John D. Loudermilk
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John Dee Loudermilk Jr. (March 31, 1934 – September 21, 2016) was an American singer and songwriter. Although he had his own recording career during the 1950s and 1960s, he was primarily known as a songwriter. His best-known songs include "
Indian Reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
", a 1968 hit for UK singer
Don Fardon Don Fardon (born Donald Arthur Fardon, 19 August 1940, Coventry, Warwickshire, England) is an English pop singer. Fardon is best known for his cover of the song "Indian Reservation" (1968), a UK number 3 hit and global million selling disc. ...
and a U.S. No. 1 hit in 1971 for
Paul Revere & the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American rock band formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revolu ...
. He wrote " Ebony Eyes", a 1961 U.K. No. 1 and U.S. No. 8 for
the Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
, and also wrote "
Tobacco Road Tobacco Road may refer to: Prose * ''Tobacco Road'' (novel) (1932), by Erskine Caldwell ** ''Tobacco Road'' (play) (1933), by Jack Kirkland ** ''Tobacco Road'' (film) (1941), directed by John Ford Music * "Tobacco Road" (song) (1960s), by John D. ...
", a 1964 Top 20 hit in both the U.S. and the U.K. for
the Nashville Teens The Nashville Teens are a British rock band, formed in Surrey in 1962. They are best known for their 1964 hit single "Tobacco Road", a top 10 UK hit and a top 20 hit in the United States. Early membership Art Sharp (born Arthur Sharp, 26 May 1 ...
, "This Little Bird", a U.K. No. 6 for
Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...
in 1965, and "
Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" is a song written by John D. Loudermilk. It was first released in 1962 by Don Cherry, as a country song and again as a doo-wop in 1967 by the group The Casinos on its album of the same name, and was a number 6 pop hi ...
", a U.S. Top Ten hit in 1967 for
the Casinos The Casinos was a nine-member doo-wop group from Cincinnati, Ohio, led by Gene Hughes and which included Bob Armstrong, Ray White, Mickey Denton, and Pete Bolton. Ken Brady performed with the group, taking over for Hughes from 1962 to 1965 as lea ...
. That song was also a U.S. No. 1 country hit for
Eddy Arnold Richard Edward Arnold (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008) was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a Nashville sound (country/popular music) innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the ''Billboard'' cou ...
in the following year.


