Hoyt Axton

American country songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist

• Born: March 25, 1938
• Birthplace: Duncan, Oklahoma
• Died: October 26, 1999
• Place of death: Victor, Montana

Singer-songwriter Axton blended elements of country, folk, pop, and rock in his music. His simple melodies and catchy hooks appealed to legions of fans.

The Life

Hoyt Axton was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, to John and Mae Boren Axton, public school teachers, and he was raised in Jacksonville, Florida. His songwriting was influenced by his mother, who, with lyricist Tommy Durden, composed Elvis Presley’s first number-one single, “Heartbreak Hotel.” Axton studied classical piano as a child, but he soon switched to guitar. A talented football player, he attended Oklahoma State University on a football scholarship, but he left school to join the Navy in 1958. While in the Navy, he remained athletically active as a boxer, becoming the heavyweight champion for his fleet.

After his discharge in 1961, Axton was drawn to the folk and coffeehouse scenes in San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 1962 the folk group the Kingston Trio recorded Axton’s “Greenback Dollar,” leading him to consider seriously a career in music. By the end of the 1960’s, Axton was touring as the opening act for Three Dog Night. In the 1970’s, based on the success of the songs he had written for other artists, his musical career began to soar. In 1979 he established his own record label, Jeremiah Records.

A talented artist, Axton published three books of drawings. A talented character actor, he appeared in numerous roles, in such television series as Bonanza, McCloud, Murder, She Wrote, and WKRP in Cincinnati. He was featured in the films The Black Stallion (1979), Gremlins (1984), and We’re No Angels (1989).

A man of strong social conscience, Axton contributed to many causes, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and programs supporting drug and alcohol rehabilitation, the environment, prison-inmate welfare, and animal rights. He suffered a stroke in 1996, after which he was confined to a wheelchair and his health steadily declined. Axton died after a series of heart attacks in 1999 at the age of sixty-one.

The Music

Axton’s voice was a rich baritone that he could infuse with a throaty, gravelly sound. His fairly narrow singing range and his slight Oklahoma twang fit the mood of his songs. Axton wrote mostly narrative songs, with clearly defined characters and situations. His chord progressions were simple, fusing elements of country, folk, rock, and pop, and his songs featured catchy hooks and memorable melodies. Though many of his songs are humorous, he also wrote serious songs about the dangers of substance abuse, including “The Pusher,” “Snowblind Friend,” “Boozers Are Losers,” and “No No Song.” Songwriter. Although a talented singer, Axton is best known for his songs that were recorded by others. Axton’s first big hit was “Greenback Dollar,” cowritten with Ken Ramsey and recorded in 1962 by the folk group the Kingston Trio. His anti-heroin song, “The Pusher,” was recorded in 1968 by the hard-rock group Steppenwolf on its self-titled first album; the song was also featured prominently on the sound track to the film Easy Rider (1969). Steppenwolf then recorded Axton’s anticocaine song, “Snowblind Friend,” on the album Steppenwolf 7 (1971). While opening for Three Dog Night in 1969, Axton offered the group the song “Joy to the World,” which rose to the number-one spot on the Billboard pop chart. The group later recorded Axton’s song “Never Been to Spain,” which hit the Top 20. Ringo Starr recorded Axton’s “No No Song” for his album Goodnight Vienna; and the single placed on the Billboard Top 20 chart.

Albums. Axton’s development as a songwriter can be traced through his numerous recordings. His earliest were on small labels and demonstrated his folk style of writing. In 1962 he signed on with Horizon Records, which released The Balladeer (with his version of “Greenback Dollar”), Thunder and Lightnin’, and Saturday’s Child. He signed to Vee-Jay Records in 1964 and released Explodes and Greenback Dollar. He moved to Surrey Records the next year to release Mr. Greenback Dollar Man. Axton later signed with Columbia Records for the album My Griffin Is Gone and recorded Joy to the World and Country Anthem for Capitol Records.

In 1973 Axton signed with A&M Records and released a series of successful recordings: Less than the Song, Life Machine, Southbound, Fearless, and Road Songs. Life Machine contained the songs “When the Morning Comes” and the humorous “Boney Fingers,” both of which hit the Top 10 on the Billboard country-music chart. He signed to MCA Records and released Snowblind Friend and Free Sailin’. In 1979 Axton started his own label, Jeremiah Records, the name and logo taken from the opening line of his huge hit “Joy to the World.” He released the album Rusty Old Halo, which was immensely popular, remaining on the country-album chart for a year. Also popular were the singles “Della and the Dealer” and “Rusty Old Halo,” both Top 20 hits. He followed Rusty Old Halo with Where Did the Money Go? (including the hit singles “Where Did the Money Go?” and “Evangelina”) and Pistol Packin’ Mama. In between his numerous film and television appearances, Axton toured in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, until his death in 1999.

Musical Legacy

On stage, Axton defied categorization: He was not just a country singer or a folksinger or a rock performer. He managed to combine all these traditions in his popular performances. He is better known for the songs he wrote that were recorded by others, especially “Joy to the World,” which is heard frequently in film sound tracks and on television commercials. As a songwriter, he created works that spanned a number of different styles: folk, folk-rock, rock, country, and pop. He worked with a variety of musicians, from Johnny Cash and Linda Ronstadt to Elvis Costello. His face is recognizable from his many appearances on television and in films.

Principal Recordings

albums:The Balladeer, 1962; Saturday’s Child, 1963; Thunder and Lightnin’, 1963; Explodes, 1964; Sings Betty Smith, 1964; Greenback Dollar, 1965; Long Old Road, 1965; Mr. Greenback Dollar Man, 1965; My Griffin Is Gone, 1969; Country Anthem, 1971; Joy to the World, 1971; Less than the Song, 1973; Life Machine, 1974; Southbound, 1975; Fearless, 1976; Road Songs, 1977; Snowblind Friend, 1977; Free Sailin’, 1978; Rusty Old Halo, 1979; Where Did the Money Go?, 1980; Pistol Packin’ Mama, 1982; Never Been to Spain, 1986; Spin of the Wheel, 1990; American Originals, 1993; Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog, 1995; Lonesome Road, 1995.

Bibliography

Clifford, Mike. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock. New York: Harmony Books, 1976. Brief entry on Axton, with selective discography of Axton’s recordings.

McCloud, Barry. Definitive Country. New York: Perigree Books, 1995. This encyclopedia of country music contains a short but informative entry on Axton, with brief discography.