John LaGale Horton (30 April 1925 – 5 November 1960) was an American country, honky-tonk, and rockabilly singer active during the 1950s. He is best known for a series of history-themed narrative songs that achieved international success. His 1959 single "The Battle of New Orleans" won the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording in 1960 and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; in 2001 it was ranked number 333 on the Recording Industry Association of America’s "Songs of the Century" list. His first number-one country song was "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)" (1959). In 1960, Horton had further hits with "Sink the Bismarck" and "North to Alaska", the latter used in the opening credits of the film "North to Alaska". He died in a traffic collision in November 1960 at the height of his career, less than two years after his commercial breakthrough. He was later inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and in 2025 into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Horton was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Rusk, Texas. He was the youngest of five children. His family moved frequently between Texas and California while working as sharecroppers. After graduating from high school in Gallatin, Texas, in 1944, he attended Lon Morris Junior College on a basketball scholarship and later studied at Seattle University and Baylor University, although he did not complete a degree. He later worked in the mail room at Selznick International Pictures, where he met his first wife, Donna Cook. After a brief period studying geology, Horton travelled to Alaska in search of gold, during which time he began writing songs. Returning to Texas, he won a local talent contest and subsequently pursued a music career in California. Horton gained early exposure through appearances on radio and television programmes, including "Hometown Jamboree", and his own show, "The Singing Fisherman". He recorded several singles for the Cormac label before moving to Louisiana, where he performed regularly on the "Louisiana Hayride". He later signed with Mercury Records and began touring with a backing group that eventually became known as Johnny Horton and the Roadrunners. After his contract with Mercury expired, Horton briefly left music before signing with Columbia Records. Influenced in part by the emerging rock and roll style of the period, he incorporated rockabilly elements into his music. His 1956 single "Honky-Tonk Man" reached the top ten of the country charts, followed by further charting singles including "I'm a One-Woman Man" and "I'm Coming Home". Horton achieved his greatest success with "The Battle of New Orleans", written by Jimmy Driftwood, which became a major crossover hit. This was followed by other historical-themed songs such as "Sink the Bismarck". Horton was married twice. His first marriage, to Donna Cook, ended in divorce. In 1953, he married Billie Jean Jones, the widow of Hank Williams. The couple had two daughters, and Horton adopted Jones’s daughter from her previous marriage. On the night of 4–5 November 1960, Horton was travelling with band members following a performance in Austin, Texas, when their vehicle collided with a truck near Milano, Texas. Horton died en route to hospital. His funeral was held in Shreveport, Louisiana, and he was buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Haughton, Louisiana. Following his death, Horton’s recordings have been reissued in various compilations. His work has continued to be recognised within country and rockabilly music, and he is regarded as a notable figure in the development of narrative country songs. Studio albums Johnny Horton (1959) The Fantastic Johnny Horton (1959) The Spectacular Johnny Horton (1959) Johnny Horton Makes History (1960) Johnny Horton's Greatest Hits (1961) Honky-Tonk Man (1962) I Can't Forget You (1965) Johnny Horton Sings (1966) Johnny Horton On Stage (1967) The Unforgettable Johnny Horton (1968) On the Road (1970) The Legendary Johnny Horton (1970) The Battle of New Orleans (1971) The World of Johnny Horton (1971) <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Johnny+Horton">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.