Hoyt Wayne Axton (March 25, 1938 – October 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. Among his best-known songs are "

Joy to the World "Joy to the World" is an English Christmas carol. The carol was written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts, and its lyrics are an interpretation of Psalm 98 celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Today, the carol is usua ...

", "

The Pusher "The Pusher" is a rock song written by Hoyt Axton, made popular by the 1969 movie ''Easy Rider'' which used Steppenwolf's version to accompany the opening scenes showing drug trafficking. The lyrics of the song distinguish between a ''dealer ...

", "

No No Song "No No Song" is a 1974 song by English musician Ringo Starr. Written by Hoyt Axton and David Jackson, it appeared on Starr's 1974 album, '' Goodnight Vienna''. It was released as a single in the US on 27 January 1975, backed with "Snookeroo," an ...

", "Greenback Dollar", "Della and the Dealer", and "

Never Been to Spain "Never Been to Spain" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, originally released on his 1971 LP ''Joy to the World'' and later that year performed by Three Dog Night, with Cory Wells on lead vocal. It was featured on their 1971 album '' Harmony''. The ...

". He was a prolific character actor, appearing in dozens of film and television roles over several decades, memorably as a father figure in a number of films, including ''

The Black Stallion The Black Stallion, known as the Black or Shêtân, is the title character from author Walter Farley's bestselling series about the Arab stallion and his young owner, Alec Ramsay. The series chronicles the story of a Sheikh's prized stallion a ...

'' (1979) and ''

Gremlins ''Gremlins'' is a 1984 American black comedy horror film directed by Joe Dante, written by Chris Columbus, and starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, and Frances Lee McCain, with Howie Mandel providing the voice ...

'' (1984).

Early life

Born in

Duncan, Oklahoma Duncan is a city and county seat of Stephens County, Oklahoma, United States. Its population was 22,310 at the 2020 census. Its main claim to fame is as the birthplace of the Halliburton Corporation. Erle P. Halliburton established the New Meth ...

, Axton spent his preteen years in

Comanche, Oklahoma Comanche is a city in Stephens County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,663 at the 2010 census. History Comanche is a small city in southwest Oklahoma, set in rolling prairie land interspersed with oil fields, ranches, farms, ...

, with his brother, John. His mother,

Mae Boren Axton Mae Boren Axton (September 14, 1914 – April 9, 1997) 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, ...

, a songwriter, co-wrote the classic

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

song "

Heartbreak Hotel "Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. It was written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden, with credit being ...

", which became a major hit for

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

. Some of Hoyt's own songs were later recorded by Presley. Axton's father, John Thomas Axton, was a naval officer stationed in

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, Florida; the family joined him there in 1949. Axton graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1956 and left town after Knauer's Hardware Store burned down on graduation night, a prank gone wrong. He attended

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

on a scholarship, and he played football for the school, but he left to enlist in the US Navy. In the Navy, Axton held the rank of petty officer second class and served on two ships, the USS ''Princeton'' (CV-37) and the USS ''Ranger ''(CVA-61). Axton was the first cousin of

David Boren David Lyle Boren (born April 21, 1941) is a retired American lawyer and politician from the state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as 21st governor of Oklahoma from 1975 to 1979 and three terms in the United States Sen ...

, who served as governor of Oklahoma and three terms in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

, and as president of the University of Oklahoma.

Career

After his discharge from the Navy, Axton began singing folk songs in San Francisco nightclubs. In the early 1960s, he released his first folk album, ''The Balladeer'' (recorded at The Troubadour), which included his song "Greenback Dollar". It became a 1963 hit for

The Kingston Trio The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to the late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, ...

. Axton released numerous albums throughout the 1960s and '70s. He had many minor hits of his own, such as "Boney Fingers", "When the Morning Comes", and 1979's "Della and the Dealer". His vocal style featured his distinctive bass-baritone (which later deepened to near-bass) and use of

characterization Characterization or characterisation is the representation of persons (or other beings or creatures) in narrative and dramatic works. The term character development is sometimes used as a synonym. This representation may include direct methods ...

. Axton first appeared on television in a

David L. Wolper David Lloyd Wolper (January 11, 1928 – August 10, 2010) was an American television and film producer, responsible for shows such as ''Roots'', '' The Thorn Birds'', and ''North and South'', and the theatrically-released films ''L.A. Confiden ...

