On This Day in 2018, We Lost One-Half of the Husband-Wife Duo Known as “Mr. And Mrs. Country Music”

Country music history is full of married couples whose romantic chemistry translated flawlessly to the stage. Johnny and June, George and Tammy, Waylon and Jessi, Tim and Faith. Jonie and Johnny Mosby may not have quite the instant name recognition of some of their counterparts, but they charted 17 singles between 1963 and 1973. On this day (Feb. 19) in 2018, Johnny Mosby died at age 88.

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A Look at the Life and Career of Johnny Mosby

Born April 26, 1929, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, John Robert “Johnny” Mosby wasted no time turning a profit from his natural singing talent. He would often perform for his dad and uncles in exchange for nickels, which allowed him to buy ice cream.

After graduating from high school in Orange County, California, Mosby did a stint in the U.S. Navy before returning to the Golden State in pursuit of a full-time music career. Working construction by day and playing Los Angeles venues by night, he met Janice Irene “Jonie” Shields at the famed Palomino Club in 1958 when she auditioned for his West Coast orchestra. He hired her, and by the end of the year, she had become his second wife.

Making Music Together

The same year they solidified their marital union, Jonie and Johnny Mosby began making music for Challenger Records, releasing the earliest version of “The Tijuana Jail” in 1959. (That same year, The Kingston Trio took their rendition to No. 12 on the pop charts.

[RELATED: 5 Best Country Duos of the ’70s]

By 1963, they had relocated to Columbia Records, where they released their debut single “Don’t Call Me from a Honky Tonk.” That song hit No. 13 on the country charts, and the couple followed with “Trouble in My Arms,” which peaked at No. 12. In 1965, their debut album Mr.  and Mrs. Country Music cracked the Top 20 of the country albums chart.

Appearing on popular programs like Louisiana Hayride, the couple enjoyed a string of charting singles, including “Just Hold My Hand” and “I’m Leavin’ It Up to You.” By 1971, however, their success had begun to wind down. Two years later, Johnny and Jonie Mosby would divorce.

Outside of music, Johnny Mosby owned and operated the Ban Dar nightclub in Ventura, California, for more than 42 years.

Featured image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images