Early life and career

Loudermilk was born in Durham, North Carolina, to Pauline and John D. Loudermilk Sr., an illiterate carpenter. John D. Jr.'s family were members of the
Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
. He was influenced by the church singing of the
Christian Church In ecclesiology, the Christian Church is what different Christian denominations conceive of as being the true body of Christians or the original institution established by Jesus. "Christian Church" has also been used in academia as a synonym fo ...
. His cousins
Ira Ira or IRA may refer to: *Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name *Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name *Iran, UNDP code IRA Law *Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...
and Charlie Loudermilk were known professionally as
the Louvin Brothers The Louvin Brothers were an American musical duo composed of brothers Ira and Charlie Louvin (''né'' Loudermilk). The brothers are cousins to John D. Loudermilk, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member. The brothers wrote and performed cou ...
. Loudermilk was a graduate of Campbell College (now
Campbell University Campbell University is a private Baptist university in Buies Creek, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (Southern Baptist Convention). Southern Baptist ConventionColleges and Universities sbc.net ...
), a private North Carolina Baptist Convention-owned college in
Buies Creek, North Carolina Buies Creek ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the
. As a young boy, Loudermilk learned the guitar, and while still in his teens wrote a poem that he set to music, "
A Rose and a Baby Ruth "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" is a song written by John D. Loudermilk under his "Johnny Dee" pseudonym. The song was published in 1956. The best-known version was recorded by George Hamilton IV. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard magazine pop ...
". The owners of local television station
WTVD WTVD (channel 11) is a television station licensed to Durham, North Carolina, United States, broadcasting the ABC network to the Research Triangle area. Owned and operated by the network's ABC Owned Television Stations division, it maintains pr ...
, where he worked as a graphic artist, allowed him to play the song on-air, resulting in
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
musician
George Hamilton IV George Hege Hamilton IV (July 19, 1937 – September 17, 2014) was an American country musician. He began performing in the late 1950s as a teen idol, switching to country music in the early 1960s. Biography Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, ...
putting it on record in 1956. It spent 20 weeks on the Billboard magazine pop chart, reaching No. 6. After
Eddie Cochran Ray Edward Cochran (; October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an American rock and roll musician. Cochran's songs, such as "Twenty Flight Rock", "Summertime Blues", " C'mon Everybody" and " Somethin' Else", captured teenage frustration and desire ...
had his first hit record with Loudermilk's "
Sittin' in the Balcony "Sittin' in the Balcony" is a song written and performed by John D. Loudermilk under his artist name Johnny Dee. It was released in January 1957 on the Colonial Records label. Eddie Cochran had a Top 40 hit in the U.S. with his recording on Liberty ...
", Loudermilk's career path was under way. Loudermilk recorded some of his own songs—including "Sittin' in the Balcony", which reached No. 38 on the pop charts in 1957—as "Johnny Dee", for the North Carolina-based
Colonial Records Colonial Records was a Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based record label that provided the springboard for artists Andy Griffith, George Hamilton IV, John D. Loudermilk, and Billy "Crash" Craddock. Origin Colonial Records was a record label founded ...
label. In 1958, he signed with
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
and recorded five unsuccessful singles to 1959, including the original version of "Tobacco Road". In 1961, he signed with
RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...
, where he had a number of hits: * "Language of Love" (US No. 32, UK Top 20) in 1961 * "
Thou Shalt Not Steal "Thou shalt not steal" is one of the Ten Commandments of the Jewish Torah (known to Christians as the first five books of the Old Testament), which are widely understood as moral imperatives by legal scholars, Jewish scholars, Catholic scholars ...
" (US No. 73) in 1962 * "Callin' Doctor Casey" (US No. 83) in 1962 * "Road Hog" (US No. 65) in 1962 It was as a songwriter that Loudermilk made his mark. In 1963 he wrote another all-time hit for George Hamilton IV, " Abilene". Working out of the country music capital of
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, Tennessee, Loudermilk became one of the most productive songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s, penning
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
and pop music hits for
the Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
,
Johnny Tillotson Johnny Tillotson (born April 20, 1938) is an American singer-songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored nine top-ten hits on the pop, country, and adult contemporary ''Billboard'' charts, including " Poetry ...
,
Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nashville sound, the country music s ...
,
the Nashville Teens The Nashville Teens are a British rock band, formed in Surrey in 1962. They are best known for their 1964 hit single "Tobacco Road", a top 10 UK hit and a top 20 hit in the United States. Early membership Art Sharp (born Arthur Sharp, 26 May 1 ...
,
Paul Revere & the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American rock band formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revolu ...
,
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
,
Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...
,
Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...
,
Sue Thompson Sue Thompson (born Eva Sue McKee; July 19, 1925 – September 23, 2021) was an American pop and country music singer. She was best known for the million selling hits " Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)", "Norman", "James (Hold The Ladder Steady)", all we ...
and others. His song "The Pale Faced Indian" (later known as "
Indian Reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
") was a hit in the 1970s; and "
Tobacco Road Tobacco Road may refer to: Prose * ''Tobacco Road'' (novel) (1932), by Erskine Caldwell ** ''Tobacco Road'' (play) (1933), by Jack Kirkland ** ''Tobacco Road'' (film) (1941), directed by John Ford Music * "Tobacco Road" (song) (1960s), by John D. ...
" was a hit in the 1960s and 1970s for, among others, the Nashville Teens,
Blues Magoos The Blues Magoos are an American rock group from The Bronx, a borough of New York City, United States. They were at the forefront of the psychedelic music trend, beginning in 1966. They are best known for the hit song " (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Ye ...
,
Eric Burdon & War War (originally called Eric Burdon and War) is an American funk/rock/soul band from Long Beach, California, known for several hit songs (including "Spill the Wine", "The World Is a Ghetto", "The Cisco Kid", "Why Can't We Be Friends?", "Low Ride ...
, and
David Lee Roth David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954) is an American rock singer. Best known for his wild, energetic stage persona, he was the original lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen across three stints, from 1974 to 1985, in 1996 and again fro ...
. Several singers recorded "Midnight Bus"; Loudermilk commented that the best was by
Betty McQuade Elizabeth Rankin McQuade (26 August 1941 – 26 December 2011), known as Betty McQuade, was an Australian rock and roll and pop singer. Biography Born in Paisley, Scotland, McQuade moved to Australia with her family at the age of eight, set ...
in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. After suffering from prostate cancer and respiratory ailments, Loudermilk died on September 21, 2016, at his home in Christiana, Tennessee. He was 82. The actual cause of death was a heart attack, according to his son Michael. The John D. Loudermilk Collection is in the
Southern Folklife Collection The Southern Folklife Collection is an archival resource at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, dedicated to collecting, preserving and disseminating traditional and vernacular music, art, and culture related to the American South. T ...
of the Wilson Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.


