Johnny Horton

John LaGale Horton (April 30, 1925 – November 5, 1960) was an American country, honky tonk, and rockabilly musician during the 1950s. He is best known for a series of history-inspired narrative country saga songs that became international hits. His 1959 single "The Battle of New Orleans" was awarded the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. The song was awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award and in 2001 ranked number 333 of the Recording Industry Association of America's "Songs of the Century". His first number-one country song was in 1959, "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)".

Horton had two successes in 1960 with both "Sink the Bismarck" and "North to Alaska", the latter used during the opening credits of the John Wayne film. Horton died in November 1960 at the peak of his fame in a traffic collision, less than two years after his breakthrough. He is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and in 2025 the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.

Early life Horton was born on April 30, 1925, in Los Angeles,

Horton soon returned to California and got a job in the mail room at Selznick International Pictures, where his future wife, Donna Cook, was working in the studio as a secretary. After a short stint studying geology in Seattle in 1948, Horton went to Alaska to look for gold. During this period, he began writing songs. Returning south, he entered and won a talent contest in Henderson, Texas. Encouraged by this result, he returned to California to pursue a music career. Cash dedicated his rendition of "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)" to Horton on his album Personal File: "Johnny Horton was a good old friend of mine." Over time, Horton's material has been rereleased a number of times, through box sets and compilations.

Horton was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and posthumously inducted into the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday, Louisiana.

Horton was inducted in to the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2025.

Discography Albums Year Album Chart Positions RIAA LabelUS CountryUS 1959 Johnny Horton Dot 1959 The Fantastic Johnny Horton Mercury 1959 The Spectacular Johnny Horton Columbia 1960 Johnny Horton Makes History 1961 Johnny Horton's Greatest Hits 8 Platinum 1962 Honky-Tonk Man 104 1965 I Can't Forget You 1966 Johnny Horton Sings 1967 Johnny Horton On Stage 37 1968 The Unforgettable Johnny Horton 1970 On the Road The Legendary Johnny Horton 1971 The Battle of New Orleans The World of Johnny Horton

Singles