Johnny Bond

Cyrus Whitfield "Johnny" Bond (June 1, 1915 – June 12, 1978) was an American country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and composer and publisher, who co-founded a music publishing firm. He was active in the music industry from 1940 until the late 1970s.

Early years Bond was born in Enville, Oklahoma, and grew up on several small farms in Oklahoma. As a youngster, he was influenced musically by records that his parents played. He learned basics of music as a member of his high school's brass band. While in high school he bought a ukulele, but soon he switched to playing the guitar.

Performing Bond first performed on radio in Oklahoma City when he was 19 years old. In 1937, he began performing with Jimmy Wakely and Scotty Harrell in the Bell Boys trio, named after the Bell Clothing Company, which sponsored the group on radio station WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He went on to join Gene Autry's Melody Ranch in 1940.

He also performed with his own group, the Red River Valley Boys.

The Encyclopedia of Country Music says that the Bond-Wakely-Harrell trio "pulled a clever musical scam" by recording for two companies under different names: the Jimmy Wakely Trio (for Decca Records) and Johnny Bond & the Cimarron Boys (for Columbia Records). and including Wilson and Duel in the Sun.

Beginning in 1953, Bond and Tex Ritter were hosts of the syndicated country music television series Town Hall Party, which lasted seven years. and to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In popular culture Bond's song "Stars of the Midnight Range" was featured in the role-playing video game, Fallout: New Vegas. Another song of his; "Headin' Down the Wrong Highway" was on the radio in the game Fallout 76.

Discography

Albums Year Album Chart Positions Label US Country US 1960 Hot Rod Lincoln — — 1961 That Wild, Wicked but Wonderful West — — Starday 1962 Live It Up and Laugh It Up — — 1963 Songs That Made Him Famous — — 1965 Ten Little Bottles 12 142 1966 Famous Hot Rodders I Have Known — — The Man Who Comes Around — — Bottles Up — — The Branded Stock of Johnny Bond — — 1967 Ten Nights in a Barroom — — Sick, Sober and Sorry — — Drink Up and Go Home — — 1968 Three Sheets in the Wind — — 1969 The Best of Johnny Bond — — 1970 Something Old, New, Patriotic and Blue — — 1971 Here Come the Elephants — —

Singles Year Single Chart Positions Album US Country US 1947 "Divorce Me C.O.D." 3 — singles only "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed" 5 — "You Brought Sorrow to My Heart" 3 — "The Daughter of Jole Blon" 4 — 1948 "Oklahoma Waltz" 9 — 1949 "Till the End of the World" 12 — "Tennessee Saturday Night" 11 — 1950 "Love Song in 32 Beers" 8 — 1951 "Sick, Sober and Sorry" 7 — 1960 "Hot Rod Lincoln" — 26 Hot Rod Lincoln 1963 "Three Sheets in the Wind" 30 — 1965 "10 Little Bottles" 2 43 Ten Little Bottles 1971 "Here Come the Elephants" 59 — Here Come the Elephants