"Indian Reservation"

A well-known story surrounding one of Loudermilk's songs is that, when he was asked by the ''Viva! NashVegas'' radio show about the origins of the Raiders' hit song "
Indian Reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
", he fabricated the story that he wrote the song after his car was snowed in by a blizzard and he was taken in by
Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
Indians. A self-professed
prank A practical joke, or prank, is a mischievous trick played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. ...
ster, he spun the tale that a Cherokee chieftain, "Bloody Bear Tooth" asked him to make a song about his people's plight and the
Trail of Tears The Trail of Tears was an ethnic cleansing and forced displacement of approximately 60,000 people of the "Five Civilized Tribes" between 1830 and 1850 by the United States government. As part of the Indian removal, members of the Cherokee, ...
, even going so far as to claim that he had later been awarded "the first medal of the
Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ''Tsalagihi Ayeli'' or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ ''Tsalagiyehli''), also known as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It ...
", not for writing the song, but for his "blood"; further fabricating that his "great-great grandparents, Homer and Matilda Loudermilk" were listed on the
Dawes Rolls The Dawes Rolls (or Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, or Dawes Commission of Final Rolls) were created by the United States Dawes Commission. The commission was authorized by United States Congress in 1893 to exec ...
. Had this tall tale been true, he would have been a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, which he was not. In spite of the song's title, neither the
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), (Cherokee language, Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ, ''Tsalagiyi Detsadanilvgi'') is a Federally recognized tribe, federally recognized Indian Tribe based in Western North Carolina in the U ...
, nor the
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma ( or , abbreviated United Keetoowah Band or UKB) is a federally recognized tribe of Cherokee Native Americans headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. According to the UKB website, its member ...
, nor the
Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ''Tsalagihi Ayeli'' or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ ''Tsalagiyehli''), also known as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It ...
of Oklahoma communities (the only
federally-recognized This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...
Cherokee tribes) are known as "reservations".


