Johnnie Wright
| Johnnie Wright | |
|---|---|
Johnnie Wright in 1964
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johnnie Robert Wright Jr. |
| Born |
May 13, 1914 Mount Juliet, Tennessee |
| Died | September 27, 2011 (aged 97) Madison, Tennessee |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1939–2000 |
| Associated acts | Johnnie & Jack, Kitty Wells, Ruby Wright |
Johnnie Robert Wright, Jr. (May 13, 1914 – September 27, 2011), known by his stage name Johnnie Wright, was an American country music singer-songwriter, who spent much of his career working with Jack Anglin as the popular duo Johnnie & Jack, and was also the husband of country music star Kitty Wells.
Born in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, Wright first performed with Anglin in 1936. In 1937, he married Kitty Wells. 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, remained together for more than two decades.
In 1952, Johnnie & Jack’s "Poison Love" took them to the Grand Ole Opry, 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.
In 1964, he and his Tennessee Mountain Boys had a Top 25 hit with "Walkin', Talkin', Cryin', Barely Beatin' Broken Heart." The following year, he had success with "Hello Vietnam", a No. 1 hit. In 1968, he and Wells recorded an autobiographical duet, "We'll Stick Together", and continued playing live shows together through 2007.
In 1983, Wright and Wells opened the Family Country Junction Museum and Studio in their hometown of Madison, Tennessee. They closed the museum in October 2000, but their grandson, John Sturdivant, Jr. kept the Junction Recording Studio operating.
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