Johnny Bush

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Johnny Bush

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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = John Bush Shinn III
Alias = The Country Caruso
Born = birth date and age|1935|02|17 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Died =
Instrument = Guitar, drums, Fiddle
Genre = Country, Honky-Tonk, Texas Country, Western Swing
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
Years_active = 1952 - Present
Label = Stop, Million, Starday, RCA, Delta, TCE, Watermelon, Texas Music Group, BGM, Heart of Texas, Icehouse Music
Associated_acts = Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Darrell McCall
URL = http://www.johnnybush.com/
Notable_instruments =

Johnny Bush, born February 17 1935 as John Bush Shinn III in Houston, Texas, is a country music singer, songwriter, and drummer. Bush, nicknamed the "Country Caruso," is best-known for his distinctive voice and as the writer of "Whiskey River," a top-ten hit for himself and Willie Nelson's signature song. He is still popular in his native Texas. [cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20]

Biography and early career

Born John Bush Shinn III in the blue-collar neighborhood of Kashmere Gardens in Houston, Texas, Bush listened to the western swing music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and the honky-tonk sounds of artists like Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Thompson. Thanks to a disc jockey uncle, Bush got a taste for performance. In 1952 he moved to San Antonio, Texas, where he began solo career in area honky-tonks like the Texas Star Inn before switching to drums. It was during this period that he earned his stage name, when an announcer mistakenly introduced him as "Johnny Bush." As a drummer he worked for bands like the Mission City Playboys, the Texas Plainsmen and the Texas Top Hands. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
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accessdate = 2008-02-20 ]

In 1963, Bush joined Ray Price's band, the Cherokee Cowboys along with a young Willie Nelson. His association with Price led Bush to Nashville and a contract to sing for record demos. He also played in Nelson's band, the Record Men. With Nelson's financial backing, Bush recorded his first album in 1967, "The Sound of a Heartache". [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20 ] [cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20] [cite book
last = Bogdanov
first = Vladimir
authorlink =
coauthors = Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
title = All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music
publisher = Backbeat Books
date = 2003
location = San Francisco
pages = 104-105
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0879307609] [cite book
last = Malone
first = Bill
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Country Music, U.S.A.
publisher = University of Texas Press
date = 2002
location = Austin
pages = 290
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0292752628]

tardom and vocal problems

A series of regional hits on the Stop label, including Marty Robbins's "You Gave Me A Mountain," "Undo the Right," "What A Way To Live," and "I'll Be There," soon followed. Rock critic Robert Christgau said that Bush's version of "You Gave Me A Mountain," "brings a catch to the throuat and a tear to the eye." These songs did very well in Bush's native Texas, and reached the national top twenty. In 1972 he was signed to RCA Records, whose Nashville division was helmed by legendary guitarist Chet Atkins. His first RCA single, "Whiskey River," was climbing the charts with airplay on countless radio stations when his voice began faltering. Bush even felt he was being punished by God for his sins. Bush has since said: "I thought because of my promiscuous behavior and bad choices and being raised as a Baptist, that it was a punishment from God." [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20 ] [cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20] [cite book
last = Bogdanov
first = Vladimir
authorlink =
coauthors = Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
title = All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music
publisher = Backbeat Books
date = 2003
location = San Francisco
pages = 104-105
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0879307609] [cite book
last = Wolff
first = Kurt
authorlink =
coauthors = Orla Duane
title = Country Music: The Rough Guide
publisher = Rough Guides
date = 2000
location = London
pages = 346-347
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1858285348] [cite book
last = Christgau
first = Robert
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Rock Albums of the '70s: A Critical Guide
publisher = Da Capo Press
date = 1990
location = New York
pages = 68
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0306804093]

Bush lost half of his vocal range and was sometimes unable to talk. RCA dropped him in 1974 after three albums, he developed a drug habit, and was often stricken with performance anxiety when he was able to perform at all. After several misdiagnoses, doctors diagnosed the cause in 1978, when they discovered he had a rare neurological disorder called spasmodic dysphonia. Although this did not prevent him from recording, Bush's career began to take a downturn. He worked with a vocal coach in 1985, and was able to regain seventy percent of his original voice. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20 ] [cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20] [cite book
last = Bogdanov
first = Vladimir
authorlink =
coauthors = Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
title = All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music
publisher = Backbeat Books
date = 2003
location = San Francisco
pages = 104-105
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0879307609] [cite book
last = Wolff
first = Kurt
authorlink =
coauthors = Orla Duane
title = Country Music: The Rough Guide
publisher = Rough Guides
date = 2000
location = London
pages = 346-347
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1858285348]

Renaissance in Texas

In 1986, Bush teamed up with Darrell McCall, recording a successful honky-tonk album "Hot Texas Country", and began assembling a large country band (as did Willie Nelson), performing around south Texas. In 1994 the band released "Time Changes Everything", the same year that RCA released a greatest hits album. A major tour soon followed. Johnny Bush continues to tour regularly, often performing with Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20 ] [cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20] [cite book
last = Bogdanov
first = Vladimir
authorlink =
coauthors = Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
title = All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music
publisher = Backbeat Books
date = 2003
location = San Francisco
pages = 104-105
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0879307609] [cite book
last = Wolff
first = Kurt
authorlink =
coauthors = Orla Duane
title = Country Music: The Rough Guide
publisher = Rough Guides
date = 2000
location = London
pages = 346-347
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1858285348]