ABC production of ''The Story of a Folksinger'' (1963). He appeared on ''

Hootenanny A hootenanny is a party involving music in the United States. It is particularly associated with folk music. Etymology Placeholder Hootenanny is an Appalachian colloquialism that was used in the early twentieth century U.S. as a placeholder nam ...

'', hosted by

Jack Linkletter Jack Linkletter (November 20, 1937 – December 18, 2007) was an American game show and television host and entertainer. He was the son of Art Linkletter. Early life Linkletter was born Arthur Jack Linkletter in San Francisco. He was the oldest ...

, during this period. In 1965, he was in an episode of '' Bonanza'' where he sang duets with

Pernell Roberts Pernell Elven Roberts Jr. (May 18, 1928 – January 24, 2010) was an American stage, film, and television actor, activist, and singer. In addition to guest-starring in over 60 television series, he was best known for his roles as Ben Cartw ...

. In 1966, he made his film debut in the film '' Smoky'' playing the role of Fred Denton, the evil brother of the character played by actor

Fess Parker Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born F. E. Parker Jr.;Weaver, Tom.Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers p. 148 (McFarland 2012). August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010),(March 18, 2010Daniel Boone Actor Fess Parker Dies at 85" ''CBS ...

. He became well known in the 1970s and 1980s through his film roles, including ''

'' (1979), ''

Heart Like a Wheel ''Heart Like a Wheel'' is the fifth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt, released in November 1974. It was Ronstadt's last album to be released by Capitol Records. At the time of its recording, Ronstadt had already moved to Asylum Records and r ...

'' (1983), and ''

'' (1984). His television appearances included ''

WKRP In Cincinnati ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working ...

'' (1979) and ''

Diff'rent Strokes ''Diff'rent Strokes'' is an American television sitcom, which aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackso ...

'' (1984, 1985). In 1980, he sang the theme song to the short-lived series '' Flo'', and he appeared in the episode "You Gotta Have Hoyt". Axton sang the jingle "The Ballad of Big Mac", touting

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...

Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced in the Greater Pittsburgh area in 1967 and across the United States in 1968. It is one of the company's flagship products and signat ...

onscreen in a 1969 commercial he filmed for the hamburger franchise, as well as "Head For the Mountains" in voice-overs for

Busch Beer Anheuser-Busch, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, is the largest brewing company in the United States, with a market share of 45 percent in 2016. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and nearly 20 in other ...

in the 1980s. He appeared in a

Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert a ...

commercial in 1985, and in a TV spot for FTD Florists with

Merlin Olsen Merlin Jay Olsen (; September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010) was an American football player, announcer, and actor. For his entire 15-year professional football career he was a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football Le ...

in 1989. Axton's most lasting contributions were songs made famous by others: "

" (

Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael A ...

) and "

" (Three Dog Night,

); "Greenback Dollar" (the Kingston Trio); "

" and "Snowblind Friend" ( Steppenwolf); "

" ( Ringo Starr); and an array of other songs covered by singers such as

Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...

Arlo Guthrie Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie. Gu ...

, John Denver,

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...

Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music. Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...

Martha Reeves Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941) is an American R&B and pop singer. She is the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas which scored over a dozen hit singles, including " Come and Get These Memories", " Nowhere to R ...

, Jonathan Edwards,

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...

, and

Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray was the fir ...

. Axton sang

duets A duet is a musical composition or piece for two performers. Duets or The Duets may also refer to: Films and television * ''Duets'' (film), a 2000 film, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Giamatti and Huey Lewis * "Duets" (''Glee''), a 2010 episo ...

with

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

on the songs "Lion in the Winter" and " When the Morning Comes" (a top-40 country hit), and with

Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...

on "You Taught Me How To Cry." His composition "Joy to the World", as performed by Three Dog Night, was number one on the charts for six straight weeks in 1971, making it the top hit of the year. He named his record label Jeremiah after the bullfrog mentioned in the song.

