Johnny Preston
Johnny Preston ( born August 18, 1939 in Port Arthur, Texas; † March 4, 2011 in Beaumont (Texas ); bourgeois John Preston Courville ) was in front of an American rock ' n' roll and rockabilly singer especially became known for his number -one hit Running Bear.
Life
Preston's ancestors were German and members of the francophone population Cajun from Louisiana. Even with his high school choir he performed in competitions throughout Texas. On the Lamar State College in Beaumont, he founded the rhythm-and - blues band The Shades, which made a name for himself in the south of Texas. At a concert in Beaumont, he met the Disc Jockey J. P. Richardson - who became known as The Big Bopper - and music producer Bill Hall know. Both made sure that Preston was invited to screen test for her record company Mercury Records. After several failed attempts by Preston fright Richardson wrote the song Running Bear, a story about the Indians Running Bear and Little White Dove Indian girl whose love a happy ending is granted for Preston. After the recording of the song in the fall of 1958 in the Gold Star Studios in Houston Preston received a recording contract with Mercury Records, the Running Bear published on 6 July 1959. Richardson saw the release of his songs no more, for he had died in a plane crash already on 3 February 1959. After two attempts, Running Bear established in November 1959 in the Billboard Hot 100 and was there in January and February 1960, the number one. In Britain, the title was successful and captured on March 11, 1960 for two weeks also the top of the charts. Worldwide Running Bear Johnny Preston was with a million success.
Meanwhile, Preston had separated from his band The Shades, and Mercury, published in January 1960 under the title Running Bear Prestons first LP (Cat. No. 20592 ). On February 29, 1960 his second single was released, which was produced as all the following Mercury recordings in Nashville. Cradle of Love, written by Jack Fautheree and Wayne Gray, also became a Top 10 hit in the U.S. and in the UK. The success of his plates brought Preston in 1960 the first tour - together with Conway Twitty and Freddy Cannon - by Britain a. Some minor hits followed in this and the next year, including cover versions of Shirley & Lee Feel So Good Feel So Fine and as Little Willie John's Leave My Kitten Alone. But after just over a year Prestons hit parade presence had ended.
In October 1962 he released his last single for Mercury with Let The Big Boss Man / Day After Forever. After her also was not a success, he moved in 1963 to the record company Imperial, however, where there was only a similarly unsuccessful plate publication. Also the new change to the small record label Hall Way did not return to the charts. His multiple attempts to change the style of singing were unsuccessful. Preston could nevertheless continue to draw on its past achievements and organized numerous tours. He has appeared in Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater, and between 1998 and 2005 he performed several times in the UK and went on a 2006 Australian tour.
In December 2010, Preston underwent a heart bypass surgery, from which he did not recover. On the consequences of the intervention he died 71 years old on March 4, 2011 at Beaumonter Baptist Hospital in Texas. As one of the pioneers of rockabilly Preston was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.