Johnny
Russell is the consummate entertainer. A popular
personality,
a great songwriter, and a singer with a
tremendous
voice and expression. Johnny remains one of The
Grand
Ole Opry's most popular entertainers.
Buck
Owens recorded Russell's "Act Naturally," a top 10 hit for
Owens
in 1963. The song's success didn't end there: in 1965 the
Beatles
scored on the pop charts with the same song, and it
surfaced
again (complete with video) when Ringo Starr and
Buck
Owens teamed up in 1989.
Russell continued to churn out successful singles for
Burle
Ives, Patti Page, Loretta Lynn, the Wilburn Brothers
and
Del Reaves.
During the 1970s Russell signed a contract with RCAand,
before
long, found himself on the country charts with "Mr. &
Mrs.
Untrue," "Rain Falling on Me," "Rednecks,
White Socks,
and
Blue Ribbon Beer," "Catfish John," "The Baptism
of
Jesse
Taylor," and "Hello I Love You." This is the time period
he
worked with Roy.
