Johnnie Robert Wright Jr. (May 13, 1914
– September 27, 2011)
was an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
singer-songwriter, who spent much of his career working with
Jack Anglin as the popular duo
Johnnie & Jack
Johnnie & Jack were an American country music duo, composed of Johnnie Wright (1914–2011) and Jack Anglin (1916–1963). The duo became members of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1940s. Between 1951 and 1962, the duo released several singles on the ...
, and was also the husband of country music star
Kitty Wells
Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...
.
Biography
Early life and career
Born in
Mount Juliet, Tennessee, United States,
Wright first performed with Anglin in 1936. On October 30, 1937, he married
Kitty Wells
Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...
.
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
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, remained together for more than two decades.
In 1952, Johnnie & Jack's "Poison Love" took them to the
Grand Ole Opry
The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a div ...
, 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.
After his name was misspelled on a record label, Wright changed his name from Johnnie to Johnny.
[
Johnnie Wright was a founding member of the ]Country Music Association
The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...
and turned down the offer to be its first president. He was also involved in the effort to build the Country Music Hall of Fame
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has ama ...
. Although, Wright has not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In 1964, he and his Tennessee Mountain Boys had a Top 25 hit with "Walkin', Talkin', Cryin', Barely Beatin' Broken Heart
"Walkin', Talkin', Cryin', Barely Beatin' Broken Heart" is a song written by Roger Miller and Justin Tubb. It was first recorded by American country music artist Johnnie Wright, whose version peaked at number 22 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country S ...
."Tom T. Hall
Thomas Hall (May 25, 1936 – August 20, 2021), known professionally as Tom T. Hall and informally nicknamed "the Storyteller," was an American country music singer-songwriter and short-story author. He wrote 12 No. 1 hit songs, with 26 more ...
-penned, "Hello Vietnam
"Hello Vietnam" is the name of a song written by Tom T. Hall and recorded by American country singer Johnnie Wright, with lyrics in support of the Vietnam War. "Hello Vietnam" spent 20 weeks on the American Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks ...
", a No. 1 hit.[
]
Later years
In 1983, Wright and Wells opened the Family Country Junction Museum and Studio in their hometown of Madison, Tennessee
Madison (originally Madison Station) is a former settlement, now a suburban neighborhood of northeast Nashville, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is incorporated as part of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
The p ...
. They closed the museum in October 2000, but their grandson, John Sturdivant Jr. kept the Junction Recording Studio operating.
Director Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
included Wright's song "Hello Vietnam" in the soundtrack for the 1987 film, ''Full Metal Jacket
''Full Metal Jacket'' is a 1987 war drama film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford. The film is based on Hasford's 1979 novel '' The Short-Timers'' and stars Matt ...
''.
Wright joined producers Randall Franks and Alan Autry
Carlos Alan Autry Jr. (also known for a time as Carlos Brown; born July 31, 1952), is an American actor, politician, and former National Football League player. During his brief football career, he was known as Carlos Brown. He played the ro ...
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 rest of the cast.
On December 31, 2000, the duo performed their farewell concert at the Nashville Nightlife Theater in Nashville, Tennessee
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 ...
. They played to a full house of fans, family and friends that included Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...
, The Whites
The Whites is an American country music vocal group from Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It consists of sisters Sharon White and Cheryl White, and their father, Buck White. Sharon on guitar, Cheryl on bass and Buck on Mandolin. Formed in 1972 ...
, Marty Stuart
John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country and bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968, Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's road band before beginning work as ...
, Connie Smith
Connie Smith (born Constance June Meador; August 14, 1941) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity h ...
, Leona Williams
Leona Belle Helton (born January 7, 1943, in Vienna, Missouri, United States) is an American country music singer known professionally as Leona Williams. Active since 1958, Williams has been a backing musician for Loretta Lynn and Merle Haggar ...
, Tommy Cash
Tommy Cash (born April 5, 1940) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. His elder brother was Johnny Cash.
Biography
Cash was born in Dyess, Arkansas, United States, the youngest of four sons and three daughters of Ray and Carrie (R ...
, Jack Greene
Jack Henry Greene (January 7, 1930 – March 14, 2013) was an American country musician. Nicknamed the "Jolly Greene Giant" due to his height and deep voice, Greene was a long time member of the Grand Ole Opry. A three-time Grammy Award nomi ...
, Jean Shepard
Ollie Imogene "Jean" Shepard (November 21, 1933 – September 25, 2016) was an American honky-tonk singer-songwriter who pioneered for women in country music. Shepard released a total of 73 singles to the Hot Country Songs chart, one of which ...
and comedian-impressionist, Johnny Counterfit.
Personal life
Kitty Wells
Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...
and Johnnie Wright were married on October 30, 1937.Ruby
A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called ...
(1939–2009), Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
* Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter
* Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
.,answer song An answer song, response song or answer record, is a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s to the 1950s. Answer so ...
" to Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller Sr. (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known for his honky-tonk-influenced novelty songs and his chart-topping country and pop hits " King of the Road", " Dang Me", and "Eng ...
's "Dang Me
"Dang Me" is a song by American country music artist Roger Miller, and 1964's Grammy Award winner for Best Country & Western Song. It was Miller's first chart-topping country hit and first Top Ten pop music hit,Ruhlmann, William. ";_and_Bobby,_with_a_series_of_country-pop_hits_in_the_early_to_mid-1970s,_including_"Seasons_in_the_Sun.html" ;"title="AllMusic.com: " ...
"; and Bobby, with a series of country-pop hits in the early to mid-1970s, including "Seasons in the Sun">AllMusic.com: " ...