On October 26, 1999, Hoyt Wayne Axton, the man responsible for some of the most iconic songs of the 20th century, died in his Montana home after his second heart attack in two weeks. He, along with his mother, who co-wrote one of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits, left behind massive musical legacies spanning multiple genres, decades, and recording artists.
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As a recording artist, Axton enjoyed only modest success. On the rare occasions he did chart, it was often outside of the Top 20. Nevertheless, he was a talented songwriter, and many of the songs he wrote that other artists covered became those artists’ signature tracks. Outside of the musical realm, Axton also worked as an actor, commonly cast as a paternal role in movies like The Black Stallion and Gremlins.
The Oklahoma native had close connections to several notable public figures, including his cousins, Arlo Guthrie, a musician, and David Boren, Oklahoma governor and a three-term U.S. senator. His mother, Mae Boren Axton, made an incredible but behind-the-scenes impact on rock ‘n’ roll when she co-wrote “Heartbreak Hotel” with Tommy Durden.
The track became Presley’s first million-seller and one of his most well-known songs, making it clear that songwriting talent ran deep in the Axton family.
What Hoyt Axton Songs Have You Heard Without Realizing It?
Assuming you aren’t an avid collector of non-charting country albums from the 1970s or a devoted fan of Gremlins, the black comedy film about mogwai wreaking havoc on Kingston Falls on Christmas Eve, you might not readily recognize Hoyt Axton’s name. However, you’ve likely heard several songs he wrote, even if he wasn’t the artist billed on the album.
Following in his mother’s footsteps, Axton penned a number of major hits throughout the mid-20th century. Some of his most notable contributions to the rock, pop, and country canon include Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World”, “Greenback Dollar” for The Kingston Trio, and “The Pusher” for Steppenwolf. Other artists who covered Axton’s writing include Joan Baez, Waylon Jennings, Glen Campbell, John Denver, and Linda Ronstadt.
“I started writing songs when I was 15,” Axton told The Oklahoman in 1982. “All I ever wanted to be was a songwriter. When somebody likes your stuff enough to want to record it when they have access to, God knows, millions of songs, it’s great. The closest you can get to God or the way I do, anyway, is when you’re writing a song, and it’s right.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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