Personal life and death

Axton was married four times; the first three ended in divorce. He had five children. Axton struggled with

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...

addiction, and several of his songs, including "The Pusher", "Snowblind Friend", and "No No Song", partly reflect his negative drug experiences. He was a proponent of medical marijuana use for many years until his wife Deborah and he were arrested in February 1997 at their Montana home for possession of about of marijuana. His wife later explained that she offered Axton marijuana to relieve his pain and stress following his 1995 stroke. They were fined and given

deferred sentence A deferred sentence is a sentence that is suspended until after a defendant has completed a period of probation. If the defendant fulfills the stipulations surrounding probation, a judge may then throw out the sentence and guilty plea, clearing th ...

s. Axton never fully recovered from his stroke, and he used a wheelchair much of the time afterwards. Axton died at age 61 at his home in

Victor The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

, Montana, on October 26, 1999, after suffering two heart attacks in two weeks. On November 1, 2007, Axton and his mother Mae were both inducted posthumously into the

Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, honors Oklahoma musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert are held each year in Muskogee. Since its establishment in 1997, the Hall of Fa ...

in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Music videos

Selected list of songs

Among Axton's best-known compositions (or co-writing credits) are: * "Greenback Dollar" covered by

* "

", by Steppenwolf on their debut album, 1968; this version was also used in the soundtrack of the classic 1969 motion picture ''

Easy Rider ''Easy Rider'' is a 1969 American independent drug culture road drama film written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda, and directed by Hopper. Fonda and Hopper play two bikers who travel through the American So ...

''.

recorded the song in 1971. * "No No Song", which became a No. 3 hit for Ringo Starr in March 1975 * "Never Been To Spain", covered by

, and many others * "

", the

hit from 1971 which held US No. 1 for six weeks * "Snowblind Friend" (1971), covered by Steppenwolf * "Lightning Bar Blues" (1973), covered by

Brownsville Station Brownsville station is a Metrorail station in Brownsville, Florida. It is located at the intersection of Northwest 27th Avenue ( SR 9) and 52nd Street, opening to service May 19, 1985. Station layout Places of interest *Brownsville *Joseph Ca ...

, and

Hanoi Rocks Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979. They were the first Finnish band to chart in the UK and they were also popular in Japan. The band broke up in June 1985 after drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley died in a drunk driving accide ...

* "Sweet Misery" (1974), covered by John Denver and

* " When the Morning Comes" (1974) * "You Taught Me How To Cry" (1977 duet with

) * "Boney Fingers" (1974), with Renee Armand * "Jealous Man" (covered by

John Fullbright John Fullbright (born April 23, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter from Okemah, Oklahoma. While still in high school, Fullbright performed at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah. In 2009 he released the album ''Live at the Blue Door' ...

) * "Della and the Dealer" (1979), (performed on ''

WKRP in Cincinnati ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working ...

''; reached top 20 of the Billboard country chart in the U.S. and the top 50 of the British pop chart) * "Evangelina", covered by

and Jonathan Edwards * "Flash of Fire" * "In a Young Girl's Mind" (covered by Johnny Cash) "Della and the Dealer" became a minor hit in the UK after extensive playing by DJ

Terry Wogan Sir Michael Terence Wogan (; 3 August 1938 – 31 January 2016) was an Irish radio and television broadcaster who worked for the BBC in the UK for most of his career. Between 1993 and his semi-retirement in December 2009, his BBC Radio 2 week ...

on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast program of the time.

Film and television appearances

Film appearances

* '' Smoky'' (1966) – Fred Denton * ''

'' (1979) – Alec's Father * ''Skinflint: A Country Christmas Carol'' (1979, TV Movie) – Cyrus Flint * ''

Cloud Dancer ''Cloud Dancer'' is a 1980 aviation drama film directed by Barry Brown. The film stars David Carradine, Jennifer O'Neill and Joseph Bottoms. ''Cloud Dancer'' follows a competition aerobatics pilot throughout his show season. Plot Brad Randolph ...

'' (1980) – Brad's Mechanic * ''

Liar's Moon ''Liar's Moon'' is a 1982 film directed by David Fisher and starring Matt Dillon, Cindy Fisher, Yvonne DeCarlo, and Hoyt Axton. It tells the story of two star-crossed lovers in 1940s Texas—a working-class teen and the banker's daughter who ...

'' (1982) – Cecil Duncan * ''

The Junkman ''The Junkman'' Is a 1982 independent film which spent two years in production. To make the film, H. B. Halicki used his own personal collection of over 200 cars, toys, and guns—including Eleanor, the star of his 1974 cult classic '' Gone in 60 ...

