COUNTRY MUSIC SUFFERS THE LOSS OF
JOHNNY WRIGHT AT 97 YEARS OLD
Country Music has suffered another great loss with the death of Johnny Wright who passed away early today at the age of 97. I have included the pix in this press release, with his wife Miss Kitty Wells. I felt that they had spent 74 years together, so this picture is dedicated to Johnny and his long life with Miss Kitty. Johnny died of natural causes.
I have been so fortunate to be able to call Johnny, Kitty, Bobby, Sue, and their family, my friends. Johnny, Kitty, and Bobby have been my friends for many, many years. There is a great sadness in our music industry today because of this great loss. Johnny was one of country music great pioneers and legends. His recordings with Jack Anglin are part of country music history.
I could write a book on the great shows that I was privileged to work with Johnny, Miss Kitty, Bobby and The Tennessee Mountain Boys. The joy of being able to stand on the same stage with Johnny and his family has always been one of my fondest memories. One of the greatest family shows ever in country music, if not the greatest.
At this time I do not have funeral arrangements, but later today I will send them out.
PLEASE KEEP IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, MISS KITTY, JOHNNY, SUE, AND THE WRIGHT FAMILY, AND ASK OUR BLESSED LORD TO BLESS THEM WITH THE FAITH OF KNOWING THAT JOHNNY IS NOW IN HIS HEAVENLY HOME, AND TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THIS TIME OF SADNESS IN THEIR LIFE’S.
MAY JOHNNY SOUL REST IN THE PEACEFUL ARMS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
JOHNNY WRIGHT BIOGRAPHY
Born in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, Wright first performed with Anglin in 1936. In 1937, he married Kitty Wells. The two, along with Wright’s sister Louise, performed as Johnnie Wright & the Harmony Girls. In 1939, Wright and Anglin formed the duo Johnnie & Jack. They teamed up full-time in the 1940s and, except for the time Anglin spent overseas during World War II, remained together for more than two decades.
In 1952, Johnnie & Jack’s “Poison Love” took them to the Grand Ole Opry, where the duo, along with Wells, were invited to join and where they remained for 15 years. Following Anglin’s death in an automobile accident in 1963, Wright continued performing and releasing records.
In 1964, he and his Tennessee Mountain Boys had a Top 25 hit with “Walkin’, Talkin’, Cryin’, Barely Beatin’ Broken Heart.” The following year, he had success with “Hello Vietnam“, a No. 1 hit. In 1968, he and Wells recorded an autobiographical duet, “We’ll Stick Together”, and continued playing live shows together through the early 1980s.
Later years
In 1983, Wright and Wells opened the Family Country Junction Museum and Studio in their hometown of Madison, Tennessee. They closed the museum in October 2000, but their grandson, John Sturdivant, Jr. kept the Junction Recording Studio operating.
Wright joined producers Randall Franks and Alan Autry for the 1991 CD “Christmas Time’s A Comin'” featuring the cast of the TV series In the Heat of the Night. He performed along with Kitty Wells and Bobby Wright on “Jingle Bells” with the cast.
In 1992, the couple and their son Bobby began playing together again. On December 31, 2000, the duo performed their farewell concert at the Nashville Nightlife Theater in Nashville, Tennessee. They played to a full house of fans, family and friends that includedRicky Skaggs, The Whites, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith, Leona Williams, Larry Stephenson, Tommy Cash, Jack Greene, Jean Shepard and comedian-impressionist Johnny Counterfit.
Personal life
Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright were married on October 30, 1937. Together they had three children, two daughters Ruby (1939–2009)[1] and Carol Sue, as well as a son, Bobby. Each of their children enjoyed minor success individually as recording artists – Carol Sue, on a mid-1950s duet with Wells titled “How Far is Heaven”; Ruby, with a hit called “Dern ‘Ya,” an “answer song” to Roger Miller‘s “Dang Me“; and Bobby, with a series of country-pop hits in the early-to-mid 1970s, including “Seasons in the Sun” (covering Terry Jacks‘ No. 1 pop hit from 1974). Both Bobby and Ruby performed as part of their parents’ road tour for many years.
Wells and Wright will celebrate their 74th wedding anniversary in 2011.
Discography
Albums
|
Year
|
Album details
|
|
|
1965
|
Hello Vietnam
§ Released: October 1965
§ Label: Decca Records
|
5
|
|
1966
|
Country Music Special
§ Released: June 1966
§ Label: Decca Records
|
40
|
|
1967
|
Country… The Wright Way
§ Released: June 1967
§ Label: Decca Records
|
—
|
|
1968
|
Johnnie Wright Sings Country Favorites
§ Released: 1968
§ Label: Decca Records
|
—
|
|
§ Released: August 1968
§ Label: Decca Records
|
30
|
|
|
1972
|
Kitty Wells & Johnny Wright Sing
Heartwarming Gospel Songs (with Kitty Wells) § Released: January 1972
§ Label: Decca Records
|
—
|
|
1980
|
Johnnie Wright
§ Released: 1980
§ Label: Rubocca
|
—
|
Singles
|
Year
|
Single
|
Album
|
|
|
1963
|
“Sweet Snow Dear”
|
—
|
Hello Vietnam
|
|
1964
|
22
|
||
|
“Don’t Give Up the Ship”
|
37
|
||
|
1965
|
“Blame It on the Moonlight”
|
28
|
|
|
1
|
|||
|
“Keep the Flag Flying”
|
31
|
Country Music Special
|
|
|
1966
|
“Nickels, Quarters and Dimes”
|
31
|
|
|
“I’m Doing This for Daddy”
|
53
|
Country… The Wright Way
|
|
|
“Mama’s Little Jewel”
|
50
|
||
|
1967
|
“Ole Honky Tonk”
|
—
|
Johnnie Wright Sings Country Favorites
|
|
“American Power”
|
66
|
non-album single
|
|
|
“Music to Cry By”
|
69
|
Johnnie Wright Sings Country Favorites
|
|
|
1968
|
“Atlanta Georgia Baby”
|
—
|
|
|
“We’ll Stick Together” (with Kitty Wells)
|
54
|
We’ll Stick Together
|
|
|
“(They Always Come Out) Smellin’ Like a Rose”
|
66
|
non-album singles
|
|
|
1969
|
“Love Ain’t Gonna Die (I’m Gonna Have to Kill It)”
|
—
|
|
|
“Sing a Song About Love”
|
—
|
||
|
1970
|
“A Dear John Letter”
|
—
|
|
|
“Love Everybody”
|
—
|
||
|
“Where the Heart Aches Hang Around”
|
—
|
||
|
1971
|
“Old Honky Tonk”
|
—
|
|
|
“High Cost of Livin'”
|
—
|
||
|
“South in New Orleans”
|
—
|
||
|
1972
|
“Doo-Hickey”
|
—
|
|
|
“Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes”
|
—
|
||
|
1973
|
“Ode to a Country Bar”
|
—
|
|
|
1974
|
“Wild Passionate Lover”
|
—
|
|
|
1976
|
“I Never Told Him I Loved You”
|
—
|
|
|
1980
|
“Pressure”
|
—
|
Johnnie Wright
|
|
1982
|
“Just a Simple Bouquet”
|
—
|
non-album singles
|
|
1984
|
“The King Went on a Journey”
|