Who was/is Johnny Jay ? - CDs, Vinyl LPs, DVD and more
John J. Huhta adopted the easier-to-pronounce pseudonym of Johnny Jay for his two Mercury singles, cut at an October 13, 1957 session at Nashville’s RCA Studio. Born October 9, 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota, Huhta hosted his own local radio show over WEBC prior to serving in Korea. Returning stateside in 1956, he formed The Shuffle Kings with his younger twin brothers Max and Mike. They made their way to Nashville and were soon touring with Hawkshaw Hawkins and Jean Shepherd. Ernest Tubb invited John to perform on his ‘Midnight Jamboree’ over WSM.
The band made contact with an independent producer who helmed their debut date in Nashville (participants included pianist Hargus ‘Pig’ Robbins, guitarist Hank Garland, and The Jordanaires) and sold it to Mercury. The swinging Sugar Doll was issued at the end of October, followed by the hard-driving I’m Gonna Keep It, penned by Robbins and Mary Biggs, at the close of the following February (Huhta penned the flip, Send Me Love). Jay didn’t surface after that for nearly a decade. When he did, he sang straight country with Buck $2.80 on Pete Drake’s Stop label.
Copyright © Bear Family Records®. Copying, also of extracts, or any other form of reproduction, including the adaptation into electronic data bases and copying onto any data mediums, in English or in any other language is permissible only and exclusively with the written consent of Bear Family Records® GmbH.