'' (1982) – Himself / Cap. Gibbs / Rev. Jim Beam (voice) * '' Endangered Species'' (1982) – Ben Morgan * ''

The Black Stallion Returns ''The Black Stallion Returns'' is a 1983 film adaptation of the book of the same name by Walter Farley, and is a sequel to ''The Black Stallion''. It is the only film directed by Robert Dalva. It was produced by Francis Ford Coppola for MGM/UA ...

'' (1983) – Narrator (voice) * ''

'' (1983) – Tex Roque * ''

Deadline Auto Theft ''Deadline Auto Theft'' is a 1983 independent film written and directed by H. B. "Toby" Halicki made up of scenes from '' Gone in 60 Seconds'' and ''The Junkman'' as well as new material featuring Hoyt Axton. Plot After the attempted theft of ...

'' (1983) – Captain Gibbs * ''Fred C. Dobbs Goes to Hollywood'' (1983) * ''

'' (1984) – Randall Peltzer * '' Act of Vengeance'' (1986, TV Movie) – Silous Huddleston * '' Retribution'' (1987) – Lt. Ashley * '' Christmas Comes to Willow Creek'' (1987, TV Movie) – Al Bensinger * ''Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story'' (1987, TV Movie) - Charlie Hartford * ''Dixie Lanes'' (1988) – Clarence Laidlaw * ''

Disorganized Crime ''Disorganized Crime'' is a 1989 American heist comedy film. It was written and directed by Jim Kouf and released through Touchstone Pictures. The ensemble cast includes Fred Gwynne, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rubén Blades, William Russ, Corbin B ...

'' (1989) – Sheriff Henault * '' We're No Angels'' (1989) – Father Levesque * ''

Buried Alive Premature burial, also known as live burial, burial alive, or vivisepulture, means to be buried while still alive. Animals or humans may be buried alive accidentally on the mistaken assumption that they are dead, or intentionally as a form of t ...

'' (1990, TV Movie) – Sheriff Sam Eberly * ''

Harmony Cats ''Harmony Cats'' is a 1992 Canadian comedy film, directed by Sandy Wilson.Gerald Pratley, ''A Century of Canadian Cinema''. Lynx Images, 2003. . p. 94. Plot ''Harmony Cats'' is about a violinist named Graham Braithwaite (Kim Coates) who plays wit ...

'' (1992) – Bill Stratton * ''Space Case'' (1992) - Charlie * ''Season of Change'' (1994) – Big Upton * '' Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long'' (1995, TV Movie) – Huey P. Long, Sr. * ''Number One Fan'' (1995) – Lt. Joe Halsey * '' King Cobra'' (1999) – Mayor Ed Biddle (final film role) Axton also contributed songs for the films ''The Legend of Hillbilly John'' (1972), '' Buster and Billie'' (1974) and ''

Mitchell Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territo ...

'' (1975).

Television appearances

*''The Story of a Folksinger'' (TV special, 1963) - Himself * ''

'' (1964) – Himself / Himself – Performer *'' Bonanza'' (1965, Series 06 Episode 27 "Dead And Gone") – Howard Mead * ''

Iron Horse ''Iron horse'' is an iconic literary term (considered by the early 21st century to be transitioning into an archaic reference) for a steam locomotive, originating in the early 1800s, when horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domes ...

'' (1966) – Slash Birney * '' I Dream of Jeannie'' (1966, Season 02, Episode 07, "Fastest Gun In The East") – Bull * ''The Hoyt Axton Country Western Boogie Woogie Gospel Rock and Roll Show'' (1975) – Himself. NBC TV special – 1 episode. Guests included Linda Ronstadt, Arlo Guthrie and Ringo Starr * ''

The Bionic Woman ''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...

'' (1976) – Buck Buckley * '' McCloud'' (1977) – Johnny Starbuck * ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

'' (1979) – Himself – Musical Guest * ''

'' (1979, performed "Della and the Dealer" and "Jealous Man") – T.J. Watson * ''

Austin City Limits ''Austin City Limits'' is an American live music television program recorded and produced by Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", and is the only television show to ...

'' (1979) – Himself * ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television serie ...

