John D. Loudermilk A Small part of John D.'s History From Wikipedia John D. Loudermilk Birth name John Dee Loudermilk Jr. Also known as • Johnny Dee• Ebe Sneezer Born March 31, 1934 Durham, North Carolina, U.S. Died September 21, 2016 (aged 82) Christiana, Tennessee, U.S. Genres Country, pop Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter Instrument: Guitar Years active: 1950—2016 Labels • Colonial • Columbia • RCA Victor John D. 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", a 1968 UK cover by Don Fardon and a 1971 U.S. No. 1 hit for Paul Revere & the Raiders; "Ebony Eyes", a 1961 U.K. No. 1 and U.S. No. 8 for the Everly Brothers; "Tobacco Road", a 1964 Top 20 hit in both the U.S. and the U.K. for the Nashville Teens; "This Little Bird", a U.K. No. 6 for Marianne Faithfull in 1965, and "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye", a U.S. Top Ten hit in 1967 for the Casinos and also a U.S. No. 1 country hit for Eddy Arnold the following year. Early life and career John D. Loudermilk was born in Durham, North Carolina, to Pauline and John D. Loudermilk Sr., a carpenter. John D. Jr. grew up in a family who were members of the Salvation Army, and was influenced by the church singing of the Christian Church. His cousins Ira and Charlie Loudermilk were known professionally as the Louvin Brothers. Loudermilk was a graduate of Campbell College (now Campbell University), a private North Carolina Baptist Convention-owned college in Buies Creek, North Carolina. As a young boy he learned to play the guitar, and while still in his teens, wrote a poem that he set to music, "A Rose and a Baby Ruth". The owners of the local television station, where he worked as a graphic artist, allowed him to play the song on-air, resulting in country musician George Hamilton IV putting it on record in 1956. After Eddie Cochran had his first hit record with Loudermilk's song "Sittin' in the Balcony", Loudermilk's career path was firmly set. Loudermilk recorded many of his songs, including "Sittin' in the Balcony", under the stage name "Johnny Dee" (reaching No. 38 on the pop charts in 1957). His "Johnny Dee" records were recorded for the North Carolina-based Colonial Records label. In 1958, Loudermilk signed with Columbia Records and recorded five unsuccessful singles to 1959, including the original version of "Tobacco Road." In 1961, he signed with RCA Victor, where he had a number of hits: • "Language of Love" (US No. 32, UK Top 20) in 1961 • "Thou Shalt Not Steal" (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 country music capital Nashville, Tennessee, Loudermilk became one of the most productive songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s, penning country and pop music hits for the Everly Brothers, Johnny Tillotson, Chet Atkins, the Nashville Teens, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Johnny Cash, Marianne Faithfull, Stonewall Jackson, Sue Thompson and others. For example, he wrote "The Pale Faced Indian", later known as "Indian Reservation", a hit in the 1970s, for Paul Revere & the Raiders and "Tobacco Road", a hit in the 1960s and 1970s for, among others, the Nashville Teens, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Blues Magoos, Eric Burdon & War, and David Lee Roth. Loudermilk wrote the lead song in the John Wayne movie “Rio Bravo” which also starred Rick Nelson who sang the song “Half Breed”. "Midnight Bus" was recorded by several singers, and he commented that the best was by Betty McQuade in Melbourne, Australia. “Personal Life” In 1971, John married his true love, Susan Chollette Loudermilk. Loudermilk had suffered from prostate cancer and respiratory ailments. He died on September 21, 2016, at his home in Christiana, Tennessee. The cause of death was a heart attack, according to his son Michael. He was 82. A tremendous Loss to All. The John D. Loudermilk Collection is located in the Southern Folklife Collection of the Wilson Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Following paragraph has been published from: "A Cherokee Encyclopedia" Written by Robert Conley Cherokee Honor Society The Cherokee Honor Society was organized in 1999 by Murv Jacob and Deborah Duvall to recognize and honor individuals of Cherokee descent who have made significant contributions to society. At the first Cherokee Medal of Honor Awards, Wes Studi, Rita Coolidge, John D. Loudermilk, Tom Allard, Valerie Red-Horse, Jim Halsey, Barbara McAlister, Colonel Martin Hagerstrand (a white man), and Bill Glass Jr. were honored with medals. In the years that followed, recipients of the Medal of Honor have included Keely Smith, Mel McDaniel, Crystal Gayle, her sister Peggy Sue, Louis Ballard, Joe Thornton, Joan Hill, Luther Wilson, Lucille Hair, Joey Browner, Jason Stone, James Earl Jones, Lena Blackbird, Bill Rabbit, Archie Dunham, Diane Glancy, Cherokee Ballard, Dan Agent, Tommy Lee Jones, Marie Wadley, Wilson Vann, Jerry Elliot, Robert J. Conley, Lorene Drywater, Robin Coffee, Carl Barnes, Jean Hager, Leo Feathers, Dr. Jerald C. Walker, Francene Geers-Sampson, Virginia Stroud, Perry and Kathy Van Buskirk, Talmadge Davis, Janet L. Smith, Betty Jo Smith, Choogie Kingfisher, J. C. Elliott, and Mark Farner.
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