Notable compositions

* " Abilene" (a hit for
George Hamilton IV George Hege Hamilton IV (July 19, 1937 – September 17, 2014) was an American country musician. He began performing in the late 1950s as a teen idol, switching to country music in the early 1960s. Biography Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, ...
) * "Angela Jones" (a hit in the US for Johnny Ferguson and in the UK for Michael Cox) * "
A Rose and a Baby Ruth "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" is a song written by John D. Loudermilk under his "Johnny Dee" pseudonym. The song was published in 1956. The best-known version was recorded by George Hamilton IV. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard magazine pop ...
" (a hit for George Hamilton IV) * "Bad News" (covered by Johnny Cash,
Johnny Winter John Dawson Winter III (February 23, 1944 – July 16, 2014) was an American singer and guitarist. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums and live performances in the late 1960s and 1970s. He also produced three Grammy Award-win ...
,
Whitey Morgan and the 78's Whitey Morgan and the 78's are an American honky tonk country band based in Flint, Michigan. In 2010, they signed a recording contract with Chicago-based Bloodshot Records. Formation and early history Started in 2005, under the name Whitey M ...
, and
George Thorogood George Lawrence Thorogood (born February 24, 1950) is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Wilmington, Delaware. His "high-energy boogie-blues" sound became a staple of 1980s rock radio, with hits like his original songs "Bad to the ...
) * "Big Daddy ('s Alabamy Bound)" (covered by
Boots Randolph Homer Louis "Boots" Randolph III (June 3, 1927 – July 3, 2007) was an American musician best known for his 1963 saxophone hit "Yakety Sax" (which became Benny Hill's signature tune). Randolph was a major part of the "Nashville sound" for most o ...
,
Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nashville sound, the country music s ...
,
Jerry Reed Jerry Reed Hubbard (March 20, 1937 – September 1, 2008) was an American singer, guitarist, composer, and songwriter as well as an actor who appeared in more than a dozen films. His signature songs included " Guitar Man", " U.S. Male", "A Thi ...
, and
The Willis Brothers The Willis Brothers were an American country music ensemble from Oklahoma, consisting of several brothers. Group history Early touring Two of the Willis brothers (James, Charles) and Webb "Robber Baron" Cardwell, played together as teenagers fro ...
) * "Blue Train" (George Hamilton IV – 1972) * "Break My Mind" (covered by George Hamilton IV,
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 ...
,
Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...
,
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 Goodt ...
,
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 ...
,
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
, Gram Parsons, Wreckless Eric, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Flying Burrito Brothers,
Vern Gosdin Vernon Gosdin (August 5, 1934 – April 28, 2009) was an American country music singer. He had 19 top-10 solo hits on the country music charts from 1977 through 1990. Three of these hits went to Number One: " I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You ...
,
The Box Tops The Box Tops is an American rock band formed in Memphis in 1967. They are best known for the hits " The Letter", "Cry Like a Baby", "Choo Choo Train," and " Soul Deep" and are considered a major blue-eyed soul group of the period. They perform ...
and
Crystal Gayle Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951) is an American country music singer widely known for her 1977 hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Initially, Gayle's management and record label were the same as that of her oldest sist ...
) * "(He's My) Dreamboat" (a hit for Connie Francis) * " Ebony Eyes" (a hit for
the Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
) * " Everything's Alright" (a No. 16 ''Billboard'' hit for the Newbeats) * "Google Eye" (a hit for
the Nashville Teens The Nashville Teens are a British rock band, formed in Surrey in 1962. They are best known for their 1964 hit single "Tobacco Road", a top 10 UK hit and a top 20 hit in the United States. Early membership Art Sharp (born Arthur Sharp, 26 May 1 ...
) * "The Great Snowman" ( Bob Luman) * "Hey Ma ! (Hide The Daughter)" (a single for "Little" Jimmy Dickens, 1959) * "He's Just a Scientist" (a notable recording by John D. Loudermilk himself, also recorded by Connie Francis in 1961, but unreleased until 1987) * "I Hear It Now" (a notable recording by John D. Loudermilk himself) * " I Wanna Live" (a hit for
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 Goodt ...
) * "I'll Never Tell" (recorded by
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
) * "
Indian Reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
" (a hit for
Don Fardon Don Fardon (born Donald Arthur Fardon, 19 August 1940, Coventry, Warwickshire, England) is an English pop singer. Fardon is best known for his cover of the song "Indian Reservation" (1968), a UK number 3 hit and global million selling disc. ...
and later for Paul Revere and The Raiders; also included in "
Indian Outlaw "Indian Outlaw" is a song written by Jumpin' Gene Simmons and John D. Loudermilk, and performed by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in January 1994 as the first single from his album ''Not a Moment Too Soon''. It was McGr ...
") * "
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...
" (a hit for
Sue Thompson Sue Thompson (born Eva Sue McKee; July 19, 1925 – September 23, 2021) was an American pop and country music singer. She was best known for the million selling hits " Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)", "Norman", "James (Hold The Ladder Steady)", all we ...
) * "Paper Tiger" (a hit for
Sue Thompson Sue Thompson (born Eva Sue McKee; July 19, 1925 – September 23, 2021) was an American pop and country music singer. She was best known for the million selling hits " Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)", "Norman", "James (Hold The Ladder Steady)", all we ...
) * "Road Hog" (1962, A Portuguese version called "O Calhambeque" released in 1963 by Brazilian singer Roberto Carlos is a very big hit in Brazil, well known to the public until today; same story in France with Joe Dassin's version "Bip bip" in 1964) * "
Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)" is a 1961 pop song by the American singer Sue Thompson. The song was written by John D. Loudermilk and appears on Thompson's 1962 Hickory Records album ''Meet Sue Thompson''. Background Although Thompson was in her thir ...
" (a hit for
Sue Thompson Sue Thompson (born Eva Sue McKee; July 19, 1925 – September 23, 2021) was an American pop and country music singer. She was best known for the million selling hits " Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)", "Norman", "James (Hold The Ladder Steady)", all we ...