'' (1981, TV Series) – Himself * '' Flo'' (1981, TV Series) – Himself * ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' (1982, Season 1 (the only season), Episode 3, "Challenges," and Episode 8, "Rodeo," in which he sang "I Dream of Highways") – Cooper Johnson * '' The Rousters'' (1983–1984) – Cactus Jack Slade * ''

'' (1984) – Sam's Father – Wes McKinney * ''

Domestic Life Domestic may refer to: In the home * Anything relating to the human home or family ** A domestic animal, one that has undergone domestication ** A domestic appliance, or home appliance ** A domestic partnership ** Domestic science, sometimes cal ...

'' (1984) – Rip Steele * ''

Faerie Tale Theatre Faerie Tale Theatre (also known as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre) is an American live-action fairytale fantasy drama anthology television series of 27 episodes, that originally aired on Showtime from September 11, 1982 until November 14, ...

'' (1984, "

Goldilocks and the Three Bears "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" (originally titled "The Story of the Three Bears") is a 19th-century English fairy tale of which three versions exist. The original version of the tale tells of an obscene old woman who enters the forest home ...

") – Forest Ranger * ''

Cover Up A cover-up is an attempt, whether successful or not, to :wikt:conceal, conceal evidence of wrongdoing, error, incompetence, or other embarrassment, embarrassing information. Research has distinguished personal cover-ups (covering up one's own ...

'' (1984) - John Cody * ''

Trapper John, M.D. ''Trapper John, M.D.'' is an American medical drama television series and spin-off of the film ''M*A*S*H'' (1970). Pernell Roberts portrayed the title character, a lovable surgeon who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, Californ ...

'' (1985) - Jack Dearborne * '' Dallas: The Early Years'' (1986, TV Movie) – Aaron Southworth * '' Murder, She Wrote'' (1988) – Sheriff Tate * '' Midnight Caller'' (1990) – Ralston Cash Dollar * ''

Growing Pains ''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes. The series followed the misadventures of the ...

'' (1990) – Claver Jackson * '' Doorways'' (1993, TV series pilot) - Jake Mitchell Axton also composed and sang the theme song to the short-lived television sitcom '' Flo''. Several songs for the 1977 film ''

Outlaw Blues ''Outlaw Blues'' is a 1977 American drama film directed by Richard T. Heffron and starring Peter Fonda and Susan Saint James. Written by Bill L. Norton, the film is about an ex-convict and songwriter trying to break into the music business in A ...

'' were composed by Axton and sung by Peter Fonda. '' The Rousters'' was a short-lived television sitcom (1983) with Axton as 'Cactus' Jack Slade. The show starred Chad Everett as Wyatt Earp III, the grandson of the legendary

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp took part in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which l ...

, and

Jim Varney James Albert Varney Jr. (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his broadly comedic role as Ernest P. Worrell, for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award, as well as appearing in films and n ...

as his dim-witted brother, Evan. In 1992 Axton narrated "The Alaska Highway: 1942-1992," a documentary on the history of the Alaska Highway which was produced by public television station KAKM of Anchorage and shown nationally on PBS. In the mid-1990s, Axton was chosen to host and narrate the profile series '' Life and Times'' on

The Nashville Network The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, game shows, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows. On Septembe ...

, in which a different country music figure was spotlighted each hour. His voice was heard throughout and he was seen on-camera doing the introduction and closing of each show in which he participated. Axton also showed up as the narrator for two documentaries of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Race in 1982 and 1983 called ''Desperate Dreams''.

References

External links

* * * * * *
Hoyt Axton
at Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame * {{DEFAULTSORT:Axton, Hoyt 1938 births 1999 deaths People from Duncan, Oklahoma Country musicians from Oklahoma Military personnel from Oklahoma American country singer-songwriters American male film actors American male singer-songwriters American male television actors American blues guitarists American blues singers American folk singers American rock singers American acoustic guitarists American rock guitarists American folk guitarists Male actors from Oklahoma United States Navy sailors Musicians from Jacksonville, Florida Robert E. Lee High School (Jacksonville) alumni People from Victor, Montana Vee-Jay Records artists 20th-century American male actors Writers from Jacksonville, Florida 20th-century American singers Singer-songwriters from Florida Songwriters from Montana Singer-songwriters from Oklahoma Guitarists from Florida Guitarists from Montana Guitarists from Oklahoma American male guitarists 20th-century American guitarists Boren family Country musicians from Florida 20th-century American male singers