Mae Boren Axton

Mae Boren Axton (born Mae Boren; September 14, 1914 – April 9, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter. She was known in the music industry as the "Queen Mother of Nashville". She co-wrote the Elvis Presley hit single "Heartbreak Hotel" with Tommy Durden. She worked with Mel Tillis, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, Eddy Arnold, Tanya Tucker, Johnny Tillotson, and Blake Shelton.

Personal life Axton was born in Texas to Mark L. and Nannie Boren. The only daughter out of nine children, she was the sister of United States Congressman Lyle Boren. When she was two years old the family moved to Oklahoma. She attended East Central State College and the University of Oklahoma, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism. She obtained a public teaching certificate and taught English and journalism at schools throughout Oklahoma.

She married John Thomas Axton, an officer in the US Navy, and they had two sons: folk music singer-songwriter, guitarist, film and television actor Hoyt Axton (b. 1938) and John (b. 1940), who became an attorney.

Through her brother, Lyle, she is the aunt of Oklahoma State Representative turned Governor of Oklahoma and later United States Senator David Boren, and grand-aunt to David's son, Oklahoma State Representative and later United States Congressman Dan Boren. During this time, Axton also worked as a radio announcer and music promoter.

Axton is credited with writing approximately 200 songs.

"Heartbreak Hotel"

In her autobiography, Country Singers as I Know 'Em, Axton purported to be the link between Elvis Presley and RCA Victor. She introduced a 19-year-old Presley to Colonel Tom Parker after a performance in Jacksonville. She worked on behalf of Bob Neal to promote Presley and pressured RCA Victor's Nashville division head Stephen H. Sholes to sign Presley. In 1955 Axton co-wrote the Elvis Presley hit-song "Heartbreak Hotel" with Tommy Durden. Durden presented the idea to Axton from a newspaper article he had read in which criminal and painter Alvin Krolik said, "This is the story of a person who walked a lonely street." She suggested there be a Heartbreak Hotel at the end of the man's lonely street. She offered Presley a songwriting credit on the work, thus earning him one third of the royalties, as an enticement to have him record the song; the song became Presley's first #1 record.

Death On April 9, 1997, aged 82, Axton suffered a heart attack and drowned in her hot tub at her home in Hendersonville, Tennessee.