JOHNNY DARRELL

Instruments:
Date of Birth: July 23, 1940
Place of Birth: Hopewell, Alabama
Date of Death: October 7, 1997

During his heyday, Johnny Darrell practically made a career of releasing lyrically adventurous country singles that then became standards through other singers' versions Among the landmark tunes he helped introduce were Curly Putman's "Green, Green Grass of Home" (1965), Mel Tillis's "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" (1967), and Dallas Frazier's "The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp" (1967). Given his history, Darrell once described his career as "big, but unfortunately not many ever realized it."

Born in Alabama, Darrell grew up in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. When he was thirteen he bought a guitar, though he didn't dream of a career in music. In the army he sang in the base clubs, but as the self-deprecating singer put it, "If I remember correctly, they threw me out every time I sang."

In 1964 Darrell moved to Nashville, where he managed the Holiday Inn near Music Row. There he got to know producer Kelso Herston of United Artists, whose office was next door to the motel. Herston heard Darrell sing and signed him. "Green Green Grass of Home" was Darrell's first UA single, and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," which encountered radio resistance, nevertheless became his first Top Ten hit. Darrell's biggest hit was "With Pen in Hand," which went to #3 in 1968.

During the 1970s Darrell became associated with the Outlaw movement, but by then his career was in decline. After a period of inactivity and poor health, the determined singer returned to recording and songwriting in the late 1980s.

Daniel Cooper