sings Bessie Smith he was without a recording contract for several years before signing to Columbia in 1969 to issue My Griffin Is Gone. While opening for Three Dog Night in support of the album, the band heard his composition "Joy to the World" -- their recording of the song topped the pop charts in the spring of 1971 -- and early the following year they returned to the Top Ten with Axton's "Never Been to Spain." He signed to A&M to release 1973's Less Than the Song; the follow-up, Life Machine, launched two of his biggest solo hits, the lovely "When the Morning Comes" (a duet with Linda Ronstadt) and "Boney Fingers." In 1975, Ringo Starr also notched a Top Three smash with Axton's "The No No Song."
Following the much-acclaimed 1977 album Snowblind Friend, Axton completed his deal with MCA with the release of Free Sailin'; he then formed his own label, Jeremiah Records, and with 1979's A Rusty Old Halo scored his biggest solo hit with the classic "Della and the Dealer." In the wake of appearances on dozens of television series including I Dream of Jeannie and McCloud, he landed his first major film work that same year in the acclaimed family drama The Black Stallion; Axton's subsequent movie roles included co-starring appearances in projects including 1983's Heart Like a Wheel, 1984's Gremlins, and 1989's We're No Angels. After 1982's Pistol Packin' Mama, Jeremiah folded, and Axton was noticeably absent from recording until issuing the comeback album Spin of the Wheel in 1990. The LP was Axton's last major new release, however, and in 1996 he suffered a stroke; his health continued to decline, and after a series of heart attacks he died October 26, 1999 at the age of 61.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
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The Balladeer: Recorded Live At The Troubadour (Digitally Remastered) (Live)
Folk - Erschienen bei Essential Media Group am 08.08.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
American Originals
Folk - Erschienen bei CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) am 01.01.1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Joy To The World
Rock - Erschienen bei CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) am 01.01.1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My Griffin Is Gone
Country - Erschienen bei Columbia Nashville Legacy am 10.06.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Thunder 'N Lightnin' (Digitally Remastered)
Folk - Erschienen bei Essential Media Group am 31.08.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Greenback Dollar: Recorded Live At The Troubadour (Digitally Remastered)
Folk - Erschienen bei Essential Media Group am 15.09.2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Joy to the World - The Definitive Collection
Country - Erschienen bei Hump Head Records am 18.03.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Rusty Old Halo & Where Did The Money Go?
Country - Erschienen bei DEMON am 04.05.1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Jeremiah Records Collection
Country - Erschienen bei DEMON am 27.04.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Saturday's Child (Digitally Remastered)
Folk - Erschienen bei Essential Media Group am 06.01.2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hoyt Axton Sings Bessie Smith
Blues - Erschienen bei Good Time Records am 06.06.1965
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Loves to Sing
Country - Erschienen bei Good Time Records am 08.07.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Essential Gold
Folk - Erschienen bei Essential Media Group am 18.09.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Country Anthem
Folk - Erschienen bei CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) am 01.01.1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Heartbreak Hotel & Other Favorites (Remastered)
Country - Erschienen bei CW Music - EMG am 20.12.2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo