Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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BOND, Johnny

(b Cyrus Whitfield Bond, 1 June '15, Enville OK; d 12 June '78, Burbank CA) US C&W singer, songwriter, film actor. Played country dances around Marieth OK '33--4; first radio work Oklahoma City '34. Joined Pop Moore's Oklahomans '36, Jimmy Wakeley Trio '37 (then called the Bell Boys) with Dick Reinhart; trio joined Gene Autry in Hollywood. On Autry's Melody Ranch CBS broadcasts '40--55; appeared as guitar-playing sidekick in films with Autry, Tex Ritter, Roy Rogers and Hopalong Cassidy, but also main features: Saga Of Death Valley '39, The Tulsa Kid '40, Pony Post '40, Duel In The Sun '45 etc. First appearance on Grand Ole Opry '40; TV Town Hall Party from '53; signed to Columbia (OKeh) '40--58 with hits 'Cimarron' '40, 'I'll Step Aside' '45, 'Rainbow At Midnight' '46, 'Oklahoma Waltz' '48, 'Sick, Sober And Sorry' '51, 'Love Song In 32 Bars' '52, etc. Wrote classic country songs such as 'I Wonder Where You Are Tonight', 'Tomorrow Never Comes', 'I'll Step Aside', 'Your Old Love Letters'. With 20th Century-Fox label '59, Autry's Republic label '60--62 (hit 'Hot Rod Lincoln' crossed over to no. 26 on pop chart '60), Starday '62--72: many hits incl. 'Ten Little Bottles' '65, 'Here Come The Elephants' '71. Published books The Tex Ritter Story, autobiography Reflections; wrote unpublished biography of Autry.