Johnny Seay

John Allan Seay, Jr. (July 15, 1940 – May 14, 2016) was an American country music singer, professionally known as Johnny Sea or Johnny Seay. His first hits came in the late 1950s, and his career saw a resurgence in the mid-1960s, particularly with the release of his spoken word single "Day For Decision".

Johnny Sea (Johnny Seay)
Birth nameJohn Allan Seay, Jr.
Also known asJohnny Seay, John Tyson Seay, John Luther Seay
Born(1940-07-15)July 15, 1940
OriginGulfport, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedMay 14, 2016(2016-05-14) (aged 75)
GenresCountry, Folk
Occupation(s)Musician, Singer, Song Writer. Gun Engraver, Artist, Crop Duster Pilot, Rancher, Steam Locomotive Engineer, cowboy
Years active1958-2016
LabelsNRC, Capitol, Philips, Warner Bros., Columbia, Viking, Lost Gold, Bear Family, Cross and Grave Ranch Brand Records.
Websitejohnnyseay.com

Biography

Seay was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and grew up in Atlanta, and had his first major break in 1957 by winning a state talent show (whose runner-up was Bill Anderson).[1] As a result of this he was offered a recording contract as well as the opportunity to appear on Louisiana Hayride and The Grand Ole Opry. In 1959, he scored a hit on the country charts with "Frankie's Man Johnny", and had a second in 1960 with "Nobody's Darling but Mine".[2] Both his early hits were on NRC Records. After these hits he moved westward to become a cowboy.

In 1964 he began recording again and his songs, "My Baby Walks All Over Me" and "My Old Faded Rose", became country chart successes.[2] Signing with Warner Bros. Records in 1966, he released the song "Day For Decision" which featured a background chorus singing "America". The recording was a country success and also peaked at No. 35 on the US pop charts;[3] it was nominated for a Grammy award but lost to a collection of recordings by Edward R. Murrow.[4] Its accompanying album, which was a minor chart success, featured renditions of several popular patriotic tunes. After 1967, he began recording under his given name Johnny Seay again, and had two more country hits for Columbia Records, "Goin' to Tulsa" and "Three Six Packs, Two Arms and a Juke Box". His 1968 (released in 1970) song "Willie's Drunk and Nellie's Dyin'" were about his real-life neighbors Willie and Nellie York; after the song's release, the family was profiled in Life Magazine (July 17, 1970).[2] Following his second rise to stardom, Seay returned to the life of a cowboy, moving to Justiceburg, Texas.

He died May 14, 2016, when his single-engine plane clipped a cell telephone tower wire and crashed near West, Texas. He was 75.[5]

Discography

Albums
Year Album Chart Positions Label
US Country US
1962 The Crown Prince of Country Music — — Guest Star
1964 Johnny Sea — — Philips
The World of a Country Boy 17 —
1965 Live at the Bitter End — —
Everybody's Favorite — — Hilltop
1966 Day for Decision 27 147 Warner Bros.

Singles
Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country[6] US CAN
1959 "Frankie's Man, Johnny" 13 — — singles only
1960 "Nobody's Darling but Mine" 13 — —
1964 "My Baby Walks All Over Me" 27 121 — The World of a Country Boy
1965 "My Old Faded Rose" 19 — — single only
1966 "Day for Decision" 14 35 47 Day for Decision
1967 "Nothin's Bad as Bein' Lonely" 61 — — singles only
1968 "Going Out to Tulsa" 68 — —
"Three Six Packs, Two Arms and a Juke Box" 32 — —

References
  1. Review of Day For Decision, Allmusic.com
  2. Biography, Allmusic.com
  3. Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 7th edn, 2000
  4. The Envelope. Los Angeles Times. Accessed October 19, 2007.
  5. Robert K. Oermann (May 18, 2016). "LifeNotes: Johnny Sea, Singer Of "Day For Decision," Dies". MusicRow. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 372. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
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