Several albums on local Texas labels soon followed. His renewed visibility made him a mentor figure to younger Texas musicians who revered the honky-tonk/hardcore country sound that Bush has done so much to keep in the public eye. Austin musicians like Dale Watson and Cornell Hurd sought him out to play on their albums. In 2003, he was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame with his life-long friend Willie Nelson on hand to induct him. In 2007 he released his autobiography, with the aide of Rick Mitchell: "Whiskey River (Take My Mind): The True Story of Texas Honky Tonk", published by University of Texas Press. A new album, "Kashmere Garden Mud: A Tribute to Houston’s Country Soul" was released on the Icehouse label at the same time. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20 ] [cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20] [cite book
last = Bogdanov
first = Vladimir
authorlink =
coauthors = Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
title = All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music
publisher = Backbeat Books
date = 2003
location = San Francisco
pages = 104-105
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0879307609] [cite book
last = Wolff
first = Kurt
authorlink =
coauthors = Orla Duane
title = Country Music: The Rough Guide
publisher = Rough Guides
date = 2000
location = London
pages = 346-347
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1858285348]

With the success of his recent Botox treatments for his vocal condition, and his successful career revival, Bush is a spokesman for people afflicted with vocal disorders. In 2002 he was honored in 2002 with the Annie Glenn Award, named for the wife of the John Glenn, by the National Council of Communicative Disorders for his work in bringing attention to the condition of spasmodic dysphonia. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20 ] [cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20] [cite book
last = Bogdanov
first = Vladimir
authorlink =
coauthors = Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
title = All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music
publisher = Backbeat Books
date = 2003
location = San Francisco
pages = 104-105
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0879307609] [cite book
last = Wolff
first = Kurt
authorlink =
coauthors = Orla Duane
title = Country Music: The Rough Guide
publisher = Rough Guides
date = 2000
location = London
pages = 346-347
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1858285348]

Discography

Albums

*"The Sound of a Heartache" (1968)
*"Undo the Right" (1968)
*"You Gave Me a Mountain" (1969)
*"Johnny Bush" (1970)
*"Bush Country" (1972)
*"Here's Johnny Bush" (1972)
*"Here Comes the World Again" (1973)
*"Texas Dance Hall Girl" (1973)
*"Whiskey River/There Stands the Glass" (1973)
*"Johnny Bush and the Bandoleros Live at Dance Town, U.S.A." (1979)
*"Live from Texas" (1982)
*"Time Changes Everything" (1994)
*"Talk to My Heart" (1998)
*"Lost Highway Saloon" (2000)
*"Sings Bob Wills" (2000)
*"Green Snakes" (2001)
*"Honkytonic" (2004)
*"Texas State of Mind" (2006)
*"Devil's Disciple" (2006)
*"Texas on a Saturday Night" (2007)
*"Kashmere Gardens Mud" (2007)

ingles

References

ources and external links

ources

*cite book
last = Bogdanov
first = Vladimir
authorlink =
coauthors = Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
title = All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music
publisher = Backbeat Books
date = 2003
location = San Francisco
pages = 104-105
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0879307609
*cite book
last = Bush
first = Johnny
authorlink =
coauthors = Rick Mitchell
title = Whiskey River (Take My Mind): The True Story of Texas Honky-tonk
publisher = University of Texas Press
date = 2007
location = Austin
pages =
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0292795319
*cite book
last = Christgau
first = Robert
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Rock Albums of the '70s: A Critical Guide
publisher = Da Capo Press
date = 1990
location = New York
pages = 68
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0306804093
*cite web
last = Shelburne
first = Craig
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Thanks to Botox, Johnny Bush Sings Again: Texas Artist Had a Hit With "Whiskey River," Then Lost His Voice
work = CMT News
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1558595/thanks-to-botox-johnny-bush-sings-again.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20
*cite book
last = Wolff
first = Kurt
authorlink =
coauthors = Orla Duane
title = Country Music: The Rough Guide
publisher = Rough Guides
date = 2000
location = London
pages = 346-347
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1858285348
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.johnnybush.com/bio.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush: Biography
work = Lone Star Music
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.lonestarmusic.com/artists.asp?id=92
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-23
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush
work = CMT.com
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/bush_johnny/artist.jhtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-23
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Johnny Bush
work = All Music Guide
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE57A18D24BA47420D39B3348C0B57EE501D750EE811000425AC8B83041814375EE51E98392F2AF35EC3CECB32CBB580CCCC8EE56F49062373D84E4A562285E36&sql=11:0pfixqw5ldde~T0
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-23

External links

* [http://www.johnnybush.com/ Johnny Bush's Official Website]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0pfixqw5ldde~T0 Johnny Bush at] Allmusic
* [http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/bush_johnny/artist.jhtml Johnny Bush at] CMT
* [http://www.lonestarmusic.com/artists.asp?id=92 Johnny Bush at] Lone Star Music