)(covered by Boney M; there's a Portuguese version, "Filme Triste", released in 1962 by Brazilian vocal group
Trio Esperança Trio Esperança is a Brazilian vocal trio, formed in the city of Rio de Janeiro in 1958, by the siblings Mário, Regina and Evinha Correia José Maria. They had several hits in Brazil, such as "Festa do Bolinha" and "Filme Triste" - a version of ...
) * "Sittin' in the Balcony" ( a hit for
Eddie Cochran Ray Edward Cochran (; October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an American rock and roll musician. Cochran's songs, such as "Twenty Flight Rock", "Summertime Blues", " C'mon Everybody" and " Somethin' Else", captured teenage frustration and desire ...
) * "
Sun Glasses Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades or sunnies; more names below) are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can s ...
", (recorded in 1965 by Skeeter Davis, and in 1967 by Sandy Posey, became a hit in UK in 1984 for Tracey Ullman) * "
Talk Back Trembling Lips "Talk Back Trembling Lips" is a 1963 song first recorded by Ernest Ashworth. The song became the most successful of Ernest Ashworth's career and was his only No. 1 song on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Singles chart that October. The song spe ...
" (a hit for both
Ernest Ashworth Ernest Bert Ashworth (December 15, 1928 – March 2, 2009) was an American country music singer, broadcaster, and longtime Grand Ole Opry star. Signed to the Hickory label, he recorded two studio albums in his career and charted several singl ...
and
Johnny Tillotson Johnny Tillotson (born April 20, 1938) is an American singer-songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored nine top-ten hits on the pop, country, and adult contemporary ''Billboard'' charts, including " Poetry ...
) * "The Language of Love" * "
Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" is a song written by John D. Loudermilk. It was first released in 1962 by Don Cherry, as a country song and again as a doo-wop in 1967 by the group The Casinos on its album of the same name, and was a number 6 pop hi ...
" (a hit for The Casinos (1967),
Eddy Arnold Richard Edward Arnold (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008) was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a Nashville sound (country/popular music) innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the ''Billboard'' cou ...
(1968),
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 Goodt ...
(1976), Toby Beau (1979), Neal McCoy (1996); also covered by more than a dozen others including
Bettye Swann Betty Barton (born Betty Jean Champion, October 24, 1944), better known by the stage name Bettye Swann, is a retired American soul singer. She is best known for her 1967 hit song " Make Me Yours". Career Swann was born in Shreveport, Louisiana ...
& Johnny Nash * "This Little Bird" (a hit for
Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...
and The Nashville Teens) * "
Thou Shalt Not Steal "Thou shalt not steal" is one of the Ten Commandments of the Jewish Torah (known to Christians as the first five books of the Old Testament), which are widely understood as moral imperatives by legal scholars, Jewish scholars, Catholic scholars ...
" (a hit for Dick and Dee Dee) * "
Tobacco Road Tobacco Road may refer to: Prose * ''Tobacco Road'' (novel) (1932), by Erskine Caldwell ** ''Tobacco Road'' (play) (1933), by Jack Kirkland ** ''Tobacco Road'' (film) (1941), directed by John Ford Music * "Tobacco Road" (song) (1960s), by John D. ...
" (a hit for The Nashville Teens (1964); also recorded by
Lou Rawls Louis Allen Rawls (December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006) was an American record producer, singer, composer and actor. Rawls released more than 60 albums, sold more than 40 million records, and had numerous charting singles, most notably his s ...
(1963, 1966), the
Blues Magoos The Blues Magoos are an American rock group from The Bronx, a borough of New York City, United States. They were at the forefront of the psychedelic music trend, beginning in 1966. They are best known for the hit song " (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Ye ...
(1966),
Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to ac ...
(1966), Rare Earth (1969), Edgar Winter's White Trash (1970),
David Lee Roth David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954) is an American rock singer. Best known for his wild, energetic stage persona, he was the original lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen across three stints, from 1974 to 1985, in 1996 and again fro ...
(1985) and many more) * "Top 40, News, Weather and Sports" recorded 1961 by
Mark Dinning Max Edward Dinning (August 17, 1933 — March 22, 1986), known by his stage name Mark Dinning was an American pop music singer. In February 1960, the song " Teen Angel", written by his sister Jean (Eugenia) and her husband Red Surrey, reached nu ...
* "Torture" (a hit in English for
Kris Jensen Peter Kristian Jensen (born April 4, 1942) is an American singer, bassist, and guitarist. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Jensen began his career in music cutting records for Colpix, for whom he recorded his first single in ...
, also recorded in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
as "Cœur blessé" and Italian as "Pagherai" by Petula Clark) * " Turn Me On" (made famous by Norah Jones' cover) * "
Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat * Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place. Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Antarctica *King George Island (S ...
" (a hit for
Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...
) * "Weep No More My Baby" (B-side to Brenda Lee's hit " Sweet Nothin's") * "What A Woman in Love Won't Do" (Sandy Posey) * "Windy and Warm" (Played by guitarists Chet Atkins and Doc Watson) * "You Call It Joggin' (I Call It Runnin' Around) (recorded by Mose Allison and
Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffet ...
)


Discography


Albums


Singles


Guest singles


Notes


References


External links

* *
John D. Loudermilk Collection
Southern Folklife Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
NAMM Oral History Interview
July 16, 2014 {{DEFAULTSORT:Loudermilk, John D. 1934 births 2016 deaths 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American acoustic guitarists American country guitarists American country singer-songwriters American male guitarists American male singer-songwriters Colonial Records Country musicians from North Carolina Country musicians from Tennessee Deaths from bone cancer Deaths from cancer in Tennessee Grammy Award winners Guitarists from North Carolina Impostors Musicians from Durham, North Carolina RCA Victor artists Singer-songwriters from North Carolina Singer-songwriters from Tennessee