Famous Oklahomans: Hoyt Axton

The movie “Gremlins” and the songs “Della and the Dealer” and “Heartbreak Hotel” are familiar to most nativeOklahomans.Allthree of those are linked to actor/ musician Hoyt Axton. He was a famous Oklahoman who had much to do with all three and a caravan of other familiar artistic things winning him the accolade of Folk Singer.

Axton was born March 25, 1938, in Duncan, Okla. right along side of the Chisholm Trail in a territory that existed long before Oklahoma came to be its name. Axton spent much of his early years in Comanche, Okla. with his mother Mae Boren Axton, also a songwriter who was a cowriter for “Heartbreak Hotel”. Eventually, they moved from Oklahoma to Florida to join Axton’s father, John Axton.

Mae Axton is known as being the “Queen of Nashville” and she certainly embedded something special into her sonHoytashistalentsspread over a wide area of stardom. YoungAxtonwasanaturalin the entertainment world and received classical piano and guitar training to support his talents.

HegraduatedfromRobert E. Lee and the school later changed its name to Riverside High School in 2021. Axton then attended Oklahoma State University on a football scholarship of which he left a little early to enlist in the US Navy serving on two ships the USS Princeton and the USS Ranger.

BeingalocalfromDuncan, Okla. leads to many stories about Hoyt and his mother in his early days. One local Oklahoma native Mary Cooper recalled a certain story.

“Mrs. Axton worked at a local café as a waitress, one evening Elvis Presley and his entouragewalkedin,”Cooper said. “After taking their food order, Mrs. Axton became acquainted with Elvis and wrote the song on a paper napkin she had been working on along with her son and handed it to Elvis, apparently, he liked it because he sang it the next night on stage at the night club.”

Thesongwas“Heartbreak Hotel”. This event must have somehow opened doors for young Axton as he went on to write some of America’s powerhouse hits including: “Greenback Dollar” recorded by The Kingston Trio, “Joy to the World” recorded by Three DogNight,and“Dellaandthe Dealer”. Some of his other hits included “Never Been to Spain”, “The Pusher”, and “Boney Fingers”.

Axton had many music hits but his talent did not end there. Axton starred in many big movie hits including, “Black Stallion”, “Heart Like a Wheel”, and an alltime favorite “Gremlins”. Axton’s wholesome country personality often lent his talent to a father figure on the big screen.

Axton also appeared on many television sitcoms including, “WKRP in Cincinnati”, and “Different Strokes”. His captivating voice and smooth style also led way to someTVcommercialsincluding McDonaldsBigMacsong, Busch beer, and Pizza Hut commercials.

Axton was a staple in many American households andmanyofhissongsandjingles have been set in cement in the archival minds of folks. His elegant style and crafty songwriting abilities caught the eye or ear of an array of performers including Ringo Starr, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Waylon Jennings and Arlo Guthrie. Axton even sang duets with Linda Ronstadt and Tanya Tucker.

The 1970’s and 1980’s simply would not have been the same without the grace and influence that Axton spread by sharing his talents. Hoyt passed away at the age of 61 at his home in Montana on October 26, 1999.

Hoyt and his mother, Mae were both inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame on November 1, 2007 where they joined a list of Oklahoma greats including; MerleHaggard,WoodyGuthrie, Gene Autry, Vince Gill, Roy Clark, Bob Wills, Ronnie Dunn, Roger Miller, Leon Russell, Carrie Underwood, B.J. Thomas and a long list of other Oklahoma groups and performers.