Johnny Bush

John Bush Shinn III (February 17, 1935 – October 16, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Nicknamed the "Country Caruso", Bush was best known for his distinctive voice and for writing the song "Whiskey River", a top-20 hit for himself that also became a signature song of fellow country artist Willie Nelson. He was especially popular in his native Texas. He listened to the western swing music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and the honky-tonk sounds of artists such as Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, and Hank Thompson. His uncle, the host of a local radio program on KTHT, urged Bush and his brother to play on air, giving Bush his first experience of performing in public.

Stardom and vocal problems A series of regional hits on the Stop label, including "You Gave Me a Mountain" (penned by Marty Robbins), "Undo the Right" (penned by Willie Nelson and Hank Cochran), "What A Way To Live", and "I'll Be There" soon followed. Rock critic Robert Christgau said that Bush's version of "You Gave Me a Mountain" "brings a catch to the throat and a tear to the eye." These songs did well in Bush's native Texas, and reached the national top 20. In 1972, he was signed to RCA Records, whose Nashville division was headed by guitarist Chet Atkins. His first RCA single, "Whiskey River", was climbing the charts with airplay on countless radio stations when his voice began faltering. Bush even felt he was being punished by God for his sins. Bush has since said: "I thought because of my promiscuous behavior and bad choices and being raised as a Baptist, that it was a punishment from God."

Bush lost half of his vocal range and was sometimes unable to talk. RCA dropped him in 1974 after three albums, he developed a drug habit, and was often stricken with performance anxiety when he was able to perform at all. After several misdiagnoses, doctors diagnosed the cause in 1978 when they discovered he had a rare neurological disorder called spasmodic dysphonia. Although this did not prevent him from recording, Bush's career began to take a downturn. He worked with a vocal coach in 1985, and was able to regain 70% of his original voice.

Bush died at a hospital in San Antonio on October 16, 2020. He was 85, and suffered from pneumonia in the time leading up to his death.

Discography Albums Year Album US Country Label 1968 The Sound of a Heartache 38 Stop Undo the Right 22 1969 You Gave Me a Mountain 29 1970 Johnny Bush — 1972 Bush Country — The Best of Johnny Bush 35 Million Here's Johnny Bush — Starday 1973 Whiskey River/There Stands the Glass 38 RCA Here Comes the World Again — Texas Dance Hall Girl — 1979 Johnny Bush and the BandolerosLive at Dance Town, U.S.A. — Whiskey River 1982 Live from Texas — Delta 1994 Time Changes Everything — TCE 1998 Talk to My Heart — Watermelon 2000 Lost Highway Saloon — Texas Music Sings Bob Wills — 2001 Green Snakes — 2004 Honkytonic — BGM 2006 Texas State of Mind — Devil's Disciple — 2007 Texas on a Saturday Night — Heart of Texas Kashmere Gardens Mud — Icehouse 2013 Reflections — Heart of Texas 2017 The Absolute Johnny Bush — BGM Source: AllMusic

Singles Year Single Chart Positions Album US Country CAN Country 1967 "You Oughta Hear Me Cry" 69 — Sound of a Heartache 1968 "What a Way to Live" 29 — Undo the Right "Undo the Right" 10 — 1969 "Each Time" 16 — You Gave Me a Mountain "You Gave Me a Mountain" 7 — "My Cup Runneth Over" 26 — Bush Country 1970 "Jim, Jack, and Rose" 56 — "I'll Go to a Stranger" flip — "Warmth of the Wine" 25 42 The Best of Johnny Bush "My Joy" 44 — 1971 "City Lights" 53 — 1972 "I'll Be There" 17 — "Whiskey River" 14 7 Whiskey River/There Stands the Glass 1973 "There Stands the Glass" 34 60 "Here Comes the World Again" 38 53 Here Comes the World "Green Snakes on the Ceiling" 53 — 1974 "We're Back in Love Again" 37 83 Greatest Hits "Toy Telephone" 48 — "From Tennessee to Texas" flip — 1977 "You'll Never Leave Me Completely" 78 — 1978 "Put Me Out of My Memory" 99 — Whiskey River "She Just Made Me Love You More" 89 — 1979 "When My Conscience Hurts the Most" 83 — Whiskey River 1981 "Whiskey River" (re-release) 92 — Source: AllMusic, unless